“Ha! and that means snow higher up. Hoo-roar! as the lads say. A nice light coating of fresh snow, and every bear footprint showing clearly. We mustn’t miss one. Bear ham is good, and then there are the skins. We shall want ’em in the winter for warm rugs.”
“You mean to stay the winter, then?” said Bracy, laughing.
“We shall have to; see if we don’t.”
“We shall get no bearskins,” said Roberts. “The Colonel will stop our going on account of his uneasiness. I heard him say that we should be running upon some prowling body of the enemy one of these times, and never be heard of any more.”
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Just as if it were likely. They sneak along in the lowest valleys; they never go up among the snowfields. No one does but the hunters. It’s the same as it was in Switzerland; you never caught the people climbing the mountains till the English taught them, and bribed them to come as carriers. They’d never have made the ascent of any of their mountains. I tell you that in our shooting-trips up yonder we’re as safe as we are here. Safer, for the beggars keep away from there, while here they’re lying up in every hole and corner all around.”
“He’s about right,” said Roberts thoughtfully; “and, now you’re strong enough again, I don’t like to lose our trips. We don’t get much pleasure up here. Let’s make our hay while the sun shines.”
“Even if it is in the snow,” said Bracy. “Very well; I’m glad enough to go, for the mountain air seems to send fresh vigour through me every time I climb.”
The result of this was that whenever the way up into the mountains was clear, and the Dwats who acted as guides to the different hills came in with news, the young officers had their excursions, and generally returned with their men pretty well laden, while the three friends became masters of the district among the heights in a way that suggested years of active residence in that silver land.
There were plenty of alarms, plenty of little encounters with the parties who were always on the lookout to harass the occupants of the fort; but a little extra work for the Doctor and excitement for the men, to keep off the stagnation which threatened them, was all that ensued.
In the interim the Colonel sent off five more messengers with despatches, in the hope that they would get through the enemy and bring back letters; but they were seen no more; and the Colonel’s face grew more serious day by day.