FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150  
151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   >>   >|  
ender, came back to announce that there was none to examine. "What!" cried the boys in a breath. "Why, we left plenty for a cold supper." "Yes," said Griggs, "but the jackals, or wolves, or whatever they were, haven't." "You don't mean to say--" began Chris, who felt far from mirthful now. "Yes, I do; they've been here and cleared out everything." "But no fire, no turkey, no tea," cried Ned. "What are we to do?" "Just as the mustangs have, my lad; have a good long drink, a roll, and then--" "We can't graze," cried Chris. "No, but we can take it out in sleep." CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. ON THE TRAIL. It was horribly disappointing in their hungry and weary state, but it was no time for finding fault. "Roll yourselves up in your blankets, boys, and go to sleep," said Griggs. "Is that what you are going to do?" said Chris dismally. "No," was the reply; "I'm going to have the first watch." "First watch?" said Chris, staring. "Yes, and your father is going to relieve me at the end of four hours." "But--watch? What for?" "Because there are Indians about. You don't suppose we could leave the camp unguarded at a time like this, do you?" "I--I never thought about it," stammered Chris. "Did you, Ned?" "Of course not. But is it necessary?" "If you want to take care of your scalp, yes, my lad," said the American dryly. "Oh, but--" began Chris. "You think there's no risk, eh? Well, perhaps it's not quite so bad as that, but we don't want to wake up and find that the mules and horses have been swept off in the night. There, lie down and sleep. Whoever has the morning watch will wake you up to a good fire and such a breakfast as will make up for your cold water supper. Well--why don't you lie down?--Here: stop! What are you going to do?" "Going to speak to father." "No, no, don't disturb him. I dare say he's asleep by now." "He can't be," replied Chris sturdily; "there hasn't been time." "What!" cried Griggs, laughing. "Not time? Well, come with me and look; I'll be bound to say he is. But what do you want to say to him?" Chris hesitated to answer, but the American pressed him, and the boy spoke out. "I only wanted to tell him that I didn't want to be such a selfish pig as to go to sleep and leave him to keep watch." "Oh!" said Griggs gravely. "And to say that I was going to order you to wake me when the four hours are up, and I'd go on duty." "I se
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150  
151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Griggs
 

American

 

father

 

supper

 

selfish

 
horses
 
gravely
 

disturb

 
replied

laughing

 

asleep

 

pressed

 
answer
 

Whoever

 
sturdily
 

morning

 
breakfast
 
hesitated

wanted

 

dismally

 

turkey

 

cleared

 

mirthful

 

mustangs

 

CHAPTER

 

TWENTY

 

examine


breath

 

announce

 

plenty

 

jackals

 
wolves
 

Indians

 

suppose

 

Because

 
staring

relieve

 
unguarded
 

stammered

 
thought
 
hungry
 

disappointing

 
horribly
 
finding
 

blankets