"Peter, I've been thinking."
"What about?" I asked sleepily.
"About that fourth post," he said.
*CHAPTER XIII*
*AN UNEXPECTED TRAGEDY*
"I was wondering what has become of that fourth post," continued Jack.
"It can't have disappeared very well."
"It doesn't matter much," I rejoined, "for it can only have been in one
spot--the fourth corner of a square; the other three are absolutely
symmetrically placed. We can easily judge of the position of the
missing one."
"I'm not so sure," said Jack. "I don't think it's a trick of the
Strongs, for they seem to take it for granted, as we have done, that the
area is a square. I shall look about for it to-morrow while you dig."
"I wish you'd dig while I look about!" said I; "it's the most fatiguing
thing I ever tried in my life."
"That's because you never did a day's work till yesterday, my son; but
cheer up, you'll find it less fatiguing every day, take my word for it."
Jack yawned and lay down, and in a minute was fast asleep. As for me, I
very nearly fell asleep also--in fact, I believe I was actually
dozing--when my friend the lion suddenly roared from somewhere so close
at hand that my heart went into my boots and I felt my knees tremble
together as I lay. So loud was it that even Jack awoke and started to
his feet.
"What on earth was that?" he said. "Did someone shoot?"
"It was a lion's roar, close behind us here in the bush," I said, my
teeth chattering. I don't think I am a coward, but I do hate dangers
that I cannot see.
"By George!--fancy those wretched chaps over by that fire," said Jack,
"without rifles; what a state of terror they will be in!"
What a good fellow Jack was! I had never thought, in my selfishness, of
the infinitely more dangerous position of the others.
At this moment the lion roared again.
"Listen to that!" continued Jack. "What a voice the brute has! It's
enough to terrify anyone, especially unarmed people. Ought we to go and
stand by those chaps, think you, Peter?"