To Win or to Die Part 36

"Given up? No. I feel that it is time I made an effort, and I shall be better and stronger if I do."

"But you can't wear your boots, you know, and it will not be safe for you to trust to a bandaged sandal."

"Can't wear my boots?" said Abel. "Well, at any rate, I've got them on."

"But they must hurt you horribly."

"Not in the least," said Abel, and his cousin was silent while he completed his exceedingly simple toilet--one that he would not have thought possible in the old days.

By the time he had finished, the door opened, and Tregelly stooped to pa.s.s under the lintel.

"Morning, my son," he cried; "I've been greasing the runners of the sledge a bit, and rubbing up the chest-strap. The thing wants using.

I've oiled the guns and six-shooters too. Beautiful morning. I say, how that dog has come round!"

For the great s.h.a.ggy brute had walked to the door to meet him, with his bushy tail well curled-up, and a keen look of returning vigour in his eyes and movements.

"Yes," said Dallas; "I never thought he'd live. But I say, Bel persists in going with us, and I'm sure he'll break down."

"Well, that doesn't matter, my son. If he does we'll make him sit astride of the load as we come back, and each take a rope, and give him a ride home."

"I shall be able to walk," said Abel stoutly.

"Very well," said Dallas. "You always were the most obstinate animal that ever breathed."

The breakfast was eaten, pistols and cartridges placed in their belts, rifles taken down from their hooks, and the fire banked up with big logs that would last to their return; and then Dallas took up one of the skin-lined sleeping-bags.

"What's that for?" said Abel suspiciously.

"For you to ride back in."

Abel made an angry gesture. "I tell you I'm better," he said sharply.

"Well, never mind if you are, my son," said Tregelly quietly. "You must get tired, and if you are you'll be none the worse for a ride, but a good deal so if you get your toes frosted again."

"Very well, make a child of me," said Abel, and he gave way. "Have we got all we want?"

"Better take something for a bit of lunch before we start back,"

suggested Dallas.

"Nay-y-ay!" cried the Cornishman, "there's plenty yonder, and we may as well carry some of it back inside as out."

"Come on, then," said Dallas, and he strode to the door, when, to the surprise of all, the dog uttered a deep bark and sprang before them.

"Oh, come, that won't do," cried Dallas. "You've got to stop and mind the house."

The dog barked fiercely, and rose at the door upon its hind-legs.

"Yes, he had better stay," said Abel; "we mustn't leave the place unprotected. Let's slip out one by one."

"I don't know," said Tregelly thoughtfully; "he has evidently made up his mind to go with us, and if we shut him in alone he'll be wild and get springing about, and perhaps knock the fire all over the place.

Don't want to come back and find the shanty burned up."

This remark settled the matter, and they started out into the keen dark morning, the dog, after bounding about a little and indulging in a roll in the snow, placing himself by the trace as if drawing, and walking in front of the empty sledge which Tregelly was dragging.

"Might as well have let you pull too," said the latter; "but never mind--you may rest this time."

No fires were burning yet, as they trudged on over the frozen snow, while the stars glittered brilliantly as if it were midnight, giving quite enough light for them to make their way over the four miles which divided them from Tregelly's claim.

"Getting pretty close now," he said, breaking the silence; for the rugged state of the slippery snow had resulted in the latter part of the journey being made in silence, only broken by the crunching of the icy particles and the squeaking sound made from time to time by the sledge runners as they glided over the hard surface.

Suddenly Tregelly stopped short, and as they were in single file, the rest halted too.

"What's the matter?" said Dallas.

"Why, some one's took up a claim and made a shanty close up to mine.

No, by thunder! They've got in my place and lit a fire! Oh, I'm not going to stand that!"

"What impudence!" said Dallas.

"Impudence! I call it real cheek! But come on; I'll soon have them out of that!"

"Hist!" whispered Abel; "let's go up carefully and see first. It may be some one we know."

"Whether we know them or whether we don't," said Tregelly angrily, "they're coming out, and at once. Do you hear? There's more than one of them. Come along."

But before he had taken a dozen of his huge strides towards the hut, from whose rough chimney the ruddy smoke and sparks were rising, there was a wild hoa.r.s.e cry as of some one in agony, and the sound of a struggle going on, while fierce oaths arose, and a voice, horrible in its weird, strange tones, shrieked out so that the words reached their ears:

"The dog--the dog! Keep him from me, or he'll tear my heart right out!"

while at the same moment Scruff barking fiercely, bounded forward towards the door, just as a cry of horror arose, so awful that it seemed to freeze the marrow in the young men's bones.

"Come on," shouted Tregelly; "they're killing some one."

The two young men needed no inciting. Following Tregelly closely, they ran towards the door, which was flung open as their leader reached it, and Tregelly was dashed back against them with such violence that he would have fallen but for their support.

At the same moment, after they had caught, by the light of the fire within, a glimpse of two rough-looking men, one of them apparently as big as their companion, the door swung to again and all was darkness, while added to the still continuing cries, yells, and appeals to keep back the dog, there came from the other direction the crunching of heavy boots in full retreat on the snow, the savage barking of the dog, and then flash after flash, followed by reports, as the late occupants of the hut evidently turned to fire at the pursuing dog.

The first idea of the trio was to rush after the men who had come in contact with them, but second thoughts suggested the impossibility of overtaking them in the darkness, while the appealing cries from within the cottage drew them in the other direction.

"Leave them to the dog," shouted Dallas excitedly.

"Yes, come on and see who's this one inside," growled Tregelly, as he thrust open the door and stepped into his hut.

The place was well illumined by the blazing wood fire, and they looked round in wonder for the a.s.sailant or dog which had elicited the hoa.r.s.e wild appeals for help and protection which rose from the solitary occupant of the place--a wild, bloodshot-eyed, athletic man in torn and ragged half-open shirt and trousers, who cowered on the rough bed trying to force himself closer into the corner, his crooked fingers scratching at the wall, while all the time his head was wrenched round so that he stared wildly at imaginary dangers, evidently vividly seen, and kept on shrieking for help.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.