ally oblivious to whatever was passing around him.

It must have been that the boy seated himself without any thought of
the inevitable result of doing so; for none knew better than he that
such a thing was fatal to the faithful performance of a sentinel's
duty: and the thought that his three companions, in one sense, had put
their safety in his hands, would have prevented anything like a
forgetfulness of duty.

Be that as it may, the boy had sat thus less than half an hour when a
drowsiness began stealing over him. Once he raised his head and
fancied he saw a large wolf glaring down upon him from the bank above,
but the head was withdrawn so quickly that he was sure it was only a
phantom of his brain.

So he did not rise from his seat, but sitting still he gradually sunk
lower, until in a short time he was sleeping as soundly as either of
the three around him.

Another hour wore away, and the fire smoldered lower and all was
still.

Then numerous heads peered over the edge of the ravine for a few
seconds, and as suddenly withdrew.

A few minutes later a curious sight might have been seen, a sight
somewhat resembling that of a parcel of school-boys making their
gigantic snow-balls. The fifty Indians, the greater portion of whom
had patiently waited in the adjoining grove, while their horses were
securely fastened near, issued like a swarm of locusts and began
rolling huge bowlders toward the valley. Some of them were so large
that half a dozen only succeeded in moving them with the greatest
difficulty.

But they persevered, working with a strange persistency and silence,
that gave them the appearance of so many phantoms engaged at their
ghostly labor. Not a word was exchanged, even in the most guarded of
tones, for each understood his part.

In time half a dozen of these immense stones reached the edge of the
ravine. They were ranged side by side, a few feet apart, so as not to
be in each other's way, and the Indians stood near, waiting until
their work should be completed.

Some signal was then made, and then one of these bowlders rolled down
in the ravine. Even this scarcely made any perceptible noise, the
yielding ground receiving it like a cushion, as it came to a halt near
the center of the valley.

When this was done a second followed suit, being so guided that it did
not grate against its companion, but came to rest very near it.

Then another followed, and then another and another, in the same
st