Sam told the others all about his adventures, and they gave him a minute history of their life during his absence.

Then Sam explained that from the number of savages he had seen on that side of the river, he thought the other side must now be comparatively free from them.
"Fort Glass is just twelve miles away from here," he said, "and I mean now to go there, just as soon as I get a little rested and feel strong enough.

The country along this part of the river is very bad to travel through, though, since the river rose, as all the creeks are up, and if we could get up the river about eight miles, we should be within six miles of the fort, with a good country to travel through.

We can't get there, however, and so it's no use to talk about it.

We must just strike out from here and make our way across the best way we can." But clearly Sam was in no condition to travel yet.