We
listened attentively for a few moments and, as there was no wind, we
could have heard the breathing of a man or of any large animal that
might have been sleeping there; but as all appeared quiet, we sat down
on the dry straw thankful to be able to rest our weary limbs if only for
a short time.
We had some difficulty in keeping ourselves awake, but we durst not go
to sleep as the night was so very cold, and there was a rough floor
immediately above us which had caused us some uneasiness. When we heard
the footsteps of some small animal creeping stealthily amongst the straw
over our heads, as if preparing to make a spring, we decided to evacuate
our rather eerie position. It might have been a rat or more likely a
cat, but as we did not care for the company of either of these animals,
we lost no time in regaining the road.
As we approached the top of the hill we came to some quaint-looking
houses, which appeared much too large for their occupiers to take in
visitors at that early hour of the morning, especially two tramps like
ourselves. We were almost sure that one of the houses was an inn, as it
had a sign on the wall, though too high up for us to read in the dark.
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