"All right," said he; "I'll go and look at it."

I remained on post. It would not do, I thought, to give any intimation to the men that I had been to the ravine; they were standing near me.

In two minutes Willis returned.

"Jones," says he; "move your post up here. You men stay where you are."

We went out together, Willis and I, to the edge of the ravine.

"You're right, Jones," he says, in a whisper; "the post ought to be here."

"Yes; it would be easy for those fellows over yonder to surprise us. This ravine ought to be watched in the day even."

The sergeant showed no intention of leaving me; he seemed to be thinking. Suddenly he gave his thigh, a resounding slap.

"There!" says he, "now I've done it--but maybe they won't know what that noise means. Say, Jones, I've got an idea."

"Let's have it."