has noticed that we have been lying quietly as if
asleep, for he has passed close by us several times. Let us peep out,
and wait till he is near again, then you must roll over and pull the
blanket from me as if in your sleep. The movement is certain to attract
his attention. I will then start up and tear the blanket away from you,
and after that we can easily come to words and almost to blows. No
doubt the sentry will watch us and enjoy our quarrel, and as soon as we
have made sufficient noise, I will get up in a regular huff, pull my
blanket from you, and go to the other end of the camp. Two hours later
I shall do my best to creep between the sentries, and once through I
will imitate the whinny of a horse. The men on guard will think it
comes from one of the Cossack ponies, and are not likely to stir, while
you, knowing it is my signal, will take the first chance of slipping
through and joining me."

A suppressed chuckle burst from Tony's lips, and the blanket shook as he
attempted to smother his amusement and delight.

"Phil, you're a good 'un," he stuttered. "Yer fairly walk away with it.
Blest if yer ain't the smartest chap I ever see! There ain't nothing
more to be said. It's bound to work is that there scheme, so the sooner
we has that row the better. But--look here, old man, how do we join one
another out there in the dark?"

"That I was just going to mention, Tony. Once through, crawl on for a
hundred yards, and then sit down. You must take care to go straight to
your front. I am going to lie down over there on the right, and I shall
know you are on the left. I shall give you a quarter of an hour to get
through, and then I shall crawl over in your direction. If after a good
search I fail to find you I will give another whinny, and you must crawl
up to me. Now is everything clear?"

"Everything, mate," answered Tony, with evident delight. "We just plays
this little game, and then I waits for the signal. Once through, there
comes that Cossack chap, and if he so much as flickers an eyelid, bust
me if I don't smash him like an egg. Now, mate, give us yer flipper,
cos, yer know, things might go wrong, and I specks those Russian coves
have a nasty way of shooting if they spots a fellow giving them the
slip."

Phil stretched out his hand, and meeting Tony's, gave it a cordial grip.
Then for some ten minutes the two lay still, Tony snoring heavily,
while the sentry passed them twice on his beat,