Page:Edgar Huntly, or The Sleep Walker.djvu/189

 now that their fears were somewhat tranquillised, might require their presence and protection.

I went into the cottage. The fire still burned, and afforded me a genial warmth. I sat before it, and began to ruminate on the state to which I was reduced, and on the measures I should next pursue. Daylight could not be very distant: should I remain in this hovel till the morning, or immediately resume my journey? I was feeble, indeed; but by remaining here, should I not increase my feebleness? The sooner I should gain some human habitation the better; whereas watchfulness and hunger would render me at each minute less able to proceed than on the former.

This spot might be visited on the next day; but this was involved in uncertainty: the visitants, should any come, would come merely to examine and bury the dead, and bring with them neither the clothing nor the food which my necessities demanded. The road was sufficiently discernible, and would unavoidably conduct me to some dwelling. I determined, therefore, to set out without delay. Even in this state I was not unmindful that my safety might require the precaution of being armed: besides, the fusee which had been given me by Sarsefield, and which I had so unexpectedly recovered, had lost none of its value in my eyes: I hoped that it had escaped the search of the troop who had been here, and still lay below the bank in the spot where I had dropped it.

In this hope I was not deceived—it was found: I possessed myself of the powder and shot belonging to one of the savages, and loaded it. Thus equipped for defence, I regained the road, and proceeded with alacrity on my way. For the wound in my cheek Nature had provided a styptic; but the soreness was extreme, and I thought of no remedy but water, with which I might wash away the blood; my thirst likewise incommoded me, and I looked with eagerness for the traces of a spring. In a soil like that of the wilderness around me, nothing was less to be expected than to light upon water. In this respect, however, my destiny was propitious: I quickly perceived water in the ruts:—it trickled hither from the thicket on one side, and