“A sleepy head?” Prescott repeated.  “Why, when I called to you fellows for help you were the only one who responded.  No; I wouldn’t call you an incurable sleepy head, Darry.”

Now wholly restored to good humor Dave went back into the tent, lifting his cot and bringing it out to within a few feet of the campfire.

“You take the first nap, Dick,” begged Dave.

“No; you take it.”

“But I’m not sleepy; honestly I’m not.”

So Prescott lay down on the cot, closing his eyes.

The sunlight, streaming into his face, awakened him.

“Why—–­why—–­where’s Darry?” thought Dick, sitting up straight.

The sound of deep breathing answered him.  Dave sat with his back propped against a tree, sound asleep.  He had slept for hours, evidently, having fallen asleep through sheer, uncontrollable drowsiness.

Rising from the cot Dick stretched himself for he was still drowsy.  Then he tip-toed over to where the food was stored, peering in.

“I can’t see that our friend, the enemy, has been here again,” Dick smiled.  He glanced at Darry, but did not awake that tired youngster.

As noiselessly as he could Prescott busied himself with starting a small campfire that could be made larger when needed.  This done, he set water to boil.

“Ho-hum!” yawned Tom Reade, dressed only in underclothes and trousers, as he stood in the tent doorway half an hour later.

Dick placed his fingers to his lips, whispering: 

“Don’t rouse the other fellows.  They’re tired.”

“Darry certainly looks tired,” smiled Tom, regarding Dave in the uncomfortable posture by the tree.

Yet, though he must have been quite uncomfortable had he been awake, Darry slumbered on.  Greg came out, looked at Dave and smiled.  Then Hazelton, next Dalzell, came outside.

“What is the cot doing out here?” Danny Grin was the first to inquire.

“We had a visit from the prowler in the night,” Dick replied, “and Dave and I stayed on guard.”

“Was Darry as efficient all through the guard tour as he is just now?” demanded Reade ironically.

“That’s all right for you fellows,” retorted Dick, “who even slept right past my call for help.  Let Dave alone.  Let him finish his nap, no matter how long he sleeps.”

But at that moment Darrin opened his eyes, then leaped to his feet, a victim of red-faced confusion.

“What are all you fellows laughing at?” Dave demanded.

So far none had done more than grin, but now a very general roar went up.

“I’m a chump, on guard duty, and I admit it,” Darrin went on, looking sheepish.  “Dick, when you found me asleep why didn’t you call me?”

“Because,” Prescott answered, “when you went to sleep I judged that you did so because you needed the rest.”

“I must have been sound asleep from at least one o’clock in the morning,” Dave went on ruefully.  “Oh, I am a fellow to be trusted, I am!”