The Chief called up his servant, and ordered him to arrange a sleeping-place for the Indian. Then he dismissed him, and the four Englishmen, by the light of a lamp hanging from the roof of the tent, sat discussing the affair of the day and the steps to be taken on the morrow.
"I think we had better put the camp in a state of defence," said O'Connor. "If we don't protect ourselves, nobody will."
"That won't be much good," said the Chief, "we shall be shifting camp soon, and it'll be more than life's worth to attempt to fortify ourselves every time. Nothing short of a wall all round would be any good, and it would be tremendous work to build that: there's such a lot of us."
"As to shifting camp, we might put that off for a while--until next pay-day at any rate; though it will mean a tramp for the men at night after work is done. If you'll leave the defences to me I'll see what can be done."
"But the camp might be raided while we are miles away at railhead," said Will.
"We can put outposts out to give us notice of any armed party approaching; that might give us time to get back."
"You ought to have been a soldier, O'Connor. Cobbler, stick to your last, eh?"
O'Connor smiled.
"Leave it to me, Chief," he said. "I would just relish a brush with those ruffians."
"It's rather curious they came just after pay-day," said Will.