It would be better to sleep in a
tree than that."
"You would not get much sleep in a tree, Sahib. I have done it once or
twice, when I have been hunting in a tiger-infested neighbourhood; but
I got scarcely any sleep, and was so stiff, in the morning, that I
could hardly walk. I would rather sit up all night, and keep up a good
fire, than do that."
Dick thought for a minute or two, and then got up and walked about
under the trees, keeping his eyes fixed upon the branches overhead.
"This will do," he said at last. "Come here, Surajah. There! Do you
see those two branches, coming out in the same direction? At one
point, they are but five or six feet apart. We might fasten our
blankets side by side, with the help of the straps of our water
bottles and the slings of the guns; so as to make what are called, on
board a ship, hammocks, and lie there perfectly safe and comfortable."
Surajah nodded.
"I have a coil of leather thong, Sahib. I thought that it might be
useful, if we wanted to bind a prisoner, or for any other purpose, so
I stuffed it into my waist sash."
"That is good. Let us lose no time, for I am quite ready for sleep. I
will climb up first."
In ten minutes, the blankets were securely fastened side by side,
between the branches.
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