“More coffee in the pot, if you ain’t afraid of staying awake,” suggested the cook.

“That would just suit me, for you see I’m more afraid of going to sleep than anything else while on guard duty,” Frank remarked, soberly.

By degrees Andy realized that this business of camping in the heart of a tropical forest was no laughing matter.  Still, they had escaped so many threatening perils that he was beginning to believe they must be under the protecting wing of some favoring god and that success lay just ahead.

They sat up and talked for a long time.  Neither would admit being at all sleepy, and yet Frank caught his chum yawning ever so many times.

“Here, you, just make up your mind to turn in and get seven winks,” he said, pretending to be giving orders with all the airs of a commanding officer.

“I suppose I’ll just have to,” came the reply, as the other started to roll up close to the fire, for they had no blankets with them this time.  “Do you know I was just thinking about Puss.”

“Well, what of him?” asked Frank.

“What if they start to chase us again in the morning?  Are we going to put up with that funny business right along?  I say no.  Let’s warn ’em that we’re armed and can bore a hole right through their jolly old biplane, upsetting them any time they get close enough.  I’m drawing the line on tomorrow, because somehow I feel it in here that it’s going to be the greatest day of my life,” and Andy laid his hand on his heart as he spoke.

“Yes, that would be our best plan,” admitted Frank.  “We’ve already stood quite enough of that funny business, as you call it.  They even fired at us.  Depend on it, Andy, they won’t follow us very far next time.”

And Andy, seeing the way his chum’s mouth was firmly set, made up his mind that Frank had reached the end of his patience.  Contented with the prospects for the morrow he therefore lay down to get some sleep.

“I say, Frank,” he called out presently.

“Well, what now?” asked the one on guard, who had possession of the rifle and had taken up his position so that he could have a clear view of the open space all about the camp.

“If one of the prowlers tries to drag me off, remember I’ve got my leg tied to this stake I knocked into the ground.  While he’s tugging you can have a bully good chance to knock him over, see?”

“All right,” grinned Frank.  “I’ll remember.  But let out a whoop if you feel yourself going.  I might be looking the other way.”

“You just bet I will,” mumbled Andy, curling himself up as near the fire as he dared creep.

And in three minutes Frank knew from the heavy breathing coming from that quarter, that his chum had found no trouble in getting to sleep, regardless of the various sounds welling up from the neighboring forest, and the fears that possessed his boyish soul.

Frank sometimes sat down; and again, feeling cramped in this position, he would rise to his feet, and walk back and forth.  But all the time he kept the gun in his possession, with the hammer pulled back, ready for business.  And constantly did he maintain a close watch along the nearer border of the undergrowth that lay there, so dense and filled with mystery.