“We go pretty soon an’ find dry place to sleep. What you think?”
“Yes,” he answered, “but let Sandy rest for a while. This warm rain won’t hurt us.”
The youngest member of the trio rolled over, propping himself up on one elbow.
“I’m all right now. I’m ready to go on. I’m so happy I can’t think. If there was ever a time to feel glad for the sparing of three no-account lives, it’s tonight.”
Not long afterward, they crawled into a dense thicket which, though far from dry, afforded some protection from the steadily falling rain.
“Wake me up early,” Sandy muttered sleepily, as he snuggled down like a young lynx and closed his eyes.
Dick had started to follow his example, when he noticed that Toma still sat like the graven statue of a Hindu god.
“Aren’t you going to lie down?” he asked.
“No,” came the rather startling answer, “Toma no sleepy tonight.”
“How can that be?” he asked incredulously. “Toma, if it wasn’t so blamed dark, I could look into your face and convince myself you’re lying.”
“Forget to wake up. First thing we know Indian come. Just so soon get light, Scar-Face send out party look everywhere. He try find us. We too close encampment yet.”
“Why, you deceiving old rascal——” Dick choked, deeply impressed by the other’s unselfishness. “Do you mean to tell me you’d sit here all night and keep watch alone?”
“Yes,” answered Toma, “I sit here so I wake you and Sandy before it get light. Then we travel fast. When Indian start look for us we be many miles away.”
“So you intend to sacrifice your own comfort for us?”
Dick crawled over and put his arms about the statuesque figure.
“Lie down, you miserable deceiver,” he purred. “Lie down before I pull out my hunting knife and scalp you. No wonder we hate you—Sandy and I.”
“Stinging rattlesnakes!” gasped a sleepy voice. “Have you gone suddenly mad, Dick? What was that you just said to Toma?”
“Listen, Sandy, do you know what this lump of uselessness purposes to do?”
“Stay up all night so he’ll be sure to wake us before dawn.”
“He doesn’t think we’re safe here, so close to the Indian encampment. He thinks Scar-Face’ll send out a scouting party at daybreak.”
“I never thought of that. Of course, he will,” Sandy had become genuinely alarmed.
“So Toma is going to watch while we two lazybones sleep,” Dick concluded.