the same if he
had been mine. It's precious dark and quiet enough now. I don't
suppose we shall be disturbed before daylight, for the enemy got more
than they expected, so I may just as well sit and rest. I can watch
over him just the same, and--" Serge's next utterance was not
understandable if treated as words, but perfectly plain if considered as
a snore, for he had sunk sideways till his head rested on the hard edge
of the car, while at regular intervals he gave vent to a series of deep
gruff tones which sounded as if his neck were bent at such a severe
angle that there was not room for his breath to pass comfortably round
the corner.

It was not comfortable for him, for though he was sleeping very soundly,
his rest was uneasy, consequent upon which he began to dream in a
troubled way about being at home; and his busy brain put its own
interpretation upon the sounds that rose from his chest and interfered
with the soundness of his sleep, so that, half awakened, he lay back
listening to his own snoring and attributed it to something else,
gradually awakening more and more the while.

"Hark at that!" he muttered. "And after all the trouble I took to mend
that bit of fence! Talk about sheep always following one another
through a gap, why they are nothing to swine! They want a gap, too, for
the leader to go through, but an old boar big with that snout of his and
them tusks, he'll bore and bore and bore till he makes a little hole a
big un, and once he gets his snout in he drives on till he gets right
through. Now, I've mended that hole so as you'd have thought it was
quite safe; but hark at that! He's got right through into the garden,
and the old sow and the young uns has followed him. But just wait a bit
till I get my staff, and I'll make such music as will bring Master
Marcus out to ask me if I am killing a pig. There's no room about the
place to please them, no miles of acorn and chestnut forest so that they
can fill themselves as full as sacks, but they must come into my garden
and raven there! Nothing will do for them but my melons and cucumbers!
Well, we'll just see about that."

Serge rose from his seat, after taking hold of the spear that he had
rested against the side of the chariot, and with his eyes closely shut
took a couple of steps forward, and then stopped short with his eyes
wide open, as he stared wildly round in an absolute state of confusion
and strove hard to make out where he was.