nearly five in the morning
he muttered sleepily , as he nestled against me . It was strange , but the moment my arm was round him , and I felt his soft breathing against my shoulder , my eyelids closed of their own accord , and a sense of weariness and security came over me . Before many minutes were over I had fallen into a deep sleep , and Miss Ruth was free to seek her brother and give him the information for which he was longing . It was nearly five in the morning when I closed my eyes , and it was exactly the same time on the following afternoon when I opened them . My first look was for Dot , but he was gone , the sun was streaming in at the window , a bright fire burned in the grate , and Nurse Gill was sitting knitting in the sunshine . She looked up with a pleasant smile on her homely face as I called to her rather feebly . `` How you have slept , to be sure , Miss Esther -- a good twelve hours .