beside them the two sticks were planted, so that at a short distance
any one would have been deceived and made to believe that a couple of
men were on the watch for danger.

Two men were on the watch for danger, but in a different way, both lying
prone, Bracy, with his glass to his eyes, carefully sweeping the
distance, and keeping it fixed upon the enemy, who looked strangely
quiet, as they grouped together and seemed to be feasting.

"Looks as if they meant to settle there, then, for the night, sir," said
Gedge, as Bracy reported to him everything he noted.

"Yes; it looks so."

"But we don't trust 'em, bless yer, sir. That's their artfulness;
foxing--that's what they're doing. Won't be able to see 'em much
longer--will you, sir?"

"No; it's getting dark very fast; but I can make them out, I dare say,
till they begin to move."

"Hope you will, sir," said Gedge softly, and lying with his knees bent,
kicking his feet about in the air, after the fashion of a boy in a field
on a sunny day, and looking quite unconscious of the fact that this
night might be one of the most terrible they had ever been called upon
to pass.

Some minutes elapsed now in perfect silence, during which a fiery look
on the topmost peak of one of the mountains died out slowly into cherry
red, and finally became invisible, a few stars twinkling out as the red
light died.

"Gedge," said Bracy in a quick whisper, such as he might have uttered
had the enemy been close upon them, and about to spring, instead of many
hundred yards away.

"Sir?"

"They are on the move."

"Can't see 'em, sir."

"No; and they cannot see us, but I can dimly make them out with the
glass. They are separating from their centre, and coming on. Ha! gone.
I can see no more."

He put away the glass in the darkness, which now seemed to roll down
upon them like a cloud from the mountains, giving the snowfield a
ghastly look which made Bracy hesitate.

"I'm afraid it would be better to go off to the left among the stones."

"Don't, sir, pray," said Gedge earnestly.

"But our dark bodies will show against the snow."

"Not they, sir. We'll roll in it, and it'll be darker in half-an-hour.
They'll be all that before they get here--won't they?"

"Quite. They are sure to come on very slowly, and allow time for part
of them to get right into our rear."

"Yes, sir; that's right."

"Now, then, are you ready?"

"Yes, sir."

There was again silence, and, but f