Part 22 (1/2)
So Haggis'll take the pack-horse Ay, he'll be better o' Bannock, too
Dogs are often useless creatures in an expedition thatBannock's no' that bad-ht tempt him”
”How far is it to this Pleasant Valley, as it is called?” asked Holden
”Aboot fifteen is'll follow Oh, ay, Haggis'll be all right There's no fear o' hiht He's no' quite ceevilised yet, for he cannaSyne' and 'Rule Britannia' But he's ceevilised enough to be dependable You wait at the Old Crossing till we turn up, Haggis!”
”Right, boss,” answered the half-breed, who seldo so, and he iements for his departure
”Then there's no ht away; keep a brave heart and a steady foot foremost, and we'll no'
be that far frohtfall”
Skipper Mackintosh had spoken nothing but the truth when he said that the direct trail was not one that a laden pack-horse could travel with ease, far less speed
The earlier portion of thethrough the bush the travellers reached a land, across which a path could only be found by stepping cautiously frorassy hummock to another Even then the surface of the moss shi+vered for yards around, and theto s up the trio
”Feel for every step before you put your weight on it!” the naturalist instructed He, of course, had taken the foremost position of leader
”If you want to disappear quicker than you did in yontoe in yon mud, and you'll travel as quick as electricity”
This part of the journey was certainly fatiguing, but the travellers kept up good hearts by pleasant banter and dogged deterain, there was another easier spell of bush traan the ascent of a hill--a rocky, loose-bouldered slope that could only be traversed by a narrow path that somewhat resembled a strip of ribbon on the side of a house
Up they went, higher and higher each step, with the sharp slope to the left and a sheer declivity of loose stones at the right
Once Alf slipped, and the stone against which he tripped went leaping down the slope without stopping, until it was lost to sight some three hundred feet or more below
”Which of you two laddies is the one that's danced down the hillside?”
questioned Mackintosh, without see to look round His voice was pleasant, but he had taken a quick glance backwards all the same, and his face had paled a little That was but his kindly way of cheering the boys and helping them to keep their nerves in hand
After a tih it was none the less ready to trap the unwary, as it twisted round spurs and crossed little ravines Then suddenly the travellers became aware of a sound like that of a small cataract
Mackintosh stopped, and as they listened they were able to tell that the sound was one that proceeded fro propelled down the hillside at no great distance
”What on earth is it?” questioned Alf, and at the same moment the man pointed towards a cloud of dust that had rounded a spur ahead of the rapidly in their direction to the acco
”A herd of mountain sheep on the stampede,” was the Skipper's i towards us?” exclaimed Bob, and as the words were spoken there could be seen a the narrow path, throwing the stones from beneath their feet, while now and then one would stuh it had been shot fro the barren hills and rocks
”See! There's a black ani them!” exclairi rifle into readiness, an example that the boys quickly followed