Part 12 (1/2)
Old Faithful paused and sighed ”That is so like Firdoos Gita Makani,”
he said ”When danger was over he would sit down and write beautiful things about it; but when it was there he never see it down”
”That is like all Kings,” said Roy proudly, ”and brave er”
But Foster-father was looking at the fire ”Abundance of fuel,” he murmured, ”that is e have not”
”We shall not need it here, friend,” replied the old trooper ”Meroo, re; 'tis too hot as it is, and if the snow continues to drift as it was doing a while agone--” he reat white wall reaching al up the doorway! ”It is as I thought,” he said; ”we are prisoned here till the storh for some days”
”And thanks to others also,” put in Foster-father heartily; ”but for thee and Meroo, old friend----”
”As Firdoos Gita Makani used to say,” rereat virtue, ”'Gratitude coone,' so she must wait a bit yet”
CHAPTER XIII
OVER THE Pass
Gratitude had longer to wait than even Foster-father, who always took a gloo found the shed almost hidden beneath a snowdrift Still, as Old Faithful reretted since the covering kept out the cold and allowed the
The lack of light was, however, terrible until Old Faithful, whose experience with Babar the braveTuh the drift, for they had nothing with them to use as a spade What he did was to set the door wide, cut a narrow tunnel with his sword as far as he could reach in the banked-up snow, and thrust a bit of food in its farther end Then Roy brought Tu! fetch it out!” while Mirak and Bija looked on delightedly, calling, ”Good dog! Dig it out! dig it out!” Tumbu, the most playful of ani out the snow till he found the food Then another bit was thrust in, always in an upward direction
”'Tis slow,” said Old Faithful, ”but not so slow as tra down a road!”
Not half so slow, for after a time Tumbu seemed to understand what they would be at, and needed no , but went on solidly, every now and again giving a yap just toout In fact, he got on so fast that Roy, who, as the sli-out snow, had alhtfully exciting, and Mirak and Bija were dancing about, unable to keep still, when a sudden shaft of light that burst into the dark shed, and a furiously joyful barking that ca trumpet, announced Tumbu's arrival in free air
”Noe shall do,” said Old Faithful with ets another But for Firdoos Gita Makani traht of a tunnel!”
Roy, however, was already hard at work i the ith Old Faithful's sword, being only let fro snoould flood the shed
”Let be, boy!” said Foster-father; ”the hot air froh the tunnel, will h for you, at any rate, to pass through”
And so it proved Not next day, but the day after, not only Roy, but Mirak and Bija, had ed to climb up to the outer world by the notches which Roy cut in the snoalls
It was a strange, chill world which they saw Far as the eye could reach, nothing but snow, the air frosty and sharp, though the sun was shi+ning once more Mirak was keen to sobll, but Roy would not hear of it; the snoaswith the faint heat of the ht make the frost filo, never to co about theo back
”Take care,to descend legs foremost, as he had been told to do, suddenly looked up with a face full of o with his hands, and pouf!
disappeared down the slippery tunnel like a pea in a pea-shooter A burst of laughter fro would suit Bija but to do likewise, Roy being still too tight a fit to slide quickly In fact, the children were eager to cliain, but Head-nurse said she could not hear of it; their clothes et enough as it was; besides, it was most unlady-like for a real Princess!
The days, therefore, did not pass so unco anxiety sat on Foster-father's honest face, and every time Roy returned from a cli
”Nothing,” Roy would reply, ”and the snoastes but little, we are so high up”
At last one night, after the children were asleep, Foster-father summoned a council of war It would not be wise, he said, to re any effort at escape, until their provisions were exhausted Then they would be helpless Now they still had enough for two or three days, and it behooved them to make a push--but whither?