ition, and often it was as much as
the poor beasts could do to drag one foot after the other. Still they
persevered. The Spaniards grumbled incessantly, it is true. Moreas, on
the other hand, scarcely spoke at all, while Max thought he could even
detect on the Englishman's handsome face a growing belief that they had
attempted something that was beyond the power of human beings to
accomplish. Whatever his feelings may have been, however, he never once
permitted a word of complaint to pass his lips. The outlook was by no
means a cheerful one. After the privations the party had been through so
far, it seemed hard, indeed, that they should not be able to reach the
goal for which they had been aiming. With such overwhelming odds against
them, however, it seemed impossible that they could hope to succeed. But
they were slow to own themselves beaten. Indeed, it was not until they
stood face to face with almost certain death, that they realised how
futile it was to continue the fight. Then, in one of the loneliest
canons of all that lonely range, they called a halt and took counsel
with each other. The two Spaniards, as on a previous occasion, were
openly mutinous, and showered black looks on everyone, each other
included. Remembering what he had seen a fortnight before, Max never
once permitted Moreas to leave the camp unaccompanied. The man's temper
was by this time in such a condition that it was within the bounds of
possibility that he would have chosen a vantage on the hill side above,
and have shot them down without either a second thought, or a feeling of
compunction.

"It seems to me we're in a pretty sort of a fix," said Bertram after
some little discussion had taken place on their position. "The animals
are giving way, and if we go on like this, it won't be long before we
all follow suit. Now the question for us to decide is, what are we going
to do. If the remainder of you are desirous of pushing ahead, then I'm
willing to do the same. If not, let us turn back without further
parleying. The matter, however, must be decided once and for all. There
has been too much grumbling lately, and it seems to me the best thing we
can do is to hold a meeting now, and settle everything. What do you say,
Mortimer?"

"I quite agree with you," Max answered, "and so I feel sure does Moreas.
Let us talk the question over like sensible men, and come to some
definite decision."

Popular feeling being in favour of a discussion, they s