n's quarters at the shanty, that the
murmuring buzz ceased. "Look here, you two," he said; "if you don't
want to sleep we do, so just be quiet. It's somewhere about one
o'clock, and when getting-up time comes you'll want to sleep."

"All right, father," said Chris, in a very wakeful tone; "we won't talk
any more."

But they did, in a whisper, for something in the way of recrimination
began.

"It was all your fault," said Ned. "I wanted to go to sleep hours ago,
but you would keep beginning again about the bothering old chart."

"Oh come, I like that!" replied Chris. "Who kept on wondering whether
we should meet Indians, and whether they scalped people now!"

"Well, yes, I did say something about that. Only fancy, though, how
horrid!"

"Shan't! We're to go to sleep. I say, though, Ned; think we shall
really get away from this bothering old hoeing and weeding and killing
blight?"

"Can't think: I'm nearly asleep."

"Oh, what a thumper! You're as wide awake as I am."

_S-n-n-o-r-r-r-e_!

"Gammon!"

"Oh!" and a sudden jump.

"What's the matter?"

"You stuck a pin into my leg."

"Must have been a mosquito."

"I'll skeeter you to-morrow morning, Master Chris!"

"Don't wait: do it now!" (defiantly.)

"You coward! You know that if I hit at you the doctor would jump up in
a rage."

"No, he wouldn't, because we'd creep out through the open door and go
into the shed. Come on; I'm ready."

"I shan't. I want to sleep."

"I don't. I can't. I feel all over of a tingle. I should like a
set-to. Come on out, and then I should like you to skeeter me."

"Don't be a fool, Chris. Let's go to sleep and get ready for to-morrow.
My word, what a day we shall have! It seems wonderful. I can hardly
believe it's true."

"That is," said Chris, for there was an angry rap on the partition,
given by the doctor, who felt as nervously excited as the two boys.

The final rap brought calm, though, sending the lads off into a deep
sleep which lasted till sunrise, when they stepped out of their rough
bunks, hurried down to the water-pool to have a bathe, and had just
finished bathing when Chris caught sight of the tall gaunt figure of the
American striding through the Bartlett-pear plantation.

"_Coo-ee_!" cried Chris.

"Oh, there you are, young 'uns," came in reply. "Mornin'. Well, what
time will you be ready to start?"

"Directly after breakfast," cried Chris.

"Packed up your duds?"

"No, not ye