a trap."

"No, sir; no, sir, they couldn't, sir," cried Gedge; "they'd have seen
that fire and known there was an enemy."

"Yes, I forgot the fire," said Bracy. "Oh, if the sun would only shine
down upon them now!"

"But he won't, sir; he never will when he's wanted to. He won't shine
there for an hour yet."

"Yes--no--yes--no," panted Bracy at slow intervals; and Gedge wrung his
hands, like a woman in trouble, whimpering out:

"Oh! who's to know what that means, with his `Yes--no--yes--no'? Mr
Bracy, sir, do--do say that our lads are whipping the beggars back."

"Yes," cried Bracy excitedly; "I can see now; the hill-men are scattered
and running towards the mountains."

"Hoorray!" yelled Gedge. "Hoorray! Hoorray! Hark at the steady
volleys still, sir! Hoorray! Who wouldn't be a soldier of the Queen?"

"Ha! Who indeed?" sighed Bracy.

"And it don't matter, sir, now?" said Gedge.

"No; not so much, my lad; but they'll be harassed like this all the way
to the Ghil Pass."

"And drive the beggars back, sir. But don't you think we ought to make
one try to get down to them, sir? Same as I said last night?"

Bracy was silent as he kept on using his glass, with the valley below
growing clearer--so light now that, the young soldier could begin to see
something of the fight with the naked eye, and he joined in the eager
watch downward for a time before repeating his question.

"I fear not, my lad," said Bracy, with a sigh. "The enemy are cut in
two; one body is retreating down the valley in the direction of the
fort; the other, widely scattered, is making for the snow-slope."

"Not coming this way, sir?" cried Gedge.

"Yes, as far as I can see; and our men are steadily in pursuit, firing
wherever a crowd collects."

"That's the way to do it, sir; but that's cutting off our retreat."

"Yes."

"Well, then, sir, we must lie low till the enemy is cleared off. They
won't come up here."

"No; they must be making for the track we crossed--the one below there,
where we saw the men going towards the valley-bend."

"That's it, sir, and they've got their work cut out; but our lads won't
follow 'em right up there."

"No; they will only follow till they have scattered them as far as
possible."

"And then go back, sir, and leave us where we are."

"Yes," said Bracy sadly.

Gedge was silent for a few minutes, during which they still watched the
scene below. Then he broke out with:

"It's all downhi