at a morning too--Hah! That's
better."

He was dressed, for though whoever lay down, so to speak, went to bed,
he never undressed; so that after a plunge of the face and hands in the
cool fresh water, and a scrub and brush, Uncle Bob was ready.

"I want my breakfast horribly, Cob," he said; "and we've an hour to
wait. Let's have a walk round by the hill as we go home. Have you
unlocked the gate?"

"Yes," I said; "before I came up to call you."

"That's right. Ah, here the men come!" for there was the trampling of
feet, and the noise of voices crossing the yard. "Fed Piter?"

"No; not yet," I said. "He's asleep."

"Asleep!"

"Yes; he has been asleep these three hours past--asleep and snoring.
He's in his kennel now. I couldn't wake him."

"Nice sort of a watch-dog, Cob!"

"Yes," I said, feeling very guilty and shrinking from my confession.

"Do you say you tried to wake him?"

"Yes," I said, "I took him up in my arms, and carried him down to his
kennel, and he was snoring all the time."

"Carried him down! Where from?"

"The stairs. He went to sleep there."

"Cob!" he cried, making the blood flush to my face, and then run back to
my heart--"why, what's the matter, boy, aren't you well?"

"My head aches a little, and my mouth feels rather hot and dry."

"And you've got dark marks under your eyes, boy. You've not been asleep
too, have you?"

I stared at him wildly, and felt far more unwell now.

"Why don't you speak?" he cried angrily. "You haven't been to sleep,
have you?"

"I was going to confess it, uncle, if you had given me time," I said.
"I never did such a thing before; but I couldn't keep awake, and fell
asleep for over two hours."

"Oh, Cob! Cob!"

"I couldn't help it, uncle," I cried passionately. "I did try so hard.
I walked and ran about. I stood up, and danced and jumped, and went in
the yard, but it was all of no use, and at last I dropped down on the
stairs with Piter, and before I knew it I was fast."

"Was the dog asleep too?"

"He went to sleep before I did," I said bitterly.

"Humph!"

"Don't be angry with me, Uncle Bob," I cried. "I did try so hard."

"Did you take anything last night after I left you?"

"No, uncle. You know I was very sleepy when you called me."

"Nothing at all?"

"Only a drop of water out of the bottle."

"Go and fetch what is left," he said. "Or no, I'll come. But Piter;
what did he have?"

"I don't know, only that he seeme