ought, in a great bounding, rather than that they did
fly proper as doth a bird. Yet I suffered no hurt from these; for I was
swift to hide between the great boulders that were very plenty in that
part; but no trees. For I was gone now past the forests of trees; there
being none since that I had gone through a very shallow river, that I
came to about the thirteenth hour. And this had I waded, and sounded my
path with the staff of the Diskos; but I had kept mine armour upon me,
lest there be things, even in water so shallow, that might bite and work
harm upon me. But I gat through pretty quick, and had no hurt done me.
Now I had eat, as ever, at the sixth and the twelfth hours; and by that
the eighteenth hour was come, I was nigh again unto a forest, that came
down to the shore that went alway upon my right; and I to be very sore
and wearied, as you shall know; for I had fought very desperate after my
waking, and afterward climbed the great Rock, and then again to journey,
so that it was, by this, nigh to one and twenty hours since that I did
sleep.

And surely, I lookt this way and that way, constant, and did see no
place proper to my slumber. But afterward, I considered I did be a fool,
to lack such; for truly the trees were plentiful, and I could climb a
great one, and strap my body safe, and so have a sure bed for my rest.
And I did this thing, and went upward into a great tree, and did tie my
body to the tree, with my belts; yet I eat and drank before that I went
up the tree.

Now when I was fast upward in the tree, and had made a bed upon a
monstrous branch, and had the Diskos ready upon my hip, so that it
should not fall but be nigh to my hand, I lay a little while thinking
upon Naani; and I went not over to sleep immediately, which was strange;
yet mayhaps because that my bed was so uncertain.

And I considered very gravely how that it was a monstrous long while
since that I did hear the Master-Word from the dear Maid; and truly I
was come a dreadful way from mine home, which was the Mighty Pyramid;
for I had gone onward for ever through five and twenty great days of
travel, and was not yet come to any place that did appear like to be
that place where the Maid did abide.

And it did seem that I might even wander onward in that great Country of
Fire and Water for a time beyond all that I had before gone; and this
thought did put a great weight of trouble and weariness upon my heart;
for the Maid had been in so