Peter had never failed before to procure anything that she wanted, but even in her extremity she had a curiously irrelevant moment of conjecture as to where he would turn in the wilderness for the commodity he so confidently mentioned.
Then, the anguish returning, she checked his motion to depart.

"No, no, Peter," she said, commanding her voice with difficulty.

"There is no need for that.

I am quite all right.

But--but--tell me more! How did this happen?
Why did he sleep on the mountain ?" "How should the _mem-sahib's_ servant know ?" questioned Peter, gently and deferentially, as one who reasoned with a child.