Without attempting to enlighten Wah as to the nature of angels, of which it must be confessed he had only a vague conception himself, Ike said.
"We must let him sleep right straight 'long till de mornin'; den w'en he gits up an' rubs his eyes an' sees it's daylight, he'll be dat s'prised ho won't know w'at to say. Won't dat be a trick?"
"Him belly nice tlick," chuckled Wah. "Heap muchee fun. Let 'im sleep; you, me watchee till sun him come top-side galore. Ike, you gottee heap big head," and Wah patted the black boy's head in a way that showed affection and approval.
A generous master makes faithful servants. We do not know whether this is an adage or not, but it sounds as if it ought to be.
So weary was poor Sam that Ike and Wah Shin might have slept through the night without his knowing it, but it did not require his watchful presence to make them dutiful.
They divided the night into two reliefs, each taking a half and doing his duty with the fine sense of pleasure that came from the knowledge that they were cheating Sam into a long and much needed rest.
Sam certainly was much surprised when he got up in the morning and saw the flush of day in the strip of sky far overhead and the light coming into the depths of the cañon.
He was certainly much refreshed by his rest, and when he saw Ike smiling near by, he at once guessed what had been done.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked.
Ike laughed and at once told him of "the trick" he and Wah Shin had played.