Those who had the privilege of sleeping soon stretched themselves out in the most comfortable positions that were possible, and ten minutes later I was the only member of the party awake.
CHAPTER V.
AT BRUNSWICK.
During my time of standing sentinel I neither saw nor heard anything to cause alarm or suspicion; but I never had a harder task than that of keeping my eyes open while the others were sleeping. It was as if until my companions lost themselves in slumber I had no sense of weariness, and then, suddenly, I was overcome to such an extent that it seemed almost impossible I could perform the duties of sentry.
I walked to and fro briskly; repeated to myself this hymn or that verse, and now and then groomed the horses in the hope of arousing myself; but all to no purpose. My eyelids drooped as if weighted with lead, and not until I had switched my face sharply with a bit of brush, striking my bare eyeball inadvertently, was I awakened. Then the pain kept me awake until I judged that the time of my vigil had come to an end.
Master Howell arose reluctantly when I shook him vigorously, and asked as he stretched his limbs and yawned prodigiously, whether I had heard anything which might concern us.
Sixty seconds later I was sleeping soundly, and not until late in the afternoon was I sensible that the life yet remained within my tired body.
Then I was surprised by seeing meat cooking before a fire; but soon learned that Master Hunter had been out in search of game, and, fortunately for us, had come across a deer within half a mile of our camping place.
After partaking of a hearty meal the difficulties and dangers of our way seemed to have lessened, and I looked forward to the night's work as a task which might have within it somewhat of pleasure.
Because we had not heard horsemen passing our resting-place, it was believed that our enemies had abandoned the chase, and immediately the late dinner was eaten we set forth, taking less precautions than before, for now it seemed as if we must have outrun danger.
In order that I may not make too many words of what is of little consequence, no further record of the journey shall be made, save to say that on a certain day, near about noon, we rode into Brunswick despite the efforts of Master Edwards and Attorney Fanning to check us.