rs
dashed out of one of the patches of cedars and ran for another a furlong
ahead. The lads were looking out, and rifle after rifle cracked. Then
there was quite a volley to teach the enemy that a quarter of a mile was
a dangerous distance to stand at when British soldiers were kneeling
behind rocks which formed steady rests for the rifles they had carefully
sighted.

Five or six men, whose white-coats stood out plainly in the clear
mountain air against the green, were seen to drop and not rise again;
while the rest, instead of racing on to the cover in front, turned off
at right-angles and made for a woody ravine higher up the right face of
the valley; but they did not all reach it in safety.

The firing brought back the Colonel, who nodded thoughtfully on hearing
Roberts's report.

"Hurry on," he said; "the shelf descends to quite an opening of the
valley a quarter of a mile farther on, and there is a patch of wood well
out of reach of the hills, where I shall camp to-night. The
advance-guard have cleared it of a similar party to that you describe."

"It was getting time," said Bracy to Roberts as the Colonel rode on. "I
shouldn't have liked for us to pass the night on this shelf. Think
they'll attack us after dark?"

"Can't say, my son. If they do--"

"Well, what?" asked Bracy.

"We shall have to fight; but not, I hope, till we have had a comfortable
meal."

"I hope the same; but I suppose there'll be no rest till we've had a
good set-to and thrashed the ruffians. Why, the country seems to be up
in arms against us."

"Yes," said Roberts; "it's a way these genial hill-men have."

"Fortunately for us it is very thinly peopled," observed Bracy as they
tramped along, seemingly as fresh as when they started.

"Don't be too sure. We've been up among the mountains. Wait till we
see the vales."

But the troubles of the day ceased at sunset, one which was made
wonderful with the hues which dyed the mountains of the vast Karakoram
range; and when the cooking-fires were out in the cedar grove and the
watches were set, officers and men slept well in the aromatic air; even
the mules did not squeal and kick so very much in their lines, while the
weary camels groaned and sighed and sobbed in half-tones, as if
bemoaning their fate as being rather better than usual, for none had
been riddled by bullets, fallen, or been beaten overmuch, and their
leaders had taken care that they were not overloaded, and that t