y tried to sing. They kept up this for some time. They exhausted
all their stock of school songs, nigger songs, patriotic songs,
songs sentimental and moral, and finally tried even hymns. But the
singing was not a very striking success; there was a lack of spirit
in it; and under this depressing sense of languor, the voice of
music at last died out.

Singularly enough, the one who felt this drowsiness most strongly
was Bob. Frank had not thought of him as being at all likely to
fall asleep; but whether it was that his mobile temperament made
him more liable to extremes of excitement and dullness, or whether
the reaction from his former joviality and noisiness had been
greater than that of the rest, certain it is that Bob it was who
first showed signs of sleep. His eyes closed, his head nodded, and
lifting it again with a start, he blinked around.

"Come, Bob," said Frank, "this won't do. You don't mean to say that
_you're_ sleepy."

Bob said nothing. He rubbed his eyes, and yawned.

"Bob," said Frank, "take care of yourself."

"O, I'm all right," said Bob, with a drawl; "never fear about me.
I'm wide awake."

Scarce had he finished this when his eyes closed again, and his
head fell forward.

Frank shook him, and Bob raised himself up with an effort at
dignified surprise which was, however, a failure.

"You needn't shake a fellow," he said in a husky, sleepy voice.

"But I will shake you," cried Frank.

"Le'--me--'lone," said Bob, in a half whisper, nodding again.

"Here," cried Frank; "this'll never do. Bob! Bob! wake up! Bob!
Bo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-b! Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-ake u-u-u-u-up!"

But Bob wouldn't wake up. On the contrary, he bobbed his head in
a foolish and imbecile way towards Frank, as though seeking
unconsciously to find a place on which to rest it. But Frank wouldn't
allow anything of the sort He made Bob sit erect, and held him in
this way for some time, bawling, yelling, and occasionally shaking
him. David and Clive were a little roused by this, and surveyed
it with sleepy eyes. Uncle Moses, however, was as wide awake as
ever--he had his usual anxiety about the well-being of the boys,
and this made sleep out of the question. He now joined his entreaties
to those of Frank; and the two, uniting their shouts, succeeded in
making considerable uproar.

Still Bob would not wake.

"I'll make him get out and walk," said Frank. "This'll never do.
If he sleeps here, he may never wake again."

Sa