We must travel as fast as possible, so as to get
under shelter again before the sun is really up."
The men were all by this time well accustomed to climbing and hardened by
exercise, and at a rapid pace they breasted the hill, although it was in
some places exceedingly steep. By the time they reached its crest there was
light enough to permit of a view of the country round. In all directions
hills rose around them, bare and brown, and the growing light in the sky
showed that the east lay behind them. After waiting for a minute or two to
recover breath, they proceeded at a brisk trot. They met with no bogs of
importance, and after running for a mile the ground began to slope
downwards again, and they saw below them a wooded valley, similar to that
which they had left. By this time the hilltops were all lit up by the
rising sun. The spot where they stood, however, was still in shadow, and
in scattered order they ran rapidly down the hillside until they reached
the cover of the trees.
CHAPTER X.
PORTHWYN.
There was a short halt to enable the band to quench their thirst at a
little rivulet that trickled down the centre of the valley; then they
prepared to continue their march, Wulf impressing upon them the necessity
for moving as silently as possible.
"If we come upon a village of any size," he said, "we must avoid it. The
main point is to capture a native, and find out exactly where we are.
Pages:
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208