To reach the other toe by river would mean a journey of many miles, whereas to go there in a straight line overland would be but a few miles.
These few miles by land, however, lay across steep and thickly-wooded mountains. It would doubtless take longer to go by land than it would by water.
This fact did not disappoint Trim at all. On the other hand it seemed to him to be very much in his favor, for he was anxious to give the white criminals who were the leaders of the Narugas time to go down to the other landing and prepare their ambush, if that should be their plan.
On the theory that they would do this Trim reasoned that they would wait there for the party on the rafts to appear.
If the rafts did not appear they would simply keep on waiting and so give Trim time to cross the mountains and fall upon them from the rear.
He was thinking over this plan while the party was preparing to start into the forest, and just before the start was made he cut the cords that bound the rafts to the bank and with one of the long poles pushed them both out into the current.
“I suppose that’s all right, lad,” Dobbin remarked, “but seems to me it’s possible we may want to use those rafts again.”
“It is possible,” returned Trim.
“You see,” continued Dobbin, “we may find we cannot force a way over these mountains.”
“Well, if we can’t,” said Trim, “we can make new rafts.