As there was no response, he stooped to give the sleeper a vigorous shaking; but almost with the first touch he sprang back in horror.

The man lay on his back, but with his head so twisted about that only its rear portion was visible, and Ridge instinctively knew that he was dead.

The other motionless form was that of a dead horse, the one recently ridden by Lieutenant Navarro.
Having made this ghastly discovery, Ridge hastily returned to the hut to gain from his companion an explanation of what had happened, "I could not sleep," said the young Spaniard, in answer to his inquiries, "though I lay still and tried hard to do so, until, by your heavy breathing, I discovered that you were no longer awake." "I am awfully ashamed of myself," said Ridge.
"It is not to be wondered at," rejoined the other, consolingly.

"You had not so much at stake as I, for only my life was threatened.
Somehow, I felt certain that the black fiend who thirsted for my blood was also lying awake, and would make an attempt to kill me in my hammock before morning.

So, without disturbing you, I moved to the back of the hut and waited for him.