"
"You never made a greater mistake, Doctor," returned the youth, gaping
like an indolent lion; "I haven't a symptom, as you call it, about any
part of me; and as to father and the children, I reckon the small-pox
and the measles have been thoroughly through the breed these many
months ago."
Content with his brief admonition, the naturalist had surmounted half
the difficulties of the ascent before the deliberate Abner ended his
justification. On the summit, Obed fully expected to encounter Esther,
of whose linguacious powers he had too often been furnished with the
most sinister reproofs, and of which he stood in an awe too salutary
to covet a repetition of the attacks. The reader can foresee that he
was to be agreeably disappointed. Treading lightly, and looking
timidly over his shoulder, as if he apprehended a shower of something,
even more formidable than words, the Doctor proceeded to the place
which had been allotted to himself in the general disposition of the
dormitories.
Instead of sleeping, the worthy naturalist sat ruminating over what he
had both seen and heard that day, until the tossing and mutterings
which proceeded from the cabin of Esther, who was his nearest
neighbour, advertised him of the wakeful situation of its inmate.
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