To Win or to Die | Page 3

come on?" and the next minute a couple of figures seemed to start out of the darkness.
"I'm fagged out. Can you lend me a hand?"
"Lend you a hand? Yes," said another voice. "Where's your mate?"
"I'm alone."
"Alone? No pal with you?"
"No, and my sledge has stuck fast. Will you help me as far as your fire?"
"Got a sled, hev you? All right, mate. Where's the line? Lay hold, Leggy, while I give it a hyste. That's your sort. Come on." It seemed like a dream, and as if all the peril and horror had passed away, as the two men dragged the sledge along and the adventurer staggered on beside them, till they halted in the ruddy light of a great fire, lit at the foot of a stupendous wall of glistening ice-covered rock. The fire of pine-boughs crackled and flashed, and lit up the face of a third man, a big red-bearded fellow, who was kneeling down tending the embers and watching a camp kettle slung from three sticks, the contents of which were beginning to steam.
"Here we are, Beardy," said one of the rescue party. "Comp'ny gent on his travels."
The kneeling man scowled at the speaker, and then put his hand behind him as if from instinct, but dropped it as the other said:
"It's all right, Beardy. Number four's empty, isn't it? Because if it aren't, you'll have to give up your room."
The big red-bearded man showed some prominent yellow teeth in a grin, nodded, and pushed a blazing brand under the kettle.
"Sit down, youngster," said the first speaker. "Maybe you'll jyne us at supper?"
"I shall be very glad."
"Right you are, and welcome! 'Aven't brought anything with you, I suppose?"
"Yes, I have some cake and bacon."
"Well done, young un. Get it out," said the red-bearded man, and, recovered somewhat by his warm reception, the young adventurer began to unlash the load upon the sledge, the two men who had come to his aid eagerly joining in, their eyes glistening as they examined the various objects that were set free.
"Going yonder after the yaller stuff?" said the owner of the red beard, as they squatted round the fire.
"Yes."
"And all alone, too?"
The traveller nodded, and held his half-numbed hands in the warm glow, as he furtively glanced round at his companions, whose aspect was by no means reassuring.
"Well," continued the last speaker, "I dunno what Yankee Leggat thinks, and I dunno what Joey Bredge has got to say, but what I says is this. You're a-going to do what's about as silly a thing as a young man can do."
"Why?"
"Why?" said the man fiercely; "because you're going to try and do what no chap can do all alone. You've got a good kit and some money, I s'pose; but you don't think you're going to get to the gold stuff, do you?"
"Of course I do."
The man showed his yellow teeth in an unpleasant grin, and winked at his companions.
"And all alone, eh? 'Tain't to be done, lad. You'll be stuck up before you yet half-way there by Injuns, or some o' they Yankee shacks yonder, stripped o' everything you've got, and set adrift, eh, Joey?"
The man addressed nodded and grunted.
"What should you say he ought to do, Leggy?"
"Make his hay while the sun shines," said the other. "He's tumbled into a bit o' luck, and if he knows what he's about he'll just stop along with us. We don't want him, seeing as our party's made up, but we don't want to be hard on a lad as is a bit hign'rant o' what he's got to go through."
"That's so," put in the man addressed as Joey. "You can't do it, mate. Why, if it hadn't been for us you'd ha' been a hicicle afore morning, if the bears and wolves hadn't tucked you up warm inside. You've got to take a good offer. Now, Beardy, bring out the tins; that soup's done by this time."
The traveller made no reply, but leaned a little more over the fire, wishing that he had braved the dangers of the bitter frost and snow, and feeling that he had been too ready to break down at the first encounter with trouble. For the more he saw of his new companions the less he, liked them, and he was not long in making up his mind what to do.
By this time three big tin cups, which fitted one into the other, had been produced, and filled from the steaming contents of the kettle.
"We didn't expect company," said the cook, "so two of us'll have to do with one tin, and have it filled twice. You and me'll join, Joey, and let squire have my tin."
"No, thank you," was the reply, made quietly and firmly. "I will not intrude on your good nature farther. I was