e you been doing?" And as he spoke he
brought his right hand slightly forward, so that the rays of light from
the lantern which he carried fell upon the gleaming barrel of his
revolver.

Ling observed the motion, and shrank back guiltily. "Oh, mastel," he
quavered, "me thinkee me heal a sound ovel hele--fol me too flightened
to sleep--and me come hele to see what the mattel."

"What kind of sound did you think you heard?" queried Frobisher, looking
the man square in the eyes.

Ling tried to return the gaze, but failed. His almond-shaped eyes met
the other's for a few seconds, and then turned ground-ward.

"Me believe me heal someone moving ovel hele," he replied, "and so me
came see if anybody tly to get in."

"Then what did you fall over?" asked Frobisher.

"Me go look see if anybody hiding outside camp," explained Ling glibly,
"and me fall ovel shafts of calt coming back. Me no see clealy without
lanteln," he continued, volubly.

"If you believed you heard a movement," said Frobisher, "why didn't you
come and tell me, instead of going yourself? Besides, it seems strange
that you, who ought to have been sleepy after your spell of duty, should
have noticed those suspicious sounds, while I, who was wideawake, heard
nothing."

"No undelstand, mastel," said Ling, regarding Frobisher with a blank
stare.

"No, you scoundrel!" retorted Frobisher angrily; "you only understand
just what suits you, don't you? However, understand this, my fine
fellow," he went on, bringing the revolver into full view, and shaking
it in front of the now thoroughly frightened Korean; "if I find that
you've been up to any tricks, I'll shoot you, as sure as my name's what
it is, so you had better be very careful. Do you understand that? Very
well, then; get over to your place and lie down; and mark this--don't
let me catch you slinking about this camp any more to-night. Savvee?"

"Me savvee plenty, mastel," replied Ling, gathering himself up and
hobbling away. He added some other words in his own language, in a tone
that sounded anything but reassuring; but as Frobisher was totally
unfamiliar with the Korean tongue, he was compelled to let the matter
pass unnoticed.

The remainder of the night slipped away without interruption. But
shortly after the incident above referred to, Frobisher noticed that the
stars were becoming obscured, and about two o'clock in the morning rain
began to fall, softly at first, then increasing in v