,
who fired volley after volley, which, dream-like, sounded far away.

He was still half-asleep, but involuntarily he raised a warm hand to
apply to his eyes. In a very few minutes they were clear, and he began
breaking and picking off bit by bit the little icicles from his
moustache.

It was strange how it mingled still with his dreams--that firing of
volleys; and the half-drowsy thoughts turned to wonder that there should
be firing, for he must be awake. Directly after he knew he was, for
there was a sharp rattle in the distance, which came rolling and echoing
from the face of the great cliff across the gulf, and Gedge jerked
himself and said sleepily:

"That's right, boys; let 'em have it."

"Gedge!" cried Bracy hoarsely.

"Right, sir; I'm here," was the answer; and the young soldier rolled
over from beneath the _poshtin_, rose to his feet, staggered, and sat
down again.

"Oh, murder!" he cried. "My poor feet ain't froze hard, are they?"

"I pray not," said Bracy excitedly.

"'Cause I can't stand. But, hallo! sir; what game's this? They're
a-firing at us, and coming up over the snow."

"No, no, it can't be!" cried Bracy wildly. "No tribes-men could fire
volleys like that."

"Course not, sir. Hoorray! then the Colonel's sent a couple o'
comp'nies to help us."

"Impossible!" cried Bracy. "Hark! there is the reply to the firing.
Yes; and another volley. I almost thought I could see a flash."

"Did yer, sir? Oh, don't talk; do listen, sir. There they go. There
must be a big fight going on down there."

"Then friends have attacked the enemy in camp--advanced upon them so as
to catch them before daylight."

"Oh! they might ha' waited till it was light enough for us to see, sir.
Mr Bracy, sir, don't, pray don't say it's reg'lars, because if it ain't
I couldn't stand it now. I should go down and blubber like a great
gal."

"It is a force of regulars, my lad," cried Bracy, whose voice sounded as
if he were choking. "Friends are there below in the valley. I know:
the Colonel must have been badly beaten at the fort."

"Oh, don't say that, sir."

"It must be. They have been too much for him, and he is retreating with
our lads trying to make for the Ghil Pass. That is the meaning of the
gathering last night to bar their way."

"Oh Lor'! oh Lor'! and us not able to fire a shot to help 'em. Be any
use to begin, sir, like for signals to show we're here?"

"No," said Bracy sadly; "our singl