It would be alarming every one for nothing.

We talked about seeing things pass the grey stones, and that made you think you saw some one." "Perhaps so," he said thoughtfully.

"Anyhow, there's nothing here now.
I say, that seems to have woke me up." "It would," I said; and then I crouched a little lower, shading my eyes from the starlight and keenly sweeping the chaotic wilderness of rocks again and again, but seeing nothing.
I heard, though, the steps of the sentry away to my left, and soon after a faint cough to my right sounded quite loudly.
"It wouldn't have done for you to have gone to sleep with me taking your place, for I suppose some officer will be visiting the posts before very long, and then you'd have been found out if I hadn't woke you in time." I said this in a low tone not much above a whisper, in case any one was going the rounds; but he did not take any notice.
"It wouldn't have done, you know," I said.
There was a low, heavy sighing breath, which made me start in wonder, and then turn towards my companion, to find that his rifle was resting against the stone, and that he had sunk sidewise against another and was fast asleep.
"Completely fagged out," I said to myself, with a feeling of pity for him.

"He did fight bravely against it; but the drowsiness was too much for him." One moment I felt ready to take hold of his arm and shake him, but I did not.

I was there with his rifle ready to my hand, and if I kept his watch, perhaps only for a few minutes, he would wake up again, refreshed and better able to keep it till he was relieved.
"It often is so," I said to myself.