g's to begin stoking before our
fires go out."

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

AWFUL MOMENTS.

It was with serious feelings of compunction that Bracy set this example
to his eager companion, by seating himself on one of the stones and
beginning to combat the weary sensation of faintness which troubled him
by partaking of a portion of his fast-shrinking store of provisions.
For the fact was beginning to stare him in the face that, going on as
they had begun, their little store could not by any possibility last,
till they reached the Ghoorkha camp, and that in depending upon their
rifles for a fresh supply they would be leaning upon a very rotten reed,
since, surrounded as they seemed to be by enemies, it would be
impossible to fire, while everything in the shape of game had so far
been absent. But his spirits rose as he refreshed himself.

"I will not build imaginary mountains," he said mentally; "there are
plenty about us at last."

"There, sir," said Gedge, breaking in upon his musings suddenly; "I'm
ready for anything now. I should like to lie down and have a good
sleep; but I s'pose we mustn't do that."

"Not till we have crossed that ridge up to the north, Gedge. It will be
hard work, but it must be done."

"And get into the valley on the other side, sir, 'fore we go on
east'ard?"

"Yes."

"S'pose there'll be a valley t'other side, sir?"

"No doubt about it."

"Then, when you're ready, sir, I am. If we've got it to do, let's begin
and get this soft bit over, for we shan't get along very fast."

"No; the soft snow makes the travelling bad; but we go higher at every
step, and by-and-by we may find it hard. Now then, I'll lead. The
ridge must be right before us, as far as I can make out."

"Don't ask me, sir," said Gedge. "Wants a cat to see in the dark; but I
think you must be right. Best way seems to me to keep on going uphill.
That must be right, and when it's flat or going downhill it must be
wrong."

Bracy made no reply, but, after judging the direction as well as he
could, strode off, and found that his ideas were right, for at the end
of a few minutes the snow was crackling under their feet.

"Now for it, Gedge. You'll have to lift your feet high at every step,
while they sink so deeply. Hullo!"

There was a sharp crackling as he extended his left foot, bore down upon
it, and with a good deal of resistance it went through a crust of ice,
but only a short way above the ankle. Quickly b