be practicable,
although at the best I perceived that there would be many difficulties
to overcome--Tiger not being the least. I had no idea whether Mr. Baker
gave him the run of the premises at night, although this appeared
extremely probable, or whether he was on the chain, and, if so, where.
Whatever I did must be under cover of darkness, and the nights were
short at this season. I knew that a farmer's household would be early
risers, and that in fact there was little time to spare.

As I lay in bed, I could hear voices downstairs, and guessed that my own
affairs were under discussion. I remembered a tale I had read of some
travellers who were lost on a mountain, and in spite of their terrible
weariness, feared to lie down in the snow, knowing that if they once
fell asleep they would never again awaken in this world. My case seemed
rather like theirs, although I lay in a comfortable feather bed. How
delightful it was, how cool and fresh the linen sheets, how willingly I
could have closed my tired eyes and fallen asleep! But in that case I
feared that I should be lost. I certainly could not feel sure of waking
before daylight; indeed, I felt I could sleep for a week, whereas, long
before dawn, I had to put a considerable distance between myself and Mr.
Baker's farm.

Afraid of closing my eyes in spite of myself, I sat up in bed, anxiously
waiting for the voices to cease, for until it became safe to open my
window, and ascertain what was underneath it, I could not tell even
whether escape were possible. The window was the only hope! The house
was so small that I could not imagine myself opening the door, going
downstairs, and finding a way out without disturbing its inmates. If the
window was not too high, and the ground was fairly clear beneath it, I
might be able to get away, but otherwise there seemed no alternative to
an ignominious return to Castlemore to-morrow morning.

At last the voices became silent. I heard a key turned and bolts shot
home into their sockets, heavy footsteps on the stairs, the shutting of
first one door, then of another, followed by total silence. Getting out
of bed about a quarter of an hour later, I walked about the room, and
going to the washstand, sluiced my face in the basin to make myself more
wakeful. Again I sat on the bed for what seemed a long time, until a
clock downstairs struck the hour of midnight. Now, I thought, Mr. Baker
and Eliza must be asleep, and groping for my clothes