content: but he had not slept the whole night , and he was tired with his long watch at his mother 's bedside , and so in spite of himself the lashes would droop occasionally over his blue eyes , for he was only a child , and children feel the loss of sleep more than older people . still , little boy blue had no intention of sleeping while he was on duty , and bravely fought against the drowsiness that was creeping over him . the sun shone very hot that day , and he walked to the shady side of a big haystack and sat down upon the ground , leaning his back against the stack . the cows and sheep were quietly browsing near him , and he watched them earnestly for a time , listening to the singing of the birds , and the gentle tinkling of the bells upon the wethers , and the far - away songs of the reapers that the breeze brought to his ears . and before he knew it the blue eyes had closed fast , and the golden head lay back upon the hay , and little boy blue was fast asleep and dreaming that his mother was well again and had come to the stile to meet him . the sheep strayed near the edge of the meadow and paused , waiting for the warning sound of the horn . and the breeze carried the fragrance of the growing corn to the nostrils of the browsing cows and tempted them nearer and nearer to the forbidden feast . but the silver horn was silent , and before long the cows were feeding upon the squire 's pet cornfield and the sheep were enjoying themselves amidst the juicy grasses of the meadows . the squire himself was returning from a long , weary ride over his farms , and when he came to the cornfield and saw the cows trampling down the grain and feeding upon the golden stalks he was very angry . " little boy blue ! " he cried ; " ho ! little boy blue , come blow your horn ! " but there was no reply . he rode on a way and now discovered that the sheep were deep within the meadows , and that made him more angry still . " here , isaac , " he said to a farmer 's lad who chanced to pass by , " where is little boy blue ? " " he 's under the hay - stack , your honor , fast asleep ! " replied isaac with a grin , for he had passed that way and seen that the boy was lying asleep . " will you go and wake him ? " asked the squire ; " for he must drive out the sheep and the cows before they do more damage . " 
answer: little boy blue was fast asleep .
question: what happened when the boy was on duty because he did not sleep the whole night ?
target: what happened when the boy was on duty because he did not sleep the whole night ?
references: what happened when the boy was on duty because he did not sleep the whole night ?