With a renewal of energy Sidney returned to his brother, taking care to step in the tracks he had made when going to the cliff. By so doing he packed the snow to some extent and made a semblance of a trail. Raymond had not stirred, and Sidney thought, with a pang, that without effective aid he probably never would stir again. He picked the unconscious boy up, and holding him across one shoulder, retraced his steps to the cliff.
Sidney laid his brother down on the bare ground close to the rock wall, and then, without waiting to revive him, he hurried to collect fuel before it should become quite dark. Fortunately, while the shrubs at the base of the cliff appeared small, they had been growing for many years and there was more dead wood than green. Gathering armfuls of the small dead branches Sidney built a fire at the edge of the snow in front of where Raymond lay.
How grateful was the warmth that was thrown back from the rocks of the cliff! The ruddy fire, reflected brilliantly from the glistening snow that covered everything, changed the appearance of cold, which had been so depressing but a few moments before, to a seeming of cheer and hope. Even the sight of Raymond, lying so still between the fire and the cliff, seemed less dreadful.
As soon as the fire was established, Sidney placed a supply of fuel within reach, and then turned his attention to Raymond. Opening the blankets, and spreading the warm Daghestan rug on the ground, he stretched his brother on that. Then he took off Raymond’s shoes and stockings, and after briskly chafing his ice-cold feet, wrapped them in a blanket and chafed his hands and wrists. Alternately rubbing the boy’s feet and hands, he worked assiduously until a slight degree of warmth began to be manifest.
Sidney kept the fire replenished, maintaining a constant brisk though small blaze. In the restricted quarters the heat was given back from wall and sloping ceiling until it was almost like a warm room. Sidney’s own exertions, quite independent of the fire, put his whole body in a most agreeable glow, but he was becoming fatigued and hungry almost to the limit of endurance. Finally, as he had used his entire stock of fuel, he went along the base of the cliff to search for more, first covering Raymond with the blankets. As he returned with an armful of sticks he saw that his brother’s eyes were open.
“Hello, Ray,” he cried cheerily; “how’s this for a camp!”
Raymond smiled faintly and whispered, “Gee, but I’m tired!”
“You have a right to be tired,” said Sidney, “and there’s nothing to do now but rest.”
“It’s fine to have nothing to do,” said Raymond from his bed.
“Isn’t it?” responded Sidney, though at the time he was so tired he could hardly stand.