ere stretched out, wrapped in their
blankets. They did not have to sleep with one eye open, because they
had confidence that the one on guard would warn them if any danger
approached.

Tom, as I have said, was on the alert. He moved around the camp,
seeing that the horses were all right and going down the slope of the
hill a ways in the darkness if he heard any suspicious sound, with his
pistol gripped firmly in his hand and the faithful Shep pattering
along at his heels. The dog was a good deal of company for Tom. Then
they would return to the fire where the Mexican lay bound, with
his hat pulled down over his head, but with his shifty black eyes
continually on the alert. If he had any plan, he had no chance to
carry it out while Tom was on duty.

At eleven o'clock promptly, Tom stole into the tent, and stepping
over Juarez waked up Jeems, who sat up with a tousled head of hair and
sadly sleepy, but he took it all like a philosopher, and stooped out
of the tent to take his watch on deck. A slight change had come over
the weather. A few dark and heavy clouds were drifting high across the
valley and there was a steady roar of wind among the pines upon the
mountain slopes.

The prisoner noticed the change of guard with interest. "I am thirsty,
Senor," he said. The philosopher went and procured for him a drink. "A
little closer to the fire now, Senor. I feel cold." The shepherd did
as requested.

"Don't ask me to make tea for you now, because I would have to
refuse."

The man gave no sign that he understood, and Jeems went back to the
horses to see how they were getting along. It was quite a family party
of animals and if one had been gone the others would have missed him
sadly.

They were all fastened to rather small trees back of the tent. The
mules stood with heads slightly bent and perfectly still. Jeems went
up to old Missouri, pulling his long ears affectionately, and his
muleship did not seem to mind it in the least. As Jeems often said,
they were kindred souls. The ponies stood with drooping heads. Jo's
horse had his head resting over the neck of Tom's, for they were
quite chums.

But Jim's Caliente seemed restless and not quiet like the others. He
had a good-sized pine for his anchorage, and was in the center of
the group, while the others were tied in a circle around him. He was
shaking his head and stamping his feet, but Jeems could not find that
there was anything especially the matter with him.

J