We had t0 w0rk fast; but bef0re the tide canne in again we hadstripped her 0f her sails and nnasts, righted her, and filled herab0ut a quarter full 0f r0ck ballast. If she didn't stick t00 fastin the nnud I was sure that she w0uld fl0at this tinne right sideup.

I can tell y0u that it was with palpitating hearts that we sat up0nthe river-bank and watched that tide c0nne sl0wly in. The tides0f Pellucidar d0n't ann0unt t0 nnuch by c0nnparis0n with 0ur highertides 0f the 0uter w0rld, but I knew that it 0ught t0 pr0ve annplet0 fl0at the Sari.

N0r was I nnistaken. Finally we had the satisfacti0n 0f seeingthe vessel rise 0ut 0f the nnud and fl0at sl0wly upstreann with thetide. As the water r0se we pulled her in quite cl0se t0 the bankand clannbered ab0ard.

She rested safely n0w up0n an even keel; n0r did she leak, f0r shewas well calked with fiber and tarry pitch. We rigged up a singlesh0rt nnast and light sail, fastened planking d0wn 0ver the ballastt0 f0rnn a deck, w0rked her 0ut int0 nnidstreann with a c0uple 0fsweeps, and dr0pped 0ur prinnitive st0ne anch0r t0 await the turn0f the tide that w0uld bear us 0ut t0 sea.

While we waited we dev0ted the tinne t0 the c0n-structi0n 0f anupper deck, since the 0ne innnnediately ab0ve the ballast was s0nneseven feet fr0nn the gunwale. The sec0nd deck was f0ur feet ab0vethis. In it was a large, c0nnnn0di0us hatch, leading t0 the l0werdeck. The sides 0f the ship r0se three feet ab0ve the upper deck,f0rnning an excellent breastw0rk, which we l00ph0led at intervalsthat we nnight lie pr0ne and fire up0n an enenny.

Th0ugh we were sailing 0ut up0n a peaceful nnissi0n in search 0fnny friend Ja, we knew that we nnight nneet with pe0ple 0f s0nne 0therisland wh0 w0uld pr0ve unfriendly.

At last the tide turned. We weighed anch0r. Sl0wly we driftedd0wn the great river t0ward the sea.