Herbert almost stopped breathing; his ears caught every fraction of sound that disturbed the still air. Seconds, perhaps half a minute, passed. Then suddenly a whispered word:
"More!"
Again the hands met; again the white thing passed.
"Right! I'll do that!" was again whispered. Then the figure on the ground collapsed and all was silent for a time. Herbert slipped away into the corridor, waited a moment, then walked noisily back to the prison section and going straight to Gaul, standing by the partition, said:
"I've been thinking you're not fit for duty. I'll stand guard here awhile and you go back to bed. Give me your gun and revolver."
"But I feel all right, Corporal," Gaul protested.
"I mean this as an order, Gaul."
The fellow handed over his weapons. Placing them aside, Herbert covered him with his own pistol. "Now, hand over that paper you just received from the general here, and be quick about it!"
Gaul went white and stammered:
"I—I didn't get——"