Nothing was said about patrolling the camp at night, and the boys had an idea that the doctor did not know what had happened the night before, and would, therefore, take no precautions.

They were considerably surprised, therefore, when they discovered that Buck, as the cook was often called, was corporal of the guard, and had the house servants for his assistants.

They kept watch at turns during the night, but nothing unusual occurred, and Percival said to Jack with a laugh: 

“Our pickets did good service last night, but I wonder if they will be on to-night?”

“We can’t tell.  The doctor has said nothing, and we don’t know if he has done this on his own initiative or because of what he may have heard.”

“Well, it is evident that we boys won’t be called on to act as guards, and I am glad of it, for if there is anything I do not like it is having to parade up and down in the cold and dark for nothing when I might better be in my bed.”

“I can sympathize with you,” said Jack.

During the morning Percival saw Bucephalus alone, and said to him, holding one hand behind his back: 

“Was it your idea to keep guard last night, Buck?”

“No, sah, Ah was ready to do it, ’cause young Mistah Smith done offah me a dollah fo’ de service, but de doctah done intimate dat he t’ought it would be judicious.”

“How did the doctor know that we needed a picket?”

“Ah donno, sah, Ah reckon he thought it was acco’din to military etiquette, sah.  It am de custom in military camps to set a picket an’ all presume he argued from dose premises, sah.”

“Then you did not tell him of what occurred the other night?”

“No, sah, Ah didn’t communicate nothing, sah.  Mebbe it was one of de odah fellahs.”

“You are sure that you said nothing?”

“Yas’r, Ah is suttinly shuah dat Ah made no communication whatsoeber regardin’ de events of de perceedin’ night, sah.  Ah was suttin dat young Mistah Smith would keep his wo’d abo ’t de extra remuneration, sah, an’ Ah didn’t wanter prejudice de situation, sah.”

“Oh, I see,” laughed Dick.  “Then Dr. Wise acted on his own initiative from information received elsewhere, is that it?”

Bucephalus scratched his woolly head, and answered: 

“Ah donno abo’t de inflammation an’ de oder misery, sah.  Am it so bad as all dat, sah?”

“I mean that he did it on his own account, and not because of anything that you may have told him.”

“All reckon so, sah,” said Bucephalus, greatly relieved.  “Ah done told him nothin’, an’ Ah don’ guess nobody else told him.”

Percival went away laughing, but tossed the coin he held in his hand to Bucephalus, who caught it deftly and grinned.

“The doctor either found it out himself or some one has told him,” he said to himself, “but it is clear that he knows about it.  He would not set a guard on the camp unless he had a good reason, for strangers do not visit us, and the Riverton police probably have orders to keep their eyes on the place.”