I must have slept an hour or more. Had my dreams been realities, they
would have filled the measure of an age.
At length the raw air of the morning chilled and awoke me. The moon had
gone down, for I remembered that she was close to the horizon when I
last saw her. Still it was far from being dark, for I could see to a
considerable distance through the fog.
"Perhaps the day is breaking," thought I, and I turned my face to the
east. It was as I had guessed: the eastern sky was streaked with light;
it was morning.
I knew it was the intention of Seguin to start early, and I was about
summoning resolution to raise myself when voices broke on my ear. There
were short, exclamatory phrases, and hoof-strokes upon the prairie turf.
"They are up, and preparing to start." With this thought, I leaped to
my feet, and commenced hurrying towards the camp.
I had not walked ten paces when I became conscious that the voices were
behind me!