A pitiful look came over the boy's face, but without a word he saluted and departed to the circle of outer shadows to take up his long and tedious vigil.
Jerry felt genuinely sorry for him, but he sincerely hoped that the officer would not change his mind or relent. He knew the youth could not possibly stay awake the whole night through.
Half an hour later the other four Germans were conducting a spirited rivalry in snoring, and Slim, also, to all appearances, was fast asleep.
Not daring to move, Jerry kept his eyes constantly upon the young sentry. Frequently he yawned. Once or twice he stopped uncertainly before a stump and seemed about to sit down, then started on again around his monotonous beat. But his step was wavering, his eyes were heavy, and Jerry knew it was only a question of time—a comparatively short time—when nature would conquer, and the sentinel, too, would sleep.
Had he been able to bring himself to it, he could have shot the sentry and killed the others as they slept, before they could even have reached for their weapons. But he could not do that.
Better the other way, he told himself, even though it carried a greater risk.
And finally his own vigil was rewarded. The sentinel placed two or three more pieces of wood upon the fire, stood for a few moments within its genial warmth, looked dully at the others so soundly sleeping, and then crossed to the stump and sat down.
His rifle was on the ground beside him. His elbows rested upon his knees, and his chin in his hands. Presently his lids drooped and closed. His head, and then his whole body, sagged forward. He wakened with a start and changed his place to another tree more within the shadows. There he was able to lean back in a more comfortable position, and soon his heavy, even breathing assured Jerry that nature had, indeed, won.
Softly, without so much as a sound, he rose to his hands and knees. He tossed a pebble, which hit Slim upon the hand. The latter turned his head ever so slightly and gazed fixedly in Jerry's direction. Finally his decided wink indicated that he had made out the form of his friend.
Still upon all fours, and feeling every inch of the way, Jerry retraced his steps over the ledge. Quietly he slid down to the lower level and took a wide circle about the little camp, finally closing in near to where the sleeping sentry sat. Deftly and silently he pulled the latter's gun from where it lay beside him. This he carried over to near where the horses were corralled. Slim now was watching his every move, but awaited Jerry's signal before he stirred.