"
"I have none in the house, but there is plenty of good straw over the
stables."
"That will do," replied Edward; "I'm not particular."
"I suppose not. Why should you be?" replied Phoebe, who was rather old
and rather cross. "If you mount the ladder that you will see against
the wall, you will find a good bed when you are at the top of it."
Oswald was about to remonstrate, but Edward held up his finger and no
more was said.
As soon as they had finished their supper, Phoebe proposed that they
should go to bed. It was late, and she would sit up no longer. Edward
rose and went out, followed by Oswald, who had given up the keeper's
house to the intendant and his daughter, and slept in the cottage of
one of the rangers, about a quarter of a mile off. After some
conversation, they shook hands and parted, as Edward intended
returning very early the next morning, being anxious about old Jacob.
Edward went up the ladder into the loft. There was no door to shut out
the wind, which blew piercingly cold and after a time he found himself
so chilled that he could not sleep. He rose to see if he could not
find some protection from the wind by getting more into a corner; for
although Phoebe had told him that there was plenty of straw, it proved
that there was very little indeed in the loft, barely enough to lie
down upon.
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