“I cannot eat now, sir,” he said; “but I’ll take enough with us for all. We shall be faint and want food by-and-by.”
“Yes, take some,” said the captain. “Now, my man, you will keep up the fire and have some of the meat they have left ready to cook when we bring back Mr Stephen?”
“Tat’s what she was gaen to do,” said the lad quickly.
“We shall not be away more than an hour, if he comes back first. There is nothing to mind.”
“Put if the beast come what’ll she do?”
“Beasts? They are not likely to come here.”
“Put if she shall come, what then?” queried Watty sharply.
“Then,” said the captain, smiling—“why, then you must climb up the cliff there, and wait till we come back.”
“Yes,” said Watty thoughtfully; “tat’s the pest thing to do.”
Five minutes later he was alone frizzling more of the reindeer haunch freshly cut from the bone with his big sharp knife, for the others had started off at once for the little valley Johannes had pointed out.