s gun on high.

This he did three times, and then turned and ran steadily across the
meadow-like bottom of the halting-ground, till he was near the narrow
gap through which the regiment had passed, to recommence his furtive
movements, seeking the shelter of stone after stone till he disappeared
between the folding rocks, while in his track came in a straggling body
quite a hundred active-looking men of the same type--strongly built,
fierce-looking, bearded fellows, each carrying a long jezail,
powder-horn, and bullet-bag, while a particularly ugly curved knife was
thrust through the band which held his cotton robe tightly about his
waist.

By this time the last of the rear-guard was well on its way, and the
hill-men followed like so many shadows of evil that had been waiting
till the little English force had passed, and were now about to seek an
opportunity for mischief, whether to fall upon the rear or cut up
stragglers remained to be seen. Possibly they were but one of many
similar parties which would drop down from the rugged eminences and
valleys which overlooked the track, completely cutting off the retreat
of Colonel Graves's regiment of boys, of whose coming the tribes had
evidently been warned, and so were gathering to give them a warm
reception when the right time came.

CHAPTER THREE.

FIRST TROUBLES.

"Steady, my lads! steady!" said Lieutenant Bracy. "Not too fast, or we
shall leave the baggage behind."

Warnings like this had to be given again and again; for, though the
track was as bad as ever, it was for the most part downhill, and the
patches of snow lying in the jagged hollows on either side of the pass
were less frequent, while the sheltered slopes and hollows were greener
with groves of stunted fir and grass, and, far below, glimpses were
obtained of deep valleys branching off from the lower part of the pass,
whose sides were glorious in the sunshine with what seemed to be tiny
shrubs.

For the men required checking. They were growing weary, in spite of
their midday halt, and longing to get to the ground below the snow-line,
where they were to camp for the night.

Colonel Graves was no less eager; for, though his little force was safe
enough on the right, where the side of the pass sloped precipitately
down, the track lay along a continuation of the shelf which ran upon the
steep mountain-side, the slope being impossible of ascent, save here and
there where a stream tumbled foaming do