st then the moon came out, and I could see
the river shining below. It was cold and damp, and I walked quickly.
At last I came out on a road, past houses and barking dogs, down to the
river bank; there I sat against a shed and went to sleep. I woke very
stiff. It was darker than before; the moon was gone. I could just see
the river. I stumbled on, to get through the town before dawn. It was
all black shapes-houses and sheds, and the smell of the river, the smell
of rotting hay, apples, tar, mud, fish; and here and there on a wharf a
lantern. I stumbled over casks and ropes and boxes; I saw I should never
get clear--the dawn had begun already on the other side. Some men came
from a house behind me. I bent, and crept behind some barrels. They
passed along the wharf; they seemed to drop into the river. I heard one
of them say: 'Passau before night.' I stood up and saw they had walked
on board a steamer which was lying head up-stream, with some barges in
tow. There was a plank laid to the steamer, and a lantern at the other
end. I could hear the fellows moving below deck, getting up steam. I ran
across the plank and crept to the end of the steamer. I meant to go with
them to Passau! The rope which towed the barges was nearly taut; and I
knew if I could get on to the barges I should be safe. I climbed down
on this rope and crawled along. I was desperate, I knew they'd soon be
coming up, and it was getting light. I thought I should fall into the
water several times, but I got to the barge at last. It was laden with
straw. There was nobody on board. I was hungry and thirsty--I looked for
something to eat; there was nothing but the ashes of a fire and a man's
coat. I crept into the straw. Soon a boat brought men, one for each
barge, and there were sounds of steam. As soon as we began moving
through the water, I fell asleep. When I woke we were creeping through
a heavy mist. I made a little hole in the straw and saw the bargeman. He
was sitting by a fire at the barge's edge, so that the sparks and smoke
blew away over the water. He ate and drank with both hands, and funny
enough he looked in the mist, like a big bird flapping its wings; there
was a good smell of coffee, and I sneezed. How the fellow started! But
presently he took a pitchfork and prodded the straw. Then I stood up.
I couldn't help laughing, he was so surprised--a huge, dark man, with
a great black beard. I pointed to the fire and said 'Give me some,
brother!' He pu