All the five were ashore and in the
shadow of the woods they held a little conference of their own, talking
with great earnestness.
"I think," said Henry, "that we're being watched and that there is danger,
great danger. One never knows what the wilderness contains."
"Suppose that all of us watch the night through," said Paul.
"No," said Henry, "I think, Paul, that you ought to sleep and Long Jim
should do so, too. There are enough without you. To-morrow night will be
your turn. We shouldn't waste our resources."
This satisfied Paul and Jim, and soon they were asleep in one of the
tents, but Henry, Shif'less Sol, and Tom Ross were in the dripping forest
outside Adam Colfax's own line of sentinels, seeking the hidden danger.
The three remained together, and they looked everywhere. They were on the
east bank and there was nothing but forest. The moon lay behind sodden
clouds, and the trees were dark and shadowy. Now and then the wind swept a
dash of rain in their faces, and the air remained raw and chill. Sharp as
were their eyes, they could not see very far into the forest, but they
could see behind them the flame of their own camp fires, a core of light
in the wilderness.
"It might be better to put out all those fires," said Henry, "but I don't
believe Captain Colfax would hear to it.
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