The Adventures of Akbar | Page 8

along the levels, because of the bay mare's fidgeting and caperings,
but when the steep hill sides were reached it became impossible to keep
up with the rest of the equipage. So Prince Askurry and his men pushed
on ahead leaving the little party alone, since escape was impossible on
that wild mountain road, especially with the rear guard of the camp
coming a few miles behind them. And, indeed, if such an idea had
entered the heads of any of the party it must soon have fled before the
difficulty of getting along at all. It was a steep zig-zag path, and
looking upwards you could see it zigging and zagging right away to the
sky line. Poor Foster-mother, who came last, could not take her eyes
off it, for the bends immediately above her were filled with the most
terrifying sights. First her stout husband, who seemed to be in the act of
slipping over Horse-chestnut's tail. On the next Old Faithful, driven to
dismounting and laboriously lugging Lightning up by the bridle. But
the last zig-zag in front of her called forth piercing shrieks. For the bay
mare, not having been ridden for some time, was full of beans. Baby
Akbar insisted on holding the reins, and Meroo, whose turn it was to
hold the umbrella, would slip and slither among the stones, thereby
bringing its fringe right on the bay mare's nose.
"Oh! Head-nurse, have a care! The blessed child!" shrieked poor
Foster-mother as a more than usually bad stumble sent the umbrella on
to the mare's tail.
This was too much for it. Frightened out of its senses, it gave a frenzied
bound forwards, then rearing straight up, hung over the edge of the path,
as if it meant to take a downward plunge.
All seemed lost! Foster-father and Faithful stood petrified with despair.
Meroo would have dashed forward to catch at the rein but Roy,
knowing with that curious instinct of his, that that would only make
matters worse, as it would still further frighten the mare, held him back
by main force. The only person who was not spellbound with fear was
Baby Akbar. He thought it a fine joke that his mount should stand up
on its hind legs and paw the air. So he shrieked with delight, and
dropped the reins to clap his hands, as he always did when he was

pleased. Now this was the very best thing he, or anybody else, could
have done. The mare, feeling herself free, thought better of it, and
wheeling round dropped her fore feet on the path once more.
Foster-father's loud Arabic thanksgiving ended in an equally loud order.
"Get off the mare, woman. Horse-chestnut is the only mount thou art fit
for. Roy! carry that foolish umbrella behind."
"In front--the emblems are ever carried in front," protested Head-nurse
feebly.
"I said behind," was all the answer she got, and behind it went while
they toiled up and up.
After a while the road became surprisingly bad; nothing in fact but a
watercourse, and Foster-father began to doubt if they could be on the
right way. Possibly, when they were all excited over the mare's bad
behaviour, they had taken a wrong turning. But as the path led ever
upwards, he judged it better to go on, though it was terribly hard work.
Every moment the road became worse and worse until it ceased to be
more than a mere ladder of rocks which puzzled even Horse-chestnut.
More than once he stopped dead and would no doubt have refused any
further attempt to climb had there been anything at which to graze. But
there was nothing; nothing but rocks. So, after a pause he made the best
of a bad bargain, raised himself on his hind legs, sought a foothold for
his fore feet in some crevice, and then scrambled up. Only the two
children enjoyed themselves, Baby Akbar laughing with delight and
clapping his hands over all the slips and slitherings which even nimble
Horse-chestnut made, and which reduced Head-nurse and Wet-nurse to
piteous wails to Roy not for Heaven's sake to let go of the
Heir-to-Empire's baggy trousers. And Adam enjoyed himself, also,
running on in front and making snowballs in the drifts which, ere long,
were to be seen sheltering from the sun in the clefts of the rocks.
The sight of them made Foster-father frown. "We go too high," he said.
"Heaven send we have not to climb to a higher pass."
His remark made Head-nurse give way altogether. She wept loudly,

saying in that case she had better stay and die where she was, thus
saving them the trouble of carrying her down the hill.
At that very moment, however, Adam who had run far ahead began
waving his