It was Dreadful in the Forest

           Ihavesaid—orperhapsIhavenotsaid,formymemoryplaysmesadtricksthesedays—thatIglowedwithpridewhenthreesuchmenasmycomradesthankedmeforhavingsaved,oratleastgreatlyhelped,thesituation.Astheyoungsteroftheparty,notmerelyinyears,butinexperience,character,knowledge,andallthatgoestomakeaman,Ihadbeenovershadowedfromthefirst.AndnowIwascomingintomyown.Iwarmedatthethought.Alas!forthepridewhichgoesbeforeafall!Thatlittleglowofself-satisfaction,thataddedmeasureofself-confidence,weretoleadmeonthatverynighttothemostdreadfulexperienceofmylife,endingwithashockwhichturnsmyheartsickwhenIthinkofit.

           Itcameaboutinthisway.Ihadbeenundulyexcitedbytheadventureofthetree,andsleepseemedtobeimpossible.Summerleewasonguard,sittinghunchedoveroursmallfire,aquaint,angularfigure,hisrifleacrosshiskneesandhispointed,goat-likebeardwaggingwitheachwearynodofhishead.LordJohnlaysilent,wrappedintheSouthAmericanponchowhichhewore,whileChallengersnoredwitharollandrattlewhichreverberatedthroughthewoods.Thefullmoonwasshiningbrightly,andtheairwascrisplycold.