There was no difficulty in getting plenty of dried wood together, and after a few failures this began to blaze merrily, lighting up the leaves of the trees with a rich red glow; and when it was at its height setting a good many birds flitting about in the strange glow, so that we could have procured more specimens here. But after sitting talking by the fire for some time we crept in under our leafy shed, and it seemed to me that no sooner had I stretched myself out than I fell fast asleep.
Chapter Thirty Two.
Another Night Horror.
I had no idea how long I had been asleep when all at once I started into wakefulness, feeling that we were in danger.
I did not know what the danger might be, but that there was something about to happen I was sure.
It was very dark in our narrow shed, and nearly dark out beyond our feet, only that a faint glow from our fire made one or two tree trunks stand out like dark sentinels just on the other side.
My uncle was so near that I could have wakened him by just moving one hand, but remembering that other night I shrank from wakening him without cause.
“I’ve got another fever fit coming on,” I said to myself; but all the same I did not feel so, only startled and timid, and to encourage myself I thought that I must have had a bad dream.