Well, that made me kind of mad, so I started up the bank.
“Wait!” Mark called. “Lemme go! I’m all cramped up sittin’ here.”
I came back and gave him the pail, but just then we saw Batten and Bill moving around among the trees, so we gave up the idea of getting water and went on watch again. Mark stayed on the shelf in front of the cave, and I went back up above again where I hid when I took Bill by surprise.
I settled down, with my back against a stone as big as a bushel-basket, and made myself as comfortable as I could. The stone was right over the cave entrance, just sort of stuck into the dirt which held it where it was. It interested me, and I got up to examine it close—it would be the easiest thing in the world to pry it loose and send it bumping down the hill. I was going to do it just for fun; then an idea hit me. I would save up that stone right where it was. It looked to me like it could be made to come in pretty handy.
It wasn’t any good mentioning it to Mark, but I went down and borrowed Sammy’s little ax, which I used to cut down a tree as big around as my wrist. I trimmed all the limbs off it and laid it down alongside of the stone. Then I sat down and took it easy.
The sun was shining bright and warm; the sand was soft and comfortable to lie on; and a fine breeze was blowing that made you want to close your eyes and doze. It must have been close to eleven o’clock now, which meant we’d been up a long time. We’d been considerably busy since we got up, too, and I was tired and sore all over; so I says to myself I’d shut my eyes just a minute, but wouldn’t go to sleep. That was all right to say, but—well, the next thing I remember was Mark hollering at me loud as he could yell.
I sat up quick, just in time to see Batten dodge out from behind some bushes not more than thirty feet from the cave and come clawing toward Mark. I didn’t see Bill anywhere just then, but I had sense enough to turn around and look up the hill. There was Bill plunging down toward me.
For a minute it looked as though the jig was up, as Uncle Ike Bond says, but then I thought of that big stone and the lever I’d made to pry it with. I jumped for it, and dug it into the dirt. “Mark,” I yelled, “duck into the cave! Quick!”
I heard him scramble, and knew he was doing what I said. He wasn’t the kind to stop and ask questions in an emergency. When I yelled he knew I had a good reason, so he just did what I said.
Batten was right in line with the cave now where the stone would come smashing down on him, and the place was so steep he couldn’t get out of the way quick enough to dodge. I had him right where I wanted him, so I stood up and yelled.