ch of peak,
snowfield, and glacier, with its many gradations of silver and delicious
blue, on their right, presented a scene which the mind might have
revelled in for hours. But Bracy saw nothing of Nature's beauties, for
his attention was centred in the long line of tribes-men coming slowly
on, their movements being so full of suggestion and offering themselves
for easy reading.

Bracy closed his glass, and turned with wrinkled brow to Gedge, who took
this as an invitation to give his opinion; and he went on at once, as if
in answer to a few remarks from his officer.

"Yes, sir," he said; "it is a nice game, and no mistake. The cowards!
Look at 'em, sir. That's what they mean to do--come sneaking along
after us, waiting for a chance to rush in and take a stroke, and then
slipping off again before we can get a shot at 'em. That's what they
think; but they're making the biggest mistake they over made in their
lives. They don't know yet what one of our rifles can do."

"You think they mean to follow us up, Gedge?"

"That's it, sir. They'll hang about for a chance. These niggers
haven't got anything to do; so, when they see a chance of doing a bit of
a job so as to get something, they give theirselves up to it and go on,
spending days and weeks to get hold of what they could have got honestly
in half the time. But, look here, sir."

"Yes," said Bracy, nodding, as his companion tapped his rifle. "We
could keep them off by good shooting, Gedge, while it is light; but what
about the darkness?"

"Yes; that's what bothers me, sir. They don't try the shooting then,
but sets their guns on one side, and lakes to those long, sharp knives."

Bracy nodded again, and Gedge drew back, and began to make quick points
with his rifle, acting as if the bayonet were fixed.

"That'll be it after dark, sir. Bay'net's more than a match for any
knife in the dark."

"Yes," said Bracy; "but it means one of us to be always awake, and in
such a journey as ours this will be distressing."

"Never mind, sir. We'll take double allowance of sleep first chance
afterwards. Yes; I see, sir; that patch o' stones, one of which lies
over o' one side--to the left."

"Forward!" said Bracy; and the spot indicated was reached, the short
halt made, and they went on again, after noting that the enemy was
slowly following on their track.

That seemed a day of days to Bracy, and interminably long and wearisome.
They kept along as near the e