But oh, the aching of my ankles, when I went to bed that night; I was forced to help myself upstairs with a couple of mopsticks! and I rubbed the joints with neatsfoot oil, which comforted them greatly.  And likely enough I would have abandoned any further trial, but for Lizzie’s ridicule, and pretended sympathy; asking if the strong John Ridd would have old Betty to lean upon.  Therefore I set to again, with a fixed resolve not to notice pain or stiffness, but to warm them out of me.  And sure enough, before dark that day, I could get along pretty freely; especially improving every time, after leaving off and resting.  The astonishment of poor John Fry, Bill Dadds, and Jem Slocombe, when they saw me coming down the hill upon them, in the twilight, where they were clearing the furze rick and trussing it for cattle, was more than I can tell you; because they did not let me see it, but ran away with one accord, and floundered into a snowdrift.  They believed, and so did every one else (especially when I grew able to glide along pretty rapidly), that I had stolen Mother Melldrum’s sieves, on which she was said to fly over the foreland at midnight every Saturday.

Upon the following day, I held some council with my mother; not liking to go without her permission, yet scarcely daring to ask for it.  But here she disappointed me, on the right side of disappointment; saying that she had seen my pining (which she never could have done; because I had been too hard at work), and rather than watch me grieving so, for somebody or other, who now was all in all to me, I might go upon my course, and God’s protection go with me!  At this I was amazed, because it was not at all like mother; and knowing how well I had behaved, ever since the time of our snowing up, I was a little moved to tell her that she could not understand me.  However my sense of duty kept me, and my knowledge of the catechism, from saying such a thing as that, or even thinking twice of it.  And so I took her at her word, which she was not prepared for; and telling her how proud I was of her trust in Providence, and how I could run in my new snow-shoes, I took a short pipe in my mouth, and started forth accordingly.

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CHAPTER XLIII

NOT TOO SOON

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When I started on my road across the hills and valleys (which now were pretty much alike), the utmost I could hope to do was to gain the crest of hills, and look into the Doone Glen.  Hence I might at least descry whether Lorna still was safe, by the six nests still remaining, and the view of the Captain’s house.  When I was come to the open country, far beyond the sheltered homestead, and in the full brunt of the wind, the keen blast of the cold broke on me, and the mighty breadth of snow.  Moor and highland, field and common, cliff and vale, and watercourse, over all the rolling folds of misty white were flung.  There was nothing square or jagged left, there was nothing perpendicular; all the rugged lines were eased, and all the breaches smoothly filled.  Curves, and mounds, and rounded heavings, took the place of rock and stump; and all the country looked as if a woman’s hand had been on it.