“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.”