Part 28 (2/2)

It was very strange, and I could not understand it. I had not thrown the water down. If I had wanted to get rid of it, I should have gone to the sink outside or have opened the window, and thrown it out into the dam.

The matter was of small consequence, and I paid no more attention to it, but went to Uncle Bob, where he was lying, fighting with myself as to whether I should tell him that I had been to sleep.

I did not like to speak, for I felt--well I felt as most boys would under the circ.u.mstances; but I mastered my moral cowardice, as I thought, and determined to tell him--after breakfast.

”Ah, Cob, old chap,” he cried, jumping up as I laid my hand on his shoulder, ”what a delicious sleep! What a morning too--Hah! That's better.”

He was dressed, for though whoever lay down, so to speak, went to bed, he never undressed; so that after a plunge of the face and hands in the cool fresh water, and a scrub and brush, Uncle Bob was ready.

”I want my breakfast horribly, Cob,” he said; ”and we've an hour to wait. Let's have a walk round by the hill as we go home. Have you unlocked the gate?”

”Yes,” I said; ”before I came up to call you.”

”That's right. Ah, here the men come!” for there was the trampling of feet, and the noise of voices crossing the yard. ”Fed Piter?”

”No; not yet,” I said. ”He's asleep.”

”Asleep!”

”Yes; he has been asleep these three hours past--asleep and snoring.

He's in his kennel now. I couldn't wake him.”

”Nice sort of a watch-dog, Cob!”

”Yes,” I said, feeling very guilty and shrinking from my confession.

”Do you say you tried to wake him?”

”Yes,” I said, ”I took him up in my arms, and carried him down to his kennel, and he was snoring all the time.”

”Carried him down! Where from?”

”The stairs. He went to sleep there.”

”Cob!” he cried, making the blood flush to my face, and then run back to my heart--”why, what's the matter, boy, aren't you well?”

”My head aches a little, and my mouth feels rather hot and dry.”

”And you've got dark marks under your eyes, boy. You've not been asleep too, have you?”

I stared at him wildly, and felt far more unwell now.

”Why don't you speak?” he cried angrily. ”You haven't been to sleep, have you?”

”I was going to confess it, uncle, if you had given me time,” I said.

”I never did such a thing before; but I couldn't keep awake, and fell asleep for over two hours.”

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