ng aloud, though
it seemed to be somebody else talking. But now the power to put that
and that together to some extent grew stronger.

"Oh, Dean, how you do sleep!" came from somewhere. "Here, wake up!"
And he grew a little better, for he felt that his lips were touching his
cousin's warm ear, while now it was another voice that said drowsily,
"What's the matter?"

"Ah! that's better," the other voice ejaculated, and he heard it
plainly, though it was partially smothered by the awful confusion of
strange sounds that came as it were from a distance. "Oh, how dark!"

And he knew now that it was his own voice, for he was rapidly shaking
off the strange feeling of mental torpidity.

"Father! Dr Robertson! Are you there?"

His words came back to him as if his face was covered with something
thick, while he fully grasped the idea now that the noise that smote his
ears was somewhere far away.

"I don't know what's the matter," he muttered. "Am I ill? It can't be
a dream. Here, Dean, wake up!"

"What's the matter?" came again drowsily.

"I want you to listen."

"Bother! Will in the morning."

"Oh, how can you be so stupid!"

Mark was rapidly recovering now.

_Snore_!

"Will you wake up?" And this was accompanied by a shake.

"Be quiet! Want me to hit you on the nose?"

"Yes, and I want you to shake me. I'm--I'm--oh, I don't know how I
feel--yes, I do," added the boy, as the power of thinking and acting now
grew stronger. "Dean!"

"Oh, bother!" cried his cousin. "Now then, what is it?" And in the
darkness Mark felt his hand shaken off, and from the movement knew that
his cousin had risen up into a sitting position sharply and banged
himself down again, the noise he made being followed instantly by a loud
snore.

"Dean!" cried Mark again, renewing his attack, and this time giving the
sleeper a violent shake, which roused him again.

"Now then, what is it?"

"Listen! Do you hear that dreadful noise?"

"No-o!" came sleepily. "What is it?"

The question was asked through two folds of blanket, and naturally
sounded woolly.

"Lions, I think."

"Tell them to lie down."

"Oh, don't be such a fool!"

"Nogoinabe. Wha' time is it? Goo' night."

"Dozey! Oh, you sleepy old dormouse! I am sure there is something
dreadful going on. We are in danger."

"Lem dange. Here, tell the doctor. Don' wake uncle, nor me."

"Oh, dear, what shall I do!" said Mark, half aloud. "Oh, my head! My