Why, she wondered, had she ever thought the river cold and cruel and merciless?

I thought the river approach was a better idea.

I thought the river had us both, he said.

The battalion's colonel thought the river could be forded, and there was only one way to be certain.

He thought the river well named.

It was contrary to anything I had ever heard, particularly from Father, who surely thought the river was ours to use as we saw fit.