tly hear the heavy breathing of a sleeper. He drew
cautiously back, to come in contact with Pete, who was taken by surprise
at the sudden movement made.

Then they stood with hearts thumping against their ribs, feeling certain
that they must have been heard; but not a sound followed. After waiting
nearly a minute, a fresh movement was made, Nic stepping softly to the
window on his left, the perspiration streaming down his face, for the
heat was intense.

He listened here, with Pete close behind, but all was still, the window
wide open to admit the air; and he knew that all he had to do was to
pass softly in, take down a couple of the guns, passing one out at a
time through the window to Pete, beat a retreat, and then all would be
as easy as possible. It was only cool, quiet action--that was all; but
Nic for a time could not move, only stand there, breathing heavily, in
the full expectation of hearing his companion say something to urge him
on.

Pete did not stir: he felt that he must trust to his companion's
common-sense, and leave him to act as was best.

Then the power to act seemed to come, and Nic softly grasped the
window-sill, passed one leg in, then the other, and stood upon the bare
floor, fully expecting to hear a bullet whiz past his head, even if it
did not strike.

But he could hear nothing; the house might have been unoccupied; and,
drawing a deep breath, he acted quickly now, turned to his left, raised
his hands, and pressed forward till they touched one of the weapons
hanging upon the wall.

A sudden feeling of elation now came over him, for it all seemed to be
so astonishingly easy, as he stepped softly to the window to pass out a
musket with its flask and pouch, feeling it taken from his hand
directly.

The next minute he was in front of the other pieces, and took down a
second musket, felt that the flask and pouch were attached to it, and,
with his pulses hard at work, he was about to make for the window when
every drop of blood in his veins seemed to stand still. For there was a
sharp, angry oath, a quick start, and the overseer, who had been
sleeping upon a rough couch, rose to a sitting position.

It was too dark for Nic to make out anything more than a shadowy figure
within ten feet of him; and he stood as if petrified, holding the
musket, meaning to use it as a club at the first attack; one which
seemed to be strangely deferred, for the figure sat as if staring at him
in astonishmen