Chapter Eight.
When people know that their lives may depend upon maintaining a blazing fire, they must be foolish indeed if they allow themselves to slumber at their posts; but I confess that I had great difficulty, during my watch, in keeping my eyes open, after the exertions of the day and the hunger and thirst I had endured. I felt that my only chance was to get up and walk about with my rifle in my hand. I did not, however, go far from the fire, as the smoke drove the mosquitoes and other insects away from its immediate vicinity; and I knew also, that at any distance from the flames I was as likely to be seized by a savage animal as I should be did no fire exist.
I could hear every now and then the mutterings and occasional roars of lions, with the cries of hyaenas and jackals, and the calls of various night-birds. Altogether the concert had a somewhat depressing effect, accustomed though I was by this time to the noises proceeding from an African forest.
At last the time I had agreed to watch came to an end, and I roused up Harry, charging him to keep a bright look-out.
“Do not let yourself drop off for a moment, old fellow,” I said; “as long as any prowling animal sees you moving about around the fire he’ll not venture to make an attack; but should you slumber for a moment, it is impossible to say what he may do.”
“I do feel awfully drowsy, I own,” answered Harry, rubbing his eyes and yawning; “still I’ll do my best. It is a shame that fellow Hans won’t stand watch as he ought to do. I only hope that another lion will come roaring close up to the camp, for the sake of making him get on his legs. He knows that neither you nor I would sleep on our posts, so he rests in perfect security, throwing all the trouble on us.”
Harry and I talked on for a little time, I hoping that he would thus be thoroughly aroused; then I lay down on the spot he had occupied, pretty close to the fire, with my rifle by my side ready for instant use.
It appeared to me that I had not been asleep five minutes when I heard Harry exclaim—
“Fred, rouse Jan. Up with you, and get ready for battle.”