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Chapter 22
Therewerethetopsofmountainsallround(youaretoremember)fromwhencewemightbespiedatanymoment;soitbehovedustokeepinthehollowpartsofthemoor,andwhentheseturnedasidefromourdirectiontomoveuponitsnakedfacewithinfinitecare.Sometimes,forhalfanhourtogether,wemustcrawlfromoneheatherbushtoanother,ashuntersdowhentheyareharduponthedeer.Itwasacleardayagain,withablazingsun;thewaterinthebrandybottlewassoongone;andaltogether,ifIhadguessedwhatitwouldbetocrawlhalfthetimeuponmybellyandtowalkmuchofthereststoopingnearlytotheknees,Ishouldcertainlyhaveheldbackfromsuchakillingenterprise.
Toilingandrestingandtoilingagain,weworeawaythemorning;andaboutnoonlaydowninathickbushofheathertosleep.Alantookthefirstwatch;anditseemedtomeIhadscarceclosedmyeyesbeforeIwasshakenuptotakethesecond.Wehadnoclocktogoby;andAlanstuckasprigofheathinthegroundtoserveinstead;sothatassoonastheshadowofthebushshouldfallsofartotheeast,Imightknowtorousehim.ButIwasbythistimesowearythatIcouldhaveslepttwelvehoursatastretch;Ihadthetasteofsleepinmythroat;myjointssleptevenwhenmymindwaswaking;thehotsmelloftheheather,andthedroneofthewildbees,werelikepossetstome;andeverynowandagainIwouldgiveajumpandfindIhadbeendozing.
ThelasttimeIwokeIseemedtocomebackfromfartheraway,andthoughtthesunhadtakenagreatstartintheheavens.
