e lines to show these
strategic movements would no doubt have displayed much interlacing, but
as a matter of fact neither side saw anything of the other throughout
that age-long day of tedious alertness. Bert never knew how near he got
to them nor how far he kept from them. Night found him no longer sleepy,
but athirst, and near the American Fall. He was inspired by the idea
that his antagonists might be in the wreckage of the Hohenzollern cabins
that was jammed against Green Island. He became enterprising, broke from
any attempt to conceal himself, and went across the little bridge at the
double. He found nobody. It was his first visit to these huge fragments
of airships, and for a time he explored them curiously in the dim
light. He discovered the forward cabin was nearly intact, with its door
slanting downward and a corner under water. He crept in, drank, and then
was struck by the brilliant idea of shutting the door and sleeping on
it.

But now he could not sleep at all.

He nodded towards morning and woke up to find it fully day. He
breakfasted on corned beef and water, and sat for a long time
appreciative of the security of his position. At last he became
enterprising and bold. He would, he decided, settle this business
forthwith, one way or the other. He was tired of all this crawling. He
set out in the morning sunshine, gun in hand, scarcely troubling to walk
softly. He went round the refreshment shed without finding any one,
and then through the trees towards the flying-machine. He came upon the
bird-faced man sitting on the ground with his back against a tree, bent
up over his folded arms, sleeping, his bandage very much over one eye.

Bert stopped abruptly and stood perhaps fifteen yards away, gun in hand
ready. Where was the Prince? Then, sticking out at the side of the tree
beyond, he saw a shoulder. Bert took five deliberate paces to the left.
The great man became visible, leaning up against the trunk, pistol in
one hand and sword in the other, and yawning--yawning. You can't shoot
a yawning man Bert found. He advanced upon his antagonist with his
gun levelled, some foolish fancy of "hands up" in his mind. The Prince
became aware of him, the yawning mouth shut like a trap and he stood
stiffly up. Bert stopped, silent. For a moment the two regarded one
another.

Had the Prince been a wise man he would, I suppose, have dodged behind
the tree. Instead, he gave vent to a shout, and raised pistol and sword.