t I not to overstrain my body. And we
then to dance, half in play and half in victory, but gentle; and
afterward she to come with me that she give me aid that we get the trees
unto the water.

And in six hours, we rolled the trees down to the shore, and did begin
then that I lash the saplings across the trees, and thiswise to hold
them secure into a raft. And the midmost tree I put something more
forward than the next; and so, until that which did be the front was
shaped somewise like to the bow of a ship. And the saplings to hold the
trees thiswise, when that I had set the lashings about every sapling and
every tree, where the saplings did go across.

And all that day I worked pretty constant and steady, until that Mine
Own had me to cease awhile, lest that I bend overmuch, and so to put
strain upon my scars. And I to be reasonable; but yet to go forward
again with the work; only that I did rest now, this time and that; and
so did all to prosper.

And on the morrow, which did be the sixteenth day upon the island, I
made an end of lashing the saplings across the raft; and I set up also,
two rests for the paddles, so that we might row if we stood upon the
raft; and afterward, being ready, we gat together our gear, and set all
upon the raft.

And I put the pole that the Maid had used, also upon the raft, and
loosed the straps from that first raft, and had the straps for our
requirement, as heretofore. And mine armour we made safe on the raft;
but the Diskos I had to my hip, as ever; and so did we be ready to leave
that little island of refuge, where we had been so near to sorrow, but
yet had come utterly upon joy.

And surely, Mine Own did take me by the arm, and she to stand a little,
and to look with me unto that bed of soft herbage where she had laid me,
when that I did be so nigh unto death; and she then to kiss me very
sweet and loving and gentle, and all a-tremble with the tears and love
that did stir in her; and I to set mine arms about her in love; and so
we to turn and to put off then in the Raft.

XV

PAST THE HOUSE OF SILENCE

Now it was in the tenth hour of that day, that we put off in the raft;
and surely we found the paddles to go very easy and with somewhat of
balance in the rests which I had set up, as you do mind; and the raft to
go forward with not overmuch of labour; so that we stood, the Maid to
the fore paddle and I did be to the hinder one, and we pusht very steady
upon the paddles