To give a little scream and clutch wildly at the heather was natural.
He looked round. The sun was still hot and high. Scratching his head,
as if to recall his faculties, Peter stared vacantly at the sandwiches
which lay beside him on a piece of old newspaper. Gradually his hand
wandered towards them, and a gleam of intelligence, accompanied by a
smile, overspread his countenance as he conveyed one to his lips.
Eating seemed fatiguing, however. He soon laid the remnant down, drew
the plaid over him, nestled among the heather, and dropped into a heavy
sleep with a sigh of ineffable comfort.
When Peter again woke up, the sun was down, and just enough of light
remained to show that it was going to be an intensely dark night. Can
anyone describe, can anyone imagine, the state of Peter's feelings?
Certainly not! Peter, besides being youthful, was, as we have said, an
extremely timid boy. He was constitutionally afraid of the dark, even
when surrounded by friends. What, then, were his sensations when he
found himself on the mountain alone--_lost_! The thought was horror!
Peter gasped; he leaped up with a wild shout, gazed madly round, and
sank down with a deep groan. Up he sprang again, and ran forward a few
paces. Precipices occurred to him--he turned and ran as many paces
backward. Bogs occurred to him--he came to a full stop, fell on his
knees, and howled. Up he leaped again, clapped both hands to his mouth,
and shouted until his eyes threatened to come out, and his face became
purple, "Master! Master! George! hi! hallo-o! Jacky! ho-o-o!" The
"O!" was prolonged into a wild roar, and down he went again quite flat.
Up he jumped once more; the darkness was deepening. He rushed to the
right--left--all round--tore his hair, and gazed into the black depths
below--yelled and glared into the dark vault above!
Poor Peter! Thus violently did his gentle spirit seek relief during the
first few minutes of its overwhelming consternation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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