"Who's going to do the frisking?" he asked.
"Injun do eet Injun ver' bon like that," Lucky told them.
"All right then. We'll stand guard and, mind now both of you, if they start any shooting make for the door as quickly as possible."
It was a desperate chance they were taking and Bob's heart beat rapidly as they retraced their steps and once more stood before the door.
"It's up to you, Lucky," he whispered as the Indian reached out his hand to push the door open.
"Injun do heem best," Lucky whispered back.
"I know it," Bob assured him.
Another instant and they once more stood in the room. They could hear the heavy breathing of the men and one of them was snoring loudly enough, Jack afterward declared, to wake the dead. The two boys at once took their position by the big table and the Indian approached the nearest of the bunks. It was so dark that they were unable to see a hand before their eyes, a fact that Bob was undecided whether to regard as an advantage or otherwise. Plenty of light would undoubtedly be to their advantage should any of the men awake for it would enable them to keep them quiet in their bunks, but a little light, perhaps, would throw the advantage to the other side. Maybe, on the whole, it was just as well that it was dark. Not a sound save the breathing of the men and the stentorion tones of the snorer broke the silence. Lucky was doing his work with absolute silence and, as minute after minute passed, Bob began to breath more easily. Perhaps they would succeed after all.
It seemed to him that a long time had passed when he felt a touch on his arm and he knew that Lucky was thrusting revolvers into the pockets of his coat. He longed to ask him if he was through, but did not dare and then he knew he was not for he did not give the signal to leave. Carefully feeling with his hands he counted six revolvers and wondered if he had put any in Jack's pockets. Then, suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as he heard a movement in the direction of the bunks.
"What de matter?" he heard one of the men grumble.