“Stand here a while and I’ll make another,” he said, glad of any excuse which should take him from the chamber, with its frightened, cowering occupants, and Gil readily agreed to shoulder the responsibility.
To recount all that took place on this eventful night would be tedious. It suffices to say that a strict watch was kept at each point from which danger might be anticipated, and when morning came every member of the party felt thoroughly worn out and exhausted.
Jenkins had but little fear an attack would be made during the day, except it might be from the farther end of the tunnel, and proposed to run the risk of this by withdrawing the sentinel from that point and stationing him at the underground chamber, where his duty would be to stand watch over the entire tunnel.
“In that way we shall all get a chance to sleep, which is what we’re needin’ mighty bad, an’ I’ll take the first trick. Andy shall stay near the shaft, an’ you boys are to have a good two-hour snooze.”
“It strikes me that the torches won’t hold out a great while longer,” Nelse said, as he looked ruefully at the small supply of wood, which had diminished rapidly since the blacks were caught in the trap.
“We won’t worry about that. Time enough when we’ve used the last one. The important thing is to get some rest, an’ I want you boys to begin without delay so’s Andy an’ I can have our turn.”
Despite the fact that they had thought it would be impossible to close their eyes in slumber, while in a situation of such peril, the boys had hardly stretched themselves out on the floor of the tunnel before they were sleeping soundly.
Not until three hours later did either awaken, and then the mate aroused them with a cheery cry of:
“All hands on deck!”
To their great surprise they saw the shaft comfortably full of black men, and Jenkins said, in reply to their questions: