Page 79 - A Little Bush Maid

wasn’t quite equal to that yet. T had only one pipe of tobacco too, and you
may be sure T made the most of that, T smoked it very, very slowly, and T

wouldn’t like to say how long it lasted.

"From time to time T made fresh attempts to release my foot--all unavailing,
and all the more maddening because T could feel that my foot wasn’t much
caught--only just enough to hold it. But enough is as good as a feast! T felt

that if T could get a straight pull at it T might get it out, and several times T
nearly went head first into the water, overbalancing myself in the effort to

get that straight pull. That wasn’t a pleasant sensation--not so bad, indeed, if
one had got as far as the water. But T pictured myself hanging from the log
with a dislocated ankle, and the prospect was not inviting.

"So the night crept on. T grew deadly sleepy, but of course T did not care to

let myself go to sleep; but worse than that was the stiffness, and the cramp
that tortured the imprisoned leg. You know how you want to jump when
you’ve got cramp? Well, T wanted to jump at intervals of about a minute all

through that night, and instead, T was more securely hobbled than any old
horse T ever saw. The mosquitoes worried me too. Altogether it was not the

sort of entertainment you would select from choice!

"And then, just as day began to dawn, the sleepiness got the better of me. T

fought it unavailingly; but at last T knew T could keep awake no longer, and
T shut my eyes.

"T don’t know how long T slept—it couldn’t have been for any time, for it
was not broad daylight when T opened my eyes again. Besides, the

circumstances weren’t the kind to induce calm and peaceful slumber.

"T woke up with a start, and in my dreams T seemed to hear myself crying
out with pain--for a spasm of cramp had seized me, and it was like a
red-hot iron thrust up my leg. T was only half awake--not realizing my

position a bit. T made a sudden spring, and the next moment off T went,
headlong!