et."

"Leave me some cartridges to defend myself, if I can. It would be more
like a soldier to die like that."

"Yes, sir, o' course; more English and plucky," said Gedge, giving the
last bandage its final knot, and then opening his haversack to take out
what it contained and divide it.

"What are you doing?" said Bracy sharply.

"Getting your supper ready, sir, and mine," said the lad coldly.

Bracy tried to raise himself up in the fit of anger which attacked him,
but fell back with a groan. Fighting back the sensation of weakness,
though, he spoke as firmly as he could.

"I want no food," he said quietly, "and you are wasting time. A good
twenty-four hours have been lost. Go at once."

"But you must eat something, sir," said Gedge stubbornly. "There's the
cold coming on awful now the sun's down, and it will keep it out."

"Those poor creatures at the fort are waiting and praying for help to
come, while the hungry wolves of Dwats are crowding closer and closer in
ready for the massacre."

"Yes, sir--the beasts!--it's precious hard, but let's hope--"

"There is no hope, Gedge. It was the last card the Colonel had to play
in sending us, and we must not fail. You must go at once."

"But I aren't had nothing to-day, sir," pleaded Gedge, "and my inside's
going mad. Wolves? Why, I feel just as if one was tearing me."

"Take all the provisions left, and eat as you go."

"And what about you, sir?"

"Never mind me. Go at once."

"But it'll be dark as pitch in 'alf-a-hour, sir. How am I to see my
way?"

"I told you. The descent will be easy. You can almost slide down all
the way, for the snow is getting glassy again, and you must guide
yourself by leaving the enemy's fire on the right. Look! it is glowing
brightly now."

"That's right, sir, till I get to the bottom. But what then?"

"Gedge, are you going to fail me in this terrible emergency?"

"Not me, sir," cried the lad excitedly. "I'll stick to you till we both
goes under fighting to the last, for they don't want to make prisoners
of us; their knives are too sharp."

"Then go."

"But I'm sure I couldn't find the way, sir. I should be taking the
first turning to the left, or else to the right, or tumbling into
another hole like this, or doing some stoopid thing. I'm no use, sir,
without my orficer to tell me what to do."

Bracy drew a deep breath and pressed his lips together, as he fought
hard to keep down his anger against his f