“Yes; he’ll be mad if we go without him, or at least, I know I would be,” said Boone, with a chuckle. The stout hearted borderer welcomed danger as he would an early friend.

“All right; I’ll wake him, then.”

Kenton laid his hand upon Lark’s shoulder, but the sleeper stirred not.

“Shake him a little,” suggested Boone.

Kenton did so, but the sleeping man never stirred.

“He’s laying himself right down to it, ain’t he?” said Boone, with a dry humor in his voice.

“Hadn’t we better go without him?” asked Kenton.

“Try once more. He’s the soundest sleeper that I ever did see,” Boone said.

Again Kenton shook the sleeping man, and this time violently, but the effort was useless; Lark never moved.

Kenton bent over and examined him.