“You shall, and I hope you’ll have no need to use your rifle afterwards, except on bears or deer. Where are you going?”
“Mr Raydon said I was to relieve one of the men.”
“So you shall, but the first one’s got an hour yet to be on duty. I’ll call you when you’re wanted. How’s Mr Gunson?”
“I’m just going to see,” I said; and I went up to the strangers’ quarters and looked in, to find Mrs Dean on duty by the bedside, and Esau seated by the fire, cutting out something which he informed me was part of a trap he had invented to catch squirrels.
“How is he?” I said in a low voice to Mrs Dean.
“Very bad, my dear, and so weak.”
“But hasn’t he shown any sign of recovering his senses?”
“No, my dear; and it does seem so discouraging.”
“Never mind, mother; you’ll cure him.”
“Hist!” I said.