“Don’t answer him, Rob; it’s only his gammon, and he thinks it’s witty,” said Joe.
Shaddy chuckled, and it was evident that his joke amused him.
“There,” he said, “it ain’t worth while for three on us to be keeping watch. One’s enough, and the others can sleep, so, as I’m here, you two may as well go and roost.”
“No,” said Rob promptly; “my time isn’t up.”
“No, my lad, not by two hours, I should say; but I’ll let you off the rest, for it’s a-many years since I was up this part, and I want to sit and think it out before we start as soon as it’s light.”
But Rob firmly refused to give up his task till the time set down by Mr Brazier for him to be relieved. Joe as stubbornly refused to return to his bed, and so it was that when the birds gave note of the coming of the day, after the weird chorus had gradually died away in the forest they were still seated upon one of the thwarts, watching for the first warm rays of the sun to tinge the dense river mist with rose.