o quietly select your men and the mules with their drivers, plus
tools for cutting out the ice-like compressed snow. If I decide against
it there will be no harm done."

"Better make our plans, then, as to which way to go. Study it all by
daylight with our glasses."

"Needn't do that," said Drummond eagerly. "I know. We'll go straight
up the steep gully that I followed when I went after the bears, it's
awfully rough, but it's the best way, for the niggers never camp there;
it's too wet for them."

"Very well," said the Colonel; and the two young officers went straight
through the scorching sunshine, which turned the great court of the fort
into an oven, to where Bracy lay panting with the heat, with Gedge doing
his best to make life bearable by applying freshly wrung-out towels to
his aching brow.

"News for you, old chap," said Drummond in a whisper. "But send that
fellow of yours away."

"There is no need," said Bracy faintly. "I can't spare him, and he's
better worth trusting than I am."

"Oh yes, we can trust Gedge," said Roberts in a low tone, while the lad
was fetching a fresh bucket of water from the great well-like hole in
the court, through which an underground duct from the river ran, always
keeping it full of clear water fresh from the mountains, but in these
days heated by the sun as it flamed down.

The news was imparted by Drummond, and Bracy shook his head.

"It would be glorious," he said; "but you ought not to go. Graves
mustn't let a dozen men run such risks for the sake of us poor fellows.
It would be madness. We must wait for the cool nights."

"He will let us go," said Drummond; "and we can do it."

"No," said Bracy, speaking with more energy, and he turned his head to
Roberts. "I beg you will not think of such a thing, old lad," he said
earnestly.

"Well, we shall see."

"Ready for another, sir?" said Gedge, coming in with the bucket.

"Yes, yes, as soon as you can," said Bracy. "This one feels boiling
hot."

The fresh, cool, wet cloth was laid across his forehead; and, rousing up
from the disappointment he felt at Bracy taking so decided a view
against an expedition which the young subaltern had proposed to make
almost solely in his friend's interest, and moved by the boyish spirit
of mischief within him, Drummond suddenly exclaimed:

"Look out, Gedge, or he'll bowl you over!--Oh, I beg your pardon, Bracy,
old chap. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Knock me over,