Fiction > Book editions > London, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

290 THE MASTEU OF EALLAXTRAE.
brother/^ he would say. And sometimes, when we
were under way, lie would fancy lie spied a canoe far
off upon the water or a camp on the shore, and exhibit
painful agitation. It was impossible but Sir William
should be struck with these singularities; and at last
he led me aside, and hinted his uneasiness. I touched
my head and shook it ; quite rejoiced to prepare a little
testimony against possible disclosures.
'' But in that case,'''' cries Sir William, " is it wise to
let him go at large ? "
" Those that know him bost,^' said I, " are persuaded
that he should be humoured.''^
" Well, welV^ replied Sir William, " it is none of
my affairs. But if I had understood, you would never
have been here.''
Our advance into this savage country had thus
uneventfully proceeded for about a week, when we
encamped for a night at a place where the river ran
among considerable mountains clothed in wood. The
fires were lighted on a level space at the water's edge ;
and we supped and lay down to sleep in the customary
fashion. It chanced the night fell murderously cold ;
the stringency of the frost seized and bit me through
my coverings, so that pain kept me wakeful ; and I
was afoot again before the peep of day, crouching by
the fires or trotting to and fro at the stream's edge,
to combat the aching of my limbs. At last dawn
began to break upon hoar woods and mountains, the