"Is it not possible to proceed, lad?"
"No sir; we are on level ground now, you see, and we should only go round and round and further astray. We might fall into a wild-duck pond and get drowned. Even if we were on a hillside, though we could descend, we might go astray and tumble over a precipice."
"You speak like an old man—wisely," said Mr. Nugent. "Well, anyhow we can have supper. That will warm us."
By the time they had finished it was dark.
The darkness soon grew dismal. Not a star would shine to-night, except far away beyond the clouds. It was pleasant, though, to think and know that the stars and moon were there.
Both now remained silent for a very long time. Their faculties were quite benumbed with the cold.
Then Nugent lay back.
"Are you going to sleep, sir?"
"Yes, just forty winks."
"No, no, no! I cannot let you, for many and many a man lost on the moors as we now are has been found stark and stiff when the mist cleared away, just because of falling asleep."