“Poor fellows! No wonder. So was I just now.”
“But you said I gave you a fright. I did nothing. What was it?”
“I was fast asleep, I tell you, holding on I suppose by my knees, when I woke up and found that you were not by my side.”
“But I told you I was going to ride on and see how the boys were getting on.”
“Did you? I didn’t hear a word. I must have been sound.”
“But you answered me, and said, ‘All right.’”
“Very likely, but it was in my sleep. When I woke up, though, and found you were not with me, it was a regular shock, for I thought you must have fallen off and be lying somewhere in the darkness and your nag beside you. The sensation was horrible, for in my stupid sleepy state I felt that we might never find you again.”
“How horrible!”
“It was, I can tell you. It roused me up a bit, and I had common-sense enough left in the midst of my scare to push on first and make sure. You can’t think what a feeling of relief it gave me when you answered. I say, it would be awful if either of us were lost.”
“Awful indeed,” said Bourne, with a sigh. “We’re on a wild chase, Wilton.”