Why was Jenna longing so much to see the sunrise? A few times she had tried to sleep, but just a few feet away Perry sat so stiffly upright that the very sight of him immediately jolted her awake. Perry’s theory had to be right. It was the only explanation that made sense. And how could he sleep when he’d been betrayed by his own father? If there had been a church clock anywhere nearby, they would have heard it toll the hours. If it had been lighter in the hut, they might have been able to see their watches. But for now they just sat there. A confused blackbird let out a high trill, which was answered by another. The sound was comforting, though. “Stupid birds,” murmured Perry. “It’s the middle of the night.” For a moment all was still, and then a third blackbird responded. “Maybe it’s almost morning now,” said Jenna. “Maybe we slept on and off after all, and the time’s gone by. Lots of birds start singing before sunrise. I wonder how they know, when they don’t have clocks.”
