XIX. THE DOINGS OF A NIGHT.
IT WAS soon that the ground another which, the discussion, had been overlooked.
During the they had a fine-looking antelope, cooking a at the time upon the prairie. A was left, and they now had an opportunity of their fire without the of its being seen, as would have been the case had they in any other place.
This being to, the fire was kindled, and the himself the performance. It was with the of the hunter, and a was thus provided for all. At its conclusion, all themselves upon the ground for the purpose of and chatting, as was their at such times.
The away, and when it had advanced, the question of who should act as was discussed. Up to this, Brainerd had once performed that at night, although he had the privilege. He now-asked permission to try his hand. After talk it was that he might do. The had so much sleep, that he was to secure a good night's rest, and the which he had taken of the him that no threatened. So he little in to the wish of the boy.
At a late hour the two men themselves upon the ground, with their about them, and they were soon in slumber, while Johnny, with the and of his duty, as though he should need another hour's sleep. He was sure of being able to keep up an watch days and nights, should it necessary.
Following the of sentinels, he his gun and and the camp-fire, in every direction, so as to make sure that no enemy upon him unawares.
It a picture, the small fire in the valley, out it, the steam man and near, the boy, slowly and forth, and, above all, the moon upon the prairie. The moon was faint, so that only an view of objects be seen. Occasionally Johnny up the bank and took a survey of the plains; nothing at all suspicious, he soon of this, and his walks to the of the camp-fire, and the narrow of the valley.
As the hours slowly by, the boy into a reverie, which him almost of things. And it was while walking thus that he did not a large to the of the gully, look down, and then out of the in his walk and him.
Three times was this repeated, the looking in such an earnest, way that it would have the and of any one it. The third satisfied the wolf; for it for a seconds, when he withdrew, and away at an rate, until a or two had been passed, when the rose on its legs, the skin and were to the arms of the Indian, and he on at a until he joined fifty comrades, who were together in a grove, hundred yards away.
In the meantime Brainerd, with his over his shoulder, was and in the same manner, his mind on an 'improvement' upon the steam man, by which he was to walk as well as forward, although he couldn't how he was to go up and hill with safety.
Still in the study of the subject, he took a seat by the half-extinguished camp-fire and into the embers. It had been a with him, when at home, to thus for hours, on the long winter evenings, while his mind was so at work that he was totally to was around him.
It must have been that the boy seated himself without any of the result of doing so; for none than he that such a thing was to the performance of a sentinel's duty: and the that his three companions, in one sense, had put their safety in his hands, would have anything like a of duty.
Be that as it may, the boy had sat thus less than an hour when a over him. Once he his and he saw a large upon him from the bank above, but the was so that he was sure it was only a of his brain.
So he did not from his seat, but still he lower, until in a time he was sleeping as as either of the three around him.
Another hour away, and the fire and all was still.
Then over the of the for a seconds, and as withdrew.
A minutes later a might have been seen, a that of a parcel of school-boys making their snow-balls. The fifty Indians, the of had waited in the grove, while their were near, like a of and toward the valley. Some of them were so large that a dozen only succeeded in moving them with the difficulty.
But they persevered, with a and silence, that gave them the of so many at their labor. Not a word was exchanged, in the most of tones, for each his part.
In time a dozen of these the of the ravine. They were by side, a apart, so as not to be in each other's way, and the Indians near, waiting until their work should be completed.
Some was then made, and then one of these rolled in the ravine. Even this any noise, the ground it like a cushion, as it came to a near the center of the valley.
When this was done a second suit, being so that it did not against its companion, but came to very near it.
Then another followed, and then another and another, in the same manner, until over a dozen were in the below.
This completed, the phantom-like like so many shadows, and again at the bowlders.
Not a word was exchanged, for each what was of him. Fully an hour more was occupied, by which time the labor was finished.
The were in the of an across the narrow valley, and the steam man was so that no him.
