“Ha!” he said; “that’s better.”
“Yus, sir; these are handier tools than the old-fashioned bay’nets; but what we ought to have had was a couple o’ those pretty, bill-hooky blades the Ghoorkha boys use. They’d make short work of briars and brambles and things. Toothpicks, our lads calls ’em; and the little fellows the Toothpick Brigade.—Tired, sir?”
“Terribly!” said Bracy. “This is awful going; but we shall be out of the wood before many hours have passed. We might have avoided this by striking up to the left, but I felt that it was not safe. Better be slow and sure. Look, my lad, it is more open yonder, and seems like a way down to the torrent. We’ve earned a rest, and we must have one. Let’s get down to where we can reach water, and lighten our load by making a meal.”
Gedge’s eyes sparkled, and he led on at once, reaching at the end of some hundred paces a sharp slope, which showed traces of the moss and ferns having been trampled down, while twigs were broken here and there, some being left hanging, and others snapped sharp off!
“People been along here, Gedge,” said Bracy, taking suspicious notice of the signs around.
“No, sir, I think not,” said the lad, whose keen eyes were busy. “I should say it was only goats. Pst!”
Gedge had been speaking in a low tone, but the “Pst!” was sharply distinct, and had its effect. For in an instant there was a rush, and something brown came into sight, making the adventurers present their rifles in the full belief that they were about to be face to face with an enemy. But the next moment the object rose up to peer over the bushes and all around, proving to be a great brown bear, whose little, pig-like eyes flashed and glistened as it scanned the place, looking wonderfully human in its actions as it balanced itself upon its hind-legs, its fore-legs hanging half raised on either side, till it caught sight of the disturbers of its solitude, when it uttered a growling grunt, dropped down on all-fours again, and dashed up the slope towards the mountains.
“Might easily have shot him, sir,” said Gedge as the sounds of the breaking twigs died out.
“Easily,” said Bracy; “but we have as much as we can carry now, and— Hark!”
Gedge was already listening, for, from up in the direction taken by the bear—which, unfortunately, was the continuation of their route—the report of a gun rang out, followed by another and another. Then there was a burst of exultant shouts, and the pair drew back more into shelter.