by his calling me boy, and I would not answer him. At last he fairly
screamed my name, and then was silent. After a moment, I perceived
that he crawled out of his bed-place, and feeling by the sides of the
cabin, contrived on his hands and knees to crawl in the direction of
the hole into which the water had previously been received; and I
smiled at what I knew would be his disappointment when he arrived
there. He did so at last: put his hand to feel the edge of the hole,
and then down into it to feel for the water; and when he found that
there was none, he cursed bitterly, and I laughed at his vexation. He
then felt all the way down where the water had fallen, and found that
the course of it had been stopped, and he dared not attempt anything
further. He dashed his clenched hand against the rock. "Oh! that I
had him in this grasp--if it were but for one moment. I would not
care if I died the next."

"I do not doubt you," replied I to him, above, "but you have not got
me in your hands, and you will not. Go in to bed directly--quick,"
cried I, throwing a piece of rock at him, which hit him on the head.
"Crawl back as fast as you can, you fool, or I'll send another at
your head directly. I'll tame you, as you used to say to me."

The blow on the head appeared to have confused him; but after a time
he crawled back to his bed-place, and threw himself down with a heavy
groan.




Chapter IV