It had not, indeed, been a very long journey, nevertheless we had pursued it so diligently that our frames were not a little prostrated.

Our minds were also very much exhausted in consequence of the many surprises, frequent alarms, and much profound thought, to which they had been subjected; so that when we lay down on the night of our return under the shelter of the bower, we fell immediately into very deep repose.

I can state this with much certainty, for Jack afterwards admitted the fact, and Peterkin, although he stoutly denied it, I heard snoring loudly at least two minutes after lying down.

In this condition we remained all night and the whole of the following day without awaking once, or so much as moving our positions.

When we did awake it was near sunset, and we were all in such a state of lassitude that we merely rose to swallow a mouthful of food.