“What do you suppose they are doing?” asked one of the boys.
“Familiarizing themselves with the situation,” was the Professor’s response.
“See them, they are lying down. What is that for?”
“Probably one of the guards has noticed them.”
“It looks to me as though all the guards are asleep.”
“That is exactly the thing they are waiting for.”
Occasionally there would be some guttural exclamations, on the part of the savages, and at no time was there complete silence. The waiting was the most trying part of the business. For over an hour the watchers sat silent, and there was scarcely a movement on the part of John or Stut.
The positions of both John and Stut were carefully noted, so their movements could be traced. About three o’clock one of the guards arose and walked over to the place occupied by them, and, after a few words, which were plainly heard by the boys, although the language was not recognized, Stut arose, and took the place of the guard. Two others did likewise; and now there was another period of inaction.
“They are now waiting until the last guards have gone to sleep, before taking the next step.”
In less than an hour John was seen to rise from his position and slowly move toward Stut, and the quiet motions between the two showed that they were about ready to act.