By the time night came again, they had forgotten their promise to give the accused men a hearing, and were resolved to slay them at once.
[CHAPTER IX.—A FRUITLESS EFFORT.]
The blankets and bundles carried on the raft were pretty well soaked by the rain and the whirling waters of the cañon, but as soon as supper was over Sam gave orders to have the things spread out and dried before the fire.
In this work all took an eager part, and as they had been able to collect plenty of fuel, they were enabled to build such a fire as had never chased the night shadows from that part of Grand River Cañon before.
When the blankets were dried they were spread over heaps of cedar boughs and made beds that would have tempted a dyspeptic to sleep.
But, though very weary, our friends did not lie down at once, but sat before the fire speculating and wondering if they would be able to climb out of the cañon on the morrow and make their way to Hurley's Gulch.
Although there was no danger in this place from wild beasts or savage foes, Sam Willett began to-night a system of guard duty which he kept up during all the nights of his perilous journey.
His great fear now was that the flood might rise and carry off the raft or drown out their camping-place, as it was evident it had done on many former occasions.
That they might not be taken by surprise, he divided the night into four watches, to begin at nine o'clock and to continue till five, when it would be broad daylight.
Each one was to stand guard two hours at a time and to wake the next one when his watch had expired. The order was to be changed every night so that no one would have to be on duty at the same time two nights in succession.