Acting upon this suggestion, and directed by the captain, the scouts spent another hour in encircling their logs with a stout boom, which they made secure to the shore.

“There, that’s better,” was the captain’s comment, when this had been completed.  “Yez’d better hurry home now, fer it’s gittin’ rather late.”

As the boys were about to leave, a small tug came up the river, and swerved somewhat to the left.  A man was standing in the wheel-house, watching those on shore.  No word was spoken as the boat sped by, but a thoughtful expression appeared in Captain Josh’s eyes as he stood and studied the tug for several minutes.

“I wonder what she’s after,” he mused, half aloud.

“Perhaps she’s going up-river for logs,” Rod suggested.

“Maybe she is, lad.  But I was jist wondering whose logs she’s after, that’s all.  I know that craft, so that’s what makes me uneasy.  If it’s your logs she’s after it’ll be well to keep a sharp lookout to-night.  Last spring quite a number of logs disappeared, and I know yez don’t want to run any risk with yours.”

The scouts were much excited now, and the idea of keeping watch appealed to their fancy.  They all wanted to stay, but the captain told them to go home first and get permission from their parents.

“I’ll keep a eye out,” he told them, “until some of yez come back.  Ye’d better bring yer blankets along, so that the ones who are not on duty kin sleep.  I guess ye’ll find the floor of Headquarters quite soft before mornin’.”

By the time the scouts returned it was nine o’clock.  They found the captain on guard near the shore.

“Nothin’ doin’ yit,” was his greeting.  “But, then, it’s too early.  The best thing fer yez to do is to take an hour each on watch.  Put the youngest on first, and the older ones kin take from midnight.  If anything of special interest turns up, let me know.  I’ll sleep with one ear open.”

And thus the watch began.  It was a novel experience for the scouts, and all were anxious for their turn to arrive.  Every time the door opened and guard was relieved, all awoke, for they slept lightly, as the floor was not as soft as their own beds at home.

Phil had taken from twelve to one, and he was followed by Rod.  It was a beautiful night, with the stars twinkling overhead.  Not a ripple disturbed the surface of the river.  Frogs croaked in the distance, and peculiar night sounds fell upon his ears.  He sincerely hoped that something would happen during his watch, and as he sat upon a log among the bushes his eyes and ears were keenly alert.

Never before did an hour appear so tedious to Rod.  When it seemed that he had been there long enough he pulled out the watch the captain had let the boys have for the night and, striking a match, saw that he had been on guard only half an hour.  At times a drowsy feeling came over him, and he was forced to move about to keep from going to sleep at his post.  He wondered if the other scouts had felt the same way.