ures who prey by night, and the
waking up of those expectant of the sun.

Then there was a sound of about the most commonplace, matter-of-fact
character that can be imagined. Fitz, as he lay half upon a heap of dry
leaves and canes, opened his mouth very widely, yawned portentously and
loudly, ending with, "Oh, dear me!" and a quickly-uttered correction of
what seemed to him like bad manners: "I beg your pardon!"

"Ha, ha!" laughed Poole, "I was doing just the same. Here, you are a
pretty sort of fellow," he continued, "to be on the watch, and kick up a
shindy like that! Suppose the enemy had been sneaking in."

He had hardly finished speaking when Fitz caught him by the arm and
sprang up, for there was a faint rustling, and the two lads felt more
than saw that some one was approaching them. Relief came directly, for
instead of a sudden attack, it was the skipper who spoke.

"Silence!" he said softly. "Here, if you two lads are as sleepy as
that, lie down again till sunrise."

"No, no, father," said Poole; "I am all right now. You must be tired
out. Burnett and I will go your rounds now."

"Thanks, my lad; but no, thank you."

"But you may trust me, father, and I will call you at daybreak."

"No, my boy; I couldn't sleep if I tried."

"No more could I now, father. Let me help you, then; and go round to
see that the watch is all right."

"Very well. You go that way, and have a quiet chat with the man on
duty. It will rouse him up. I am going round here."

The skipper moved off directly, and Poole, before starting off in the
indicated direction, whispered to Fitz--

"You can have another snooze till I come back."

"Thank you; but I am going along with you."

Quite willing to accept his companionship, Poole led the way slowly and
cautiously; but at the end of a few yards he stopped short.

"What's the matter?" whispered Fitz.

"Nothing yet; but I was just thinking. Is there any password?"

"I dunno," whispered Fitz.

"I didn't ask father, and it would be rather awkward if we were
challenged and shot at."

"Oh, there's no fear of that. You'd know by the voice which of the men
it was who spoke, and he'd know yours when you answered."

"To be sure. False alarm. Come on." It seemed darker than ever as
they went forward on what seemed to be the track, but proved to be off
it, for all at once as they were going cautiously on, literally feeling
their way, Poole caught his foot against a stu