“Yes, but why do it look quaint and strange?” said Joses in a low, quiet whisper, speaking as if a dozen savages were at his elbow.
“Because we can see it against the sky,” replied Bart, who felt half amused at the importance placed by his companion upon such a trifle.
“And why can you see it against the sky?” said Joses again. “Strikes me there’s a fire over yonder.”
Bart was about to exclaim, “What nonsense!” but he recalled the times when out hunting up stray cattle Joses had displayed a perception that had seemed almost marvellous, and so he held his tongue.
“I’ll take a turn out yonder, my lad,” he said quietly; “I won’t be very long.”
“Shall I wake up the Doctor?”
“No, not yet. Let him get a good rest,” replied Joses. “Perhaps it’s nothing to mind; but coming out here we must be always ready to find danger, and danger must be ready to find us on the look-out.”
“I’ll go with you,” said Bart eagerly.
“No, that won’t do,” said the rough fellow sturdily. “You’ve got to keep watch like they tell me the sailors do out at sea. Who’s to take care of the camp if you go away?”
“I’ll stay then,” said Bart, with a sigh of dissatisfaction, and the next minute he was alone. For Joses had thrown down his blanket, and laid his rifle upon it carefully, while over the lock he had placed his broad Spanish hat to keep off the moisture of the night air. Then he had gone silently off at a trot over the short and scrubby growth near at hand.