Max watched until midnight, then crept softly to where Morris was stretched upon the cabin floor and asked him to take his place; but nothing disturbed them, and the next morning two of the boys went to their work in the mine, leaving two outside on guard. These improved their time in strengthening the breastwork and in curtaining with blankets that wall of the cabin. In the afternoon they exchanged places with the men in the tunnel.
The jumpers were seen about the Aurora, but nothing was said to them. They broke down the mine door, and penetrated the tunnel a short distance, but soon returned, discouraged by the wetness within.
The night passed quietly and Friday morning went by without any incident. About the middle of the afternoon, while Len and Sandy were outside, Old Bob and Scotty came to the edge of the Aurora dump, and held aloft a pole with a handkerchief, supposed to be white, tied upon it, which they waved toward the cabin.
“What do you mean by that?” Len sung out, for he and Sandy happened to be on duty as sentinels.
“Flag o’ truce,” Bob yelled back. “One o’ you fellers come down in the hollow and meet me. I want to talk. Leave yer gun behind. I aint got no arms, you see. Will you come?”
“I reckon. Hold on, I’ll see my partner!”
Len lighted a little lamp and disappeared into the mine, whence he returned in five minutes. Max and Morris came as far as the door, but did not show themselves.
“All right,” Len called out, as he blew out his lamp and climbed over the breastwork. “Come down in the hollow if you want to talk.”
Old Bob moved clumsily down from the Aurora to meet him, while Sandy perched himself on the wall and Bob’s friends stood behind him on their own knoll.