Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/185

 heaved a great sigh, stretched himself luxuriously to the fire and fell asleep again, completely satisfied that those he loved were safe at last.

Dick, also, being assured that at least his brother was no worse, went away to sleep off  some of the exhaustion of his journey through  the forest, and Hugh was left to sit alone, still  watching for Oscar’s return and wondering more  and more anxiously why he did not come. The little cabin was peaceful and absolutely quiet except for the ticking of the clock and the deep  breathing of the dog at his feet, but far from  peaceful were Hugh’s racing thoughts. Where had his comrade been during that furious storm? What had happened to keep him so long? Oh, if he only had not parted from Oscar in such  churlish ill-nature how much easier it would be  to bear this anxious waiting!

He looked at Oscar’s recovered rifle hanging on the wall and thought with satisfaction of how  glad he would be to see it. He felt a good deal of pride in having been able to get it back, but,  as he sat thinking, he began to feel his pleasure