nd carry one of us off, when the fire
gets low. I will, therefore, watch."

"I certainly should not let you do that, without taking my turn," Dick
said; "and I feel so tired with the day's work, that I do not think I
could keep awake for ten minutes. It would be better to sleep in a
tree than that."

"You would not get much sleep in a tree, Sahib. I have done it once or
twice, when I have been hunting in a tiger-infested neighbourhood; but
I got scarcely any sleep, and was so stiff, in the morning, that I
could hardly walk. I would rather sit up all night, and keep up a good
fire, than do that."

Dick thought for a minute or two, and then got up and walked about
under the trees, keeping his eyes fixed upon the branches overhead.

"This will do," he said at last. "Come here, Surajah. There! Do you
see those two branches, coming out in the same direction? At one
point, they are but five or six feet apart. We might fasten our
blankets side by side, with the help of the straps of our water
bottles and the slings of the guns; so as to make what are called, on
board a ship, hammocks, and lie there perfectly safe and comfortable."

Surajah nodded.

"I have a coil of leather thong, Sahib. I thought that it might be
useful, if we wanted to bind a prisoner, or for any other purpose, so
I stuffed it into my waist sash."

"That is good. Let us lose no time, for I am quite ready for sleep. I
will climb up first."

In ten minutes, the blankets were securely fastened side by side,
between the branches. Surajah descended, threw another armful of wood
on to the fire, placed their meat in the crutch of a bough, six feet
above the ground, and then climbed the tree again. Thus, they were
soon lying, side by side, in their blankets. These bagged rather
inconveniently under their weight, but they were too tired to mind
trifles, and were very soon fast asleep.

Dick did not wake until Surajah called him. It was already broad
daylight. His companion had slipped down quietly, stirred up the
embers of the fire, thrown on more wood, and cooked some chupatties
before waking him.

"It is too bad, Surajah," Dick said, as he looked down; "you ought to
have woke me. I will unfasten these blankets before I get down. It
will save time after breakfast."

Half an hour later, they were again on their way, and shortly came
upon a boy herding some goats. He looked doubtfully at them, but,
seeing that they were not Mysorean soldiers, he did not