How I seemed to toil in terrible agony to get away, the sun burning, and the way up which I climbed growing more and more stony with precipices, down which I was always about to fall! Then great rows of the heads of the mountain sheep came in my way with their large curled horns threatening to drive me back into the jaws of the grizzly bear, which was always close behind. It seemed hidden sometimes behind heaps of skins, but I always knew it was there, and its great muzzle came out again.
I tried to run—to climb further, but something held me back, and the burning on my head grew terrible. I was thirsty too, and I thought that the moose pitied me, and would show me the way to water; but it only looked at me mournfully till I awoke in the darkness, and lay wondering for a few minutes before I stretched out my hand and felt that I was in my bed, and as I lay there, I suddenly saw in the darkness the shape of my door formed by four faint streaks of light which grew brighter, and directly after there was the sharp point of light where the keyhole was, near one side.
It seemed very strange, and more so that the door should open directly after, and Mr Raydon be standing there in his shirt and trousers carrying a candle.
“What does he want?” I thought to myself in a confused way, as I saw him come into our room, and the light fell on Esau, who was not undressed, but lying on his bed with his mouth wide open.
Suddenly he started up, and Mr Raydon raised his hand, and I heard him say, “Sh!” The next minute he was holding the candle over my bed, looking in on my face.
“What’s the matter?” I said; “I’m not asleep;” but it did not sound like my voice speaking.
It was Mr Raydon’s turn now, and he whispered to me—
“Lie quite still, Mayne. Are you in much pain?”
“No,” I said. “I don’t know. My shoulder aches.”
“Don’t talk; try and go to sleep again.”