“Eh?”
“Good-night, sir!” I said, and lay down again. The Englishman also composed himself to rest, but presently rose up, and looking over at me, exclaimed “Oh-o-o-ah!”
This was all. Then we both composed ourselves to sleep. Tired as I was after my ride from the Geysers and the bad night I had passed there, it was no wonder I soon lost all consciousness of the proximity of my eccentric room-mate, and the probability is I would have gotten well through the night but for another singular and unexpected interruption.
“Hello! What the devil! Who’s here? By Jove, this is jolly! I say! Where the dooce is our American friend? Down, Bowser! Down! Blawst the dog! Ho! ho! Look there, Tompkins! I say! Here’s a go!”
There was a tramping of feet, a knocking about of loose things in the room, and a chorus of familiar voices in the adjoining passage. It is needless to say that the party of sporting Englishmen had arrived from Reykjavik.
“Oh-h-a! Ye-o-w!” exclaimed my room-mate, starting up, and gazing wildly at the lively young gentleman with the dog. “Oh-o-o! How very odd!”
The jolly sportsman looked at the apparition in perfect amazement. Both stared at each other for a moment, as if such an extraordinary sight had never been witnessed on either side before.
“By Jove! this is jolly!” muttered the lively gentleman, turning on his heel and walking out; “a devilish rum-looking chap, that!”
“Oh-o-o-o!” was all my astonished room-mate said, after which he turned over and composed himself to sleep. I had purposely refrained from manifesting any symptoms of wakefulness, well-knowing that there would be no farther rest that night if I once discovered myself to the traveling party.
At a seasonable hour in the morning, however, I got up, and looked about in search of my fellow-passengers, whom I really liked, and in whose progress I felt a considerable interest. They were camped close by the church, under the lee of the front door. Two canvas tents covered what was left of them. A general wreck of equipments lay scattered all around—broken poles, boxes, tinware, etc. It was plain enough they had encountered incredible hardships.