CHAPTER XVI 

 TOM LOCKS THE STABLE DOOR 



evening, just before dark, when we were 

 bringing in the tools and making things se- 

 cure for the night, I noticed that Tom had got 

 out an old padlock that had long lain unused in 

 the mess-chest, and then had found a piece of 

 trace-chain, and with the two had securely locked 

 the stable door a precaution that we had never 

 thought necessary before and I asked him: 

 "What are you doing that for, Tom? Seen any 

 fresh signs about?" 



"No," he answered, "but 'tain't much trouble 

 an' it's always best to be on the safe side. We've 

 been used to having Found to do guard-duty of 

 nights, an' it may have got us in a fashion of sleep- 

 ing sounder than we would if we'd had to look out 

 for ourselves; now, while the dog is away, with the 

 stable door unlocked it would be easy enough for 

 an Injun to sneak our horses out an' get away with 



'em." 



I smiled at what seemed to me a useless pre- 

 caution and it passed from my mind; but along in 

 the night, after we had been some hours asleep, I 



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