the
business.

"Yes; we should get rid of their hideous, heart-wearing pursuit," said
Bracy thoughtfully, "and then be able to make a fresh start, of course.
But what about covering for our heads?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that, sir. I'm on'y a thin un, and there's
plenty o' spare stuff in this skin coat to spare for a couple o' woolly
busbies as 'll suit us for this journey far better than 'elmets. The
niggers at a distance would take us for the real article then. Now the
spikes on our heads says English to every one as sees 'em."

"Yes," said Bracy thoughtfully; "that might be done if we could make the
wool hats."

"Don't you worry yourself about that, sir. It's on'y like cutting two
big long squares to measure, and doubling 'em over sidewise, and sewing
two edges together. Then you sews the top edges, turns the thing inside
out, and--"

"Well, and what?" said Bracy, for the lad stopped short and grinned.

"Puts 'em on, sir. That's all."

"And we have scissors and needles and thread and thimbles, of course,"
said Bracy mockingly.

"That's right, sir. In my pocket. Didn't Mother Gee give me 'em all
ready for sewing up bandages and seeing to wounds? I'd a deal rather
make caps with 'em; wouldn't you?"

"Of course, of course, Gedge," Bracy hastened to say. "Here, it's time
we began to put our plan in action."

"Time to get on a bit farther first, sir. But do you really think that
dodge would do?"

"I think enough of it to make me say that we'll try it, Gedge; and, if
it succeeds, I tell you what, hard as it may be, we'll try the snow."

"That's the place to hide in, sir, when we creep away."

"Of course. Capital!"

"Might roll ourselves over in it, and it would stick to our coats, and
they'd never find us. But I don't know about going on that way, sir."

"We must; I see no other."

"But what about footmarks afterwards, sir? It's like putting down a lot
o' holes to show 'em the way we've gone."

"Holes that the sun would soon till in, or fresh snow fall to hide. But
we need not study that. The enemy would go on and never think of coming
back to make a fresh start. Even if they did, they would never find the
place again that they went to in the dark."

"Not by the 'elmets, sir?"

"No; they'd make sure of them--carry them off as trophies. But I see a
terrible difficulty."

"Do yer, sir? I'm very sorry."

"Suppose, while we're lying in the snow, one or two of the ruffians co