ther three sides, to
prevent a surprise from either of those directions. Then, rifles and
revolvers having been reloaded and piled in different parts of the
enclosure, ready to hand, and cutlasses resharpened on the grindstone
belonging to the tool-chest and placed close to their owners' hands, the
remainder of the little company stretched themselves out on beds of
bracken, which had been cut during the day, and in a few minutes were
fast asleep, completely worn out by the fatigue and excitement of a very
long and arduous day.

Frobisher, however, though extremely tired, would not permit himself to
sleep, feeling to the full the responsibility resting on his shoulders
for the safety of his men; but he insisted that Drake should do so, for
he had been awake most of the previous night while Frobisher was
resting. To keep himself awake, the captain periodically perambulated
round the stockade, constantly replenishing the watch fires, which had
been placed at a considerable distance from the fort, and seeing that
the men told off for sentry duty were keeping awake and on the alert.

But strive as he might against the temptation to close his eyes, if only
for a moment, he found himself continually nodding, even as he walked;
and once or twice he awakened to the realisation that he had, for a few
seconds, actually been walking in his sleep. The unfortunate watchmen,
too, were constantly needing to be roused; and before long Frobisher
found that, each time he made the rounds, it was necessary to reawaken
them, all of them being found sleeping, leaning on their rifles or
against the stockade.

All the while he, too, was becoming more and more drowsy; and at last,
shortly after midnight, he determined to rouse the second lieutenant and
a dozen of the sleepers to take the place of those who had been doing
the first spell. Accordingly he reeled in through the opening in the
stockade, scarcely noticing that the men who were supposed to be
guarding the gap were all so nearly asleep that they were quite useless
as sentries.

It took him some little time, in the darkness, to find the spot where
the second lieutenant was lying; and he was just shaking the man gently
by the shoulder to rouse him when the still night air was rent by a most
heart-shaking yell, instantly followed by several shrill screams of
agony in quick succession. As Frobisher started to his feet in horror
he saw the somnolent sentries at the gap in the very a