"You're to sleep up there," said Jack, pointing to the loft. "Me and
the old woman sleep below."
"All right," said Bradley, gaping. "I can sleep anywhere to-night.
I'm powerful sleepy."
He ascended the ladder first, and Ben followed. There was no
bedstead, but a straw pallet was stretched in one corner, with a
blanket in place of a quilt.
"I sha'n't undress, Ben," said Bradley, throwing himself down on the
rude bed. "I can't keep my eyes open long enough. I think I never
felt so sleepy in the whole course of my life."
"I am tired, but not sleepy," returned Ben.
"I won't undress, either. I can sleep just as well in my clothes."
Scarcely a minute had passed when Bradley was breathing in the
unconsciousness of slumber.
As Ben lay down beside him, he could not help feeling surprised at
his companion's yielding so suddenly to the power of sleep. That he
should be tired was not surprising; but when seated outside he had
not seemed unusually drowsy, that is, up to the time of his drinking
the wine. A quick suspicion flashed upon Ben's mind. Had the wine
anything to do with this sudden drowsiness?
Ben had not much experience of life; but he had heard of liquors
being drugged, and it seemed possible that the wine which had been
offered to Bradley might have been tampered with.
Pages:
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114