Fort Desolation | Page 9

A few minutes sufficed for preparation, and soon Jack stood with his
rifle on his shoulder in front of the house. Rollo quickly made his
appearance with an old trading gun.
"You can leave that, we won't require it," said Jack; "besides I want to
walk fast, so it is well that you should be as light as possible."
"No fear but I'll keep up with you, sir," said the man, somewhat piqued.
"I do not doubt it," replied Jack, "but one gun is enough for us, so put
yours by, and come along."
Rollo obeyed, and resolved in his heart that he would give his new
master a taste of his powers.
Jack started off at a good rattling pace, somewhat over four miles an
hour. For the first mile Rollo allowed him to lead, keeping about a foot
behind. Then he thought to himself, "Now, my friend, I'll try you," and
ranged up beside him, keeping a few yards to one side, however, in
order to avoid the appearance of racing. After a few minutes he pushed
the pace considerably, and even went ahead of his companion; but, ere

long, Jack was alongside and the pace increased to nearly five miles an
hour.
Only those who have tried it know, or can fully appreciate, what is
meant by adding a mile an hour to one's pace. Most active men go at
four miles an hour when walking at a good smart pace. Men never walk
at five miles an hour except when in the utmost haste, and then only for
a short distance. Anything beyond that requires a run in order to be
sustained.
It was curious to watch the progress of these two men. The aim of each
was to walk at his greatest possible speed, without allowing the
slightest evidence of unwonted exertion to appear on his countenance
or in his manner.
They walked on the sands of the shore--there being no roads there--and
at first the walking was good, as the tide was out and the sand hard. But
before they had got half way to the fishery the sea came in and drove
them to the soft sand, which, as nearly every one knows, is terribly
fatiguing and difficult to walk in.
Up to this point the two men had kept abreast, going at a tremendous
pace, yet conversing quietly and keeping down every appearance of
distress; affecting, in fact, to be going at their usual and natural pace!
Many a sidelong glance did Rollo cast, however, at his companion, to
see if he were likely to give in soon. But Jack was as cool as a
cucumber, and wore a remarkably amiable expression of countenance.
He even hummed snatches of one or two songs, as though he were only
sauntering on the beach. At last he took out his pipe, filled it, and began
to smoke, without slackening speed. This filled Rollo with surprise, and
for the first time he began to entertain doubts as to the result of the
struggle.
As for Jack, he never doubted it for a moment. When they were
compelled to take to the heavy sand and sank above the ankles at every
step, he changed his tactics. Putting out his pipe, he fell behind a few
paces.

"Ha!" thought Rollo, "done up at last; now I'll give it you."
The thought that he was sure of victory infused such spirit into the man
that he braced himself to renewed exertion. This was just what Jack
wanted. He kept exactly a foot behind Rollo, yet when the other
ventured to slacken his pace, (which was now too great to be kept up),
he pushed forward just enough to keep him at it, without disheartening
him as to result. In the midst of this they both came to a full stop on
discovering a box made of birch bark, which seemed to have been
dropped by some passing Indians.
"Hallo! what have we here?" cried Jack, stooping down to examine it.
"My blessin' on't whatever it is," thought Rollo, to whom the
momentary relief from walking was of the greatest consequence. Jack
knew this, and hastened his inspection. It was a box of bear's fat.
"Come, not a bad thing in times like these," observed Jack; "will you
carry this or the rifle, my man? See, the rifle is lighter, take that."
Again they stepped out, and the sand seemed to grow softer and deeper
as they advanced. They were now five miles from the end of their
journey, so Jack began to exert himself. He pushed on at a pace that
caused Rollo to pant and blow audibly. For some time Jack pretended
not to notice this, but at last he turned round and said--
"You seem to be fatigued,