“There is no end of the water,” he said, on returning. “The Swamp is flooded and the new lake extends far out of sight.”
“There is then nothing to do,” said Koree, “but to cross it. So let us spread out, and each hunt for a shallow place.”
“We might,” observed another, “wait till the water subsides.”
“Or,” said Oko, “we could go back and give up the war. If the country is flooded everything beyond is destroyed, and we will make nothing by conquering the Lali, who have no doubt been washed out with all their provisions.”
“There is plenty of fruit beyond,” said Cocoanut-Scooper, “I observed that before coming down from the palm. We shall have a prosperous march if we only get over this water.”
The great flood, however, rolled, like Jordan, between them and the promised land; and no power, human or apian, had yet crossed such a stream.
A few limbs and trunks of trees were floating in the water, which suggested an idea to Koree.
“If we could each get on one of these pieces of floating wood,” he said, “we might get over the water; for the wind is driving them in that direction.”
“Good,” said Pounder, “and I will be the first to try it. I can handle a wild beast or an alligator, and so need not fear a log.”