Marc'antonio looked about him and climbed heavily from his saddle.
He had been riding since dawn.
I followed his example, though with difficulty--so stiff were my
limbs; picketed my pony; and, having unstrapped the blanket from my
saddle-bow, wrapped it about me and stretched myself on the thin turf
to munch the ration of crust which Marc'antonio doled out from his
bag; for he carried our provender.
"Never grudge a hard day's work when 'tis over," said he, as he
passed me the wine-skin. "Yonder side of the mountain breeds malaria
even in winter, but on this side a man may sleep and rise fit for
adventure."
He offered, very politely, to share his blanket with Stephanu, but
Stephanu declined. Those two might share one loyalty and together
take counsel for it, but between them as men there could be no liking
nor acceptance of favours.
I lay listening for a while to the mutter of their voices as they
talked there together under the olives; but not for long. The few
words and exclamations that reached me carried no meaning. In truth
I was worn out. Very soon the chatter of the stream, deep among the
trees--the stream which we had just now avoided--confused itself with
their talk, and I slept.
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