understand you're to--"

"Yes, I'll wake you."

"No, don't yu', for God's sake!"

"Not?"

"Don't yu' touch me."

"What'll I do?"

"Roll away quick to your side. It don't last but a minute." The
Virginian spoke with a reassuring drawl.

Upon this there fell a brief silence, and I heard the drummer
clear his throat once or twice.

"It's merely the nightmare, I suppose?" he said after a throat
clearing.

"Lord, yes. That's all. And don't happen twice a year. Was you
thinkin' it was fits?"

"Oh, no! I just wanted to know. I've been told before that it was
not safe for a person to be waked suddenly that way out of a
nightmare."

"Yes, I have heard that too. But it never harms me any. I didn't
want you to run risks."