cing to most people: at all
events, boys feel as if they would barter all the rest of the night for
that half-hour--the last before rising.

The rustling went on, and Dale went out, only to come in again.

"How stupid it is getting up so soon!" said Saxe to himself. "It's all
very well when you've to cross a pass before the snow melts; but to be
always getting up when it is cold and dark, and sitting down shivering
to your breakfast, when you might be quite warm in the sunshine if you
started at decent time, is so absurd."

He lay thinking.

"He doesn't seem to have lit the fire yet, for I can't hear it
crackling," he said to himself after a time. "Perhaps he'll rouse me up
directly to light it. Bother the old fire! I hate lighting fires. Oh,
it does make me feel so cross to be roused up when one hasn't had
enough. I haven't half done. I could go on sleeping for hours, and
enjoy it, and get up all the better for it, and be stronger and more
ready to climb afterwards. No wonder I feel a bit tired sometimes!"

Saxe had no difficulty about lying still, for every limb seemed to be
fast asleep. It was only his head that felt as if he was awake, and
that only half.

The moving went on; but no fire crackled, and he was not roused up.

"What can he be doing?" thought Saxe sleepily. "I don't know. It must
be packing up for our start. Let's see, when will Melchior be back?
This morning, I suppose. Wish he was here now to light the fire. He's
so used to it--he does it so well; and then, he always makes such
delicious coffee, that I enjoy my breakfast far better than when we make
it ourselves, or Mr Dale makes it, and--Yes, all right!"

"'Wake, Saxe? Sure?"

"Yes, quite awake."

"I'll get you to light the fire this morning, my lad: one of my arms
feels a little strained."

Dale drew the canvas door aside and stepped out, while Saxe lay
wondering how it was that it was quite dark one moment, when Dale was
moving about, and broad daylight the next.

"I must have been asleep," he exclaimed. "But what was he doing that he
hasn't lit the fire? How strange!"

Saxe sat up and rubbed his eyes and yawned; then leisurely slipped on
the jacket and handkerchief he had taken off before lying down; and the
more wakeful he grew the more puzzled he became, till a happy thought
occurred to him.

"I know," he said: "It wasn't getting-up time. His arm hurt him in the
night, and he was walking about on account of th