e here. I'm going to get a ten
hour nap, and in the morning I'll try to solve the riddle for
you, Dick, of why we came here."

A tired lot of boys, not really ready, as yet, to admit that they
were used up, lay down on their cots without undressing. They
intended, later, to get into their pajamas.

A single lantern, its wick turned low, hung from one of the posts.
Prescott did not trust himself to lie down, for his eyes, despite
his efforts to keep awake, were heavy, and he did not want to
sleep for some time yet.

Within ten minutes Darrin alone had his eyes open, and even he
was making a valiant struggle against sleep. At last, however,
he yielded, and soon settled into sound slumber.

"They're off in another world," smiled Dick, as he listened to
the deep breathing of his chums; then he slipped away from his
cot.

From under a box in one corner of the tent he took out a large
cup of coffee that he had hidden some time earlier. It was still
warm and he drank it with relish, though his main purpose in using
the beverage was to make sure of keeping himself awake.

His next move was to extinguish the lantern. Now he made his
way to the bucket of water and basin. Dashing the cold water
into his face, and wetting his eyes well with it, Prescott took
a few deep breaths. He now felt equal to keeping awake for some
time.

Outside, by this time, all was darkness, save where a few embers
of the recent camp fire glowed dully.

Dick threw himself down, resting his head on his elbows, in the
doorway of the tent.

"Now, don't you dare go to sleep!" he ordered himself, repeating
the command frequently as a means of aiding himself to keep his
eyelids from closing.

"You keep awake!" he half snorted, as he felt drowsiness getting
nearer. He pinched himself, inflicting more than a little pain.

At last, however, the young leader of Dick & Co. found that his
drowsiness had passed for the time being, like the sentinel in
war time.

"Now, I think I can keep awake until daylight, if I have to,"
muttered young Prescott to himself. "At daylight it won't be
so very mean to wake one of the other fellows and let him take
my place."

Yet, after an hour had passed, Dick was almost doomed to discover
that nature had some rights and knew how to assert them.

His eyes had just closed when he awoke with a start.

Someone was treading lightly past the wall of the tent, coming
toward the door. Dick had barely time to gl