As he paused before entering the house, he could hear the bark falling from the trees a quarter of a mile off, and the opossums scratching and snapping little twigs as they passed from bough to bough.

Somewhere, apparently at an immense distance, a morepork was chanting his monotonous cry.

The frogs in the creek were silent even, so hot was the night.

"A good night for watching," said he to Lee when he came in.

"Lie you down; I'll take the first watch." They blew out the candle, and Lee was in the act of lying down, when he arrested himself, and held up his finger to Tom.
They both listened, motionless and in silence, until they could hear the spiders creeping on the ceiling.