We agreed to keep a watch, but after the trying time he had gone through
we thought that he ought to have a quiet night's rest so as to be the
better able to continue his journey the next morning.

Toby had put up a rough hut of boughs, which would afford two of us at a
time sufficient shelter from the night air. Of rain there was no fear.
Toby erected a hut for himself with a few boughs stuck upright in the
ground, which formed all the protection he required.

I undertook to keep the first watch, and I promised my brother that I
would call him when I could no longer remain with my eyes open. From
past experience we knew that it would not do to trust Toby, who would be
very certain to be down as soon as he found that our eyes were off him.
Guy and Bracewell were quickly asleep and I commenced walking to and
fro, keeping a look-out on every side and sometimes stopping to throw a
few sticks on the fire. I could see the horses safely feeding hear at
hand, and so perfect was the silence which reigned around that I could
not fancy that there was any real necessity for keeping awake. Still,
as I had undertaken to do so, I should not have felt justified in lying
down. I should probably have let the fire out, and the smoke from that
was at all events useful to keep mosquitoes and sandflies somewhat at
bay. Should the fire go out it was no more than possible that a pack of
dingoes might creep up, and while we were in darkness drive the horses
away, or carry off our saddle-bags, or tear our saddles and
sleeping-rugs to pieces. I persevered therefore, stopping every now and
then to amuse myself by looking up at the star-lighted sky and trying to
make out the various constellations, conspicuous among which was the
brilliant cross of the southern hemisphere. Except the occasional croak
of a frog, the cry of a night bird, or the chirp of a cricket, not a
sound had reached my ears; when suddenly, as I was watching the moon
rising above the rocks on one side of the camp, the most unearthly
shrieks and yells rent the air. Guy, awakening, started to his feet.

"What's the matter?" he exclaimed. "I dreamed that savages were upon
us, and expected the next moment to have a spear through me."

"I haven't seen any savages, but those sounds seem scarcely human, I
wonder Bracewell hasn't been awakened by them. We must rouse up Toby
and learn what he thinks they are."

The fearful noise still continued. We stood with our arms r