Of course, it would not do to make the attempt till Ki Sing and his
protector were both fast asleep. "All men are children when they are
asleep," says an old proverb. That is, all men are as helpless as
children when their senses are locked in slumber. It would be safer,
therefore, to carry out his plan if he could manage to do so without
awaking the two men.
O'Reilly determined not to take any one into his confidence. This
was prudent, for it was sure to prevent his plan from becoming
known. There was, however, one inconvenience about this, as it would
prevent him from borrowing the scissors upon which he had relied to
cut off the queue. But he had a sharp knife, which he thought would
answer the purpose equally well.
It was rather hard for O'Reilly to keep awake till midnight-the
earliest hour which he thought prudent-but the motive which impelled
him was sufficiently strong to induce even this sacrifice.
So, as the shadows darkened, and the night came on, Patrick O'Reilly
forced himself to lie awake, while he waited eagerly for the hour of
midnight. Meanwhile, Richard Dewey and Ki Sing lay down at nine
o'clock and sought refreshment in sleep.
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