e past hour. I had gone to lie down; Bob was watchman. All at
once Piter began barking furiously, and I got up directly."

"Let's have another look round," said Uncle Jack.

"Here, Piter!" I cried; "what's the matter, old fellow?"

The dog whined and laid his great jowl in my hand, blinking up at me and
trying to make his savage grin seem to be a pleasant smile; but all at
once he started away, threw up his head, and barked again angrily.

"What is it, old fellow?" I said. "Here, show us them. What is it?"

Piter looked at me, whined, and then barked again angrily as if there
was something very wrong indeed; but he could only smell it in the air.
What it was or where it was he did not seem to know.

We had a good look round, searching everywhere, and not without a great
deal of trepidation; for after the past night's experience with the
powder it was impossible to help feeling nervous.

That's what Uncle Jack called it. I felt in a regular fright.

"Everything seems quite satisfactory," Uncle Jack was fain to say at
last. And then, "Look here, boys," he cried, "Cob and I have been
talking this matter over, and we say that the works must take care of
themselves. You two have to come back with us."

"What! And leave the place to its fate?" said Uncle Dick.

"Yes. Better do that than any mishap should come to you."

"What do you say, Bob?"

"I've a very great objection to being blown up, knocked on the head, or
burned," said Uncle Bob quietly. "It's just so with a soldier; he does
not want to be shot, bayoneted, or sabred, but he has to take his
chance. I'm going to take mine."

"So am I," said Uncle Dick.

"But, my dear boys--"

"There, it's of no use; is it, Bob?" cried Uncle Dick. "If we give way
he'll always be bouncing over us about how he kept watch and we
daren't."

"Nonsense!" cried Uncle Jack.

"Well, if you didn't," said Uncle Bob, "that cocky consequential small
man of a boy, Cob, will be always going about with his nose in the air
and sneering. I shall stay."

"Then we will stay with you."

My uncles opposed this plan, but Uncle Jack declared that he could not
sleep if he went back; so the others gave in and we stayed, taking two
hours turns, and the night passed slowly by.

Every now and then Piter had an uneasy fit, bursting out into a
tremendous series of barks and howls, but there seemed to be no reason
for the outcry.

He was worst during the watch kept by Uncle Jac