patch of snow; and he listened, shudderingly, to the dull
rush it made, followed by a heavy pat and a series of whispering echoes.
Then faintly heard came the words: "Keep back, or you'll send an
avalanche down."

"What's a haverlarnsh?" muttered Gedge. Then aloud, "All right, sir.
Can yer get out?"

"I don't know yet. I must rest a bit. Don't talk, or you'll be sending
the snow down."

"All right, sir; but can't yer tell me what to do?"

"You can do nothing," came slowly back in distinct tones. "The snow
curves over my head, and there is a tremendous depth. Keep still where
you are, and don't come near."

"Oh, I can keep still now," said Gedge coolly. "It's like being another
man to know that's he's all alive. Oh! can't be very much hurt, or he
wouldn't call like he does. Poor chap! But what's he going to do?
Climb up the side somehow? Well, I s'pose I must obey orders; but I
should like to be doing something to help him out."

Gedge was of that type which cannot remain quiet; and, feeling irritated
now by his enforced state of helplessness, he spent the time in looking
down and around him for signs of danger.

The sun was now above the horizon, lighting up the diversified scene at
the foot of the mountain, and away along the valleys spreading to right
and left; but for some time he could make out nothing save a few specks
in the far distance, which might have been men, or a flock of some
creatures pasturing on the green valley-side, miles beyond the
termination of the snow-slope up which they had climbed. He made out,
too, the continuation of the stony track leading to the head of the
valley, and along which the party of tribes-men had been seen to pass;
but there was apparently nothing there, and Gedge drew a breath full of
relief as he felt how safe they were, and beyond the reach of the enemy.

Then, turning to the gulf again, he went as near as he dared to the
edge, and stood listening to a dull sound, which was frequently
repeated, and was followed by a low rushing noise, which kept gathering
in force till it was like a heavy rush, and then dying away.

"What's he doing?" muttered Gedge. "Sounds like digging. That's it;
he's been buried alive; and he's hard at work trying to dig himself out
of the snow with his bayonet stuck at the end of his rifle. Well, good
luck to him. Wonder where he'll come up first."

Gedge watched the cornice-like edge of the snowfield as the sounds as of
some o