two hours after midnight
Jack Penny was sleeping heavily close to me , and at regular intervals seeming to announce that he was dreaming of eating , for his lips gave vent over and over again to the word _ pork _ ! Sometimes this regular snoring sound annoyed me , but I forgot it again directly as I lay sleepless there , now watching the gloom of the forest , now the flickering and dancing light of the fire as the wood crackled and burned and the sparks and smoke went straight up , till they were lost on high amid the densely thick branches overhead . It was a curious sensation to be there in that awful solitude , thinking of my past adventures , and wondering what the next day might bring forth . I wanted to sleep and rest , so as to rise refreshed when the doctor called me two hours after midnight , when I was to relieve guard ; but sleep would not come , and I lay fidgeting about , wondering how it was possible that such a small twig could set up so much irritation beneath my back . Then , just as I thought I was going off there would be the sensation as of some creeping insect crawling about over my face and in amongst the roots of my hair . Then after impatiently knocking it away , something seemed to be making its way up my sleeve , to be succeeded by something else in the leg of my trousers , while I had hardly got rid of this sensation when a peculiarly clammy cold touch taught me that either a lizard or a snake was crawling over my feet . This last I felt constrained to bear , for a movement might result in the bite of some poisonous creature , while by lying still I might escape .