"I commit myself to the darkness," gasped Private Overton inwardly.
For, if his presence were detected, the sentry, with one call, could bring the other three sleeping men to their feet. Against such odds Hal would have but scant chance of getting away.
"And I'll have to leave my rifle behind if I duck from here," thought Hal, beginning to regret his rashness.
It was one thing to capture the rifles of the outpost; it was quite another thing to leave his own gun behind in their hands.
After a few moments of agony the dimly seen sentry again turned his face in another direction.
"Now that I've started this trick, I'll put it through or die," thought the soldier boy, setting his teeth.
Again he crouched close to the corporal and the two other sleepers. This time there appeared to be no loot loose save a pair of canteens that lay upon the ground. Private Hal Overton made sure of these articles, then, as he lay there, took a last sweeping look.
The shoes of Corporal Raynes, of C Company, protruded under the foot of his blanket.
"I guess it would be too risky a stunt to try to unlace the corporal's shoes and carry 'em away," quivered mischievous Hal, eyeing the footgear longingly.
Then, as he gazed, it struck the soldier boy that there was something odd about the position of the corporal's shoes with regard to the line of Raynes body.