[Encaitare]

Reggie hurried along the riverbank, scrambling through grasses and mud. He glanced back to see Sondo still holding the raft safe, and scanned his surroundings for any of his companions.

He was angry with that Sam -- not only had he been picking on Bingo, but he had upset their entire raft! If he found that mean hobbit...

A cry broke his thoughts, which was probably for the best. He looked to see Marroc clinging to the branch of a tree, suspended over the water.

"Help!" Marroc called, seeing Reggie on the bank. Reggie wracked his mind but could not think of any way to reach him, hanging above the surface of the water like he was. The call came again, and Reggie began to get scared. What if he couldn't do anything? He began feeling around in his pockets for something that would aid him. Nothing in his front pockets, nothing in his shirt pocket -- aha!

In his back pocket, Reggie's fingers closed around a piece of thin rope. He pulled it out and was dismayed to see that it wasn't particularly long, only a few feet. He thought quickly, and decided that his idea was worth a try.

"Marroc! Get closer to the bank if you can! Move along the branch!"

Marroc looked frightened, and tentatively let one hand go to swing himself a little closer to the trunk.

"That's good, come on," said Reggie, dreading that at any second he would hear a plop, and then Marroc would be out of his aid. But at long last, Marroc was several feet closer.

"The branch is too thick," he called to Reggie. "I can't hold on for much longer..."

"You're going to have to let go," Reggie said, "and then swim towards the bank. Then I'll throw the rope in and you can grab on!" He hoped that Marroc was a decent swimmer...