The Land Claim — page 100: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

96 THE LAND-CLAIM. “Well, we had our reasons, and were waiting to get the evidence all right. He'll be sure to turn up yet, for he’s a doomed man, and can not escape.” The conversation had been carried on in tones pitched unnaturally high, but the roar of the tempest without deadened all other sounds, and the words spoken could only be heard by an effort of attention which rendered conversation painful. . Therefore, when supper was dispatched, the young men stretched themselves side by side on the ground in the seven- by-nine cabin, prepared to sleep when the storm should abate, or tired nature could no longer resist the restorer, “ balmy sleep.” But the close atmosphere of the place, added to the disturb- ance from without, and the suggestion Flag had made con- cerning the probable owners of the provisions they had just eaten, were sufficient to make them wakeful, even after a hard day’s work; and they continued to address occasional remarks to each other, or to exclaim at the violence of the tempest from time to time. Perhaps there never was a party of young people, of either sex, kept awake together at night, especially under excite- ment, without resorting to story-telling as a means of dissi- pating time. Our young surveyors were no exceptions to the rule, at all events, and having once started upon that tack, might have talked till morning, after the lull in the tempest gave them an opportunity to be heard. However, about mid- night, Flag, whose presentiments made him watchful, detected a sound outside different from the pouring rain or gusts of wind into which the storm had subsided. Giving his com- panions a hint to listen with him, they presently distinguished voices at no great distance from the hut, and coming nearer. As the candle in the lantern had burned out, they had no means of discovering who was approaching except by listen- ing to catch what might be said. There were evidently three persons, as the voices and conversation revealed ; and one of them was suffering from some hurt, which made the others solicitous about him, and caused him to utter frequent execrations. Z “Go ahead and get the lantern, Jim,” said he, after indulg- ing in a volley of oaths. “TI shall fall over this rubbish and Gomiclooks.conn