172 THE GARDEN, YOU, AND I 



horse and cow to tend in addition, nothing more can 

 be expected of him. 



I was half dozing, half listening, as usual, to the various 

 little night sounds that constantly pique my curiosity, 

 for no matter how long you may have lived in the country 

 you are not wholly in touch with it until you have slept 

 at least a few nights in the open, when rain began to 

 fall softly, an even, persevering, growing rain, entirely 

 different from the lashing thunder-showers, and though 

 making but half the fuss, was doubly penetrating. 

 Thinking how good it was for the ferns, and venturing 

 remarks to Bart about them, which, however, fell 

 on sleep-deaf ears, I made sure that the pup was in his 

 chosen place by my cot and drifted away to shadow 

 land, glad that something more substantial than boughs 

 covered me ! 



I do not know how long it was before I wakened, but 

 the first sound that formulated itself was the baying 

 of Dave, the hound, from the well-house porch, where 

 he slept when his evening rambles kept him out until 

 after Amos Opie had gone to bed. Having freed his 

 mind, Dave presently stopped, but other nearer-by 

 sounds made me again on the alert. 



The rain, that was falling with increasing power, held 

 one key ; the drip from the eaves and the irregular gush 



