"Shure!" said Dennis, after a few more minutes had elapsed, "we can't lave the Johnnies like this."
"You had better let sleeping dogs alone," warned Noel.
"Shure, an' I will that," said Dennis. "I'm not goin' to harm any one of thim. They seem to me to be aslape and I want to give thim somethin' to wake 'em up."
"What are you doing?" demanded Noel, as his companion drew an empty cartridge from his box and filled it with powder from his flask.
"I'm riggin' up somethin' to wake up thim boys," replied Dennis soberly.
Noel said no more and continued to watch his companion, who, after the shell had been filled with powder, adjusted the percussion cap in such a manner that it was placed upon the powder and within the covering.
"There's one of thim," exclaimed Dennis, looking with pride at his workmanship. "Now I'll make another one."
A second "shot" like the first was soon made, and then, handing one to Noel, Dennis proceeded very carefully to place his own in the muzzle of his gun.
"What are you going to do?" demanded Noel. "That isn't much more than a blank cartridge you have got there."
"Niver you mind that," said Dennis confidently. "We'll start these fellows on the run."