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232 Alan, though he had slept a few hours on the desert, had endured even heavier drains upon his vitality than either of the others. None but men in such plight could have overlooked the obvious way of making themselves secure by cutting down that sword-wide bridge so short a way behind them.

No less futile was their thought to stand watch and watch about. Barely had they made Rose as comfortable as might be upon the plank flooring of one of the sheds, and tethered the burros out of sight, when Alan collapsed as if drugged, while Barcus, who had elected himself to keep the first watch, felt sleep overcoming him like a cloud of thick darkness.