Not a word was
uttered; no doubt all the forester's attention was bent on making out a
path; while as for Lionel, he was too wet and cold and miserable to
think of talking to anybody. If he had certainly known that somewhere or
other he had left up there a stag, which they could bring down in the
morning, that would have consoled him somewhat; but it was just as
likely as not that all this privation and fatigue had been endured for
nothing. As they trudged along through the gloomy night, the rain fell
more heavily than ever, and the bitter wind seemed to search out every
bone in his body.
And then when at length they came within sound of the Geinig, that was
no longer a friendly voice welcoming them back to more familiar
regions; it was an angry and threatening roar; he could see nothing; he
could only imagine the wild torrent hurling along through this black
desolation.
"Look here, Roderick," he said, "mind you keep away from that river. If
we should stumble down one of the steep banks, we should never be heard
of again."
"Oh, ay, we're a long distance from the ruvver? and it is as well to
keep aweh; for if we were to get into the Geinig to-night, we would be
tekken down like straws.
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