The Old Man of the Mountain

t be divided between Mackenzie and Sher Jang. The former showed

ell fibs, d'ye ken? The least wee bit suspicion, and our leave will be stopped. All ye need to know is that before we start for our holida

ever heard from your lips, Mac

Mackenzie

aters in hunting expeditions, and were to be depended on for nerve and steadiness. The shikari's mission was to engage half a dozen as carriers for such stores as it would be necessary to take. They

country northward; but none of them had travelled more than a score of miles in that direction, so that his cautious inquiries had little result. As Captain Redfern was still in the delirium of fever, it became clear that the leaders of the expedition would have to rely on themselves to discover the place of Beresford's captivity. T

ut only a mild envy among those whose holidays were still to come. Arriving at the rendezvous, they found the half-dozen Na

d, noticing a strange look of be

ed, slowly. "I had the rummiest feelin

ter la

old chap,

when there came from a hut on the far side of the village the two Chinamen with whom they were already acquainted, followed by two Nagas carrying packages. The men approached in the same order as on the occa

hat you were travelling in this direction, we ask that you will permit us to

n't look as if he were going to sniv

rrester. "We're in rather a hurry; I

armed friend, whose eyes had been bent steadily upon

e said. "Didn't I tell y

the Chinese gentlemen had lodged in his house, and he had only mentioned casually th

ful body. We must get away at once," he added, addressing his friends. "If this wretched creatur

then Hamid Gul and the Chinamen with their retainers, Jackson bringing up the rear. The Nagas, sturdy little fellows about five feet high, brown of skin, with bright eyes tinged with sm

atives, and could only be dislodged by the lighted tip of a cigarette. Streams had to be forded, through beds of rushes and bamboo rising to a height of eight or nine feet. The air was hot and moist, a

pushed forward beyond their allotted position, and, outstrippi

o your plac

and for the rest of the d

r sharply, Mac,"

rs wanted to h

no loads, and, of course,

, but I don'

ey reach Tibet. I've read of Chinese torture, and if they're political refug

replied. "They've

icious," said Forrester

ular. But I don't

y open space, and Mackenzie assigned to th

ndous exertions that Captain Redfern must have made in travelling alone, unarmed, and without provisions except such edible plants as he could find in this trackless country. They met no men; Sher Jang turned aside whenever he saw human tracks. B

ll mountain stream, which swirled its impetuous way between grassy banks. One of the Nagas descended the slope to fe

elp. It was followed by a shrill sound which the white men had never hear

, sahib!"

grass at the edge of the stream, and ran up the slope towards the camp. A few yards behi

st alarm, rushed helter-skelter towards the tent. It was impossible to fire without hitting them.

and run," cri

irections up the hill. The elephant charged on, crashed into the tent and levelled i

ve been forgiven to the most experienced of hunters. But he became aware that in the dispersion of the party, the young Chinaman, whether by accident or design, was within a few feet of him, making, like himself, for the shelter of a belt of tre

is horror he saw that the youth had run straight through the copse to a clear rocky space beyond, where the elephant, with a speed which its lumbering frame little promised, was rapidly overtak

only a dozen yards behind. Forrester perceived that in a very few moments the hapless youth must inevitably be run down and trampled to death unless the elephant were checked at once. H

aming shrilly, close behind him. Forrester threw up his rifl

d himself to take a careful aim. He fired, and could scarcely believe his eyes when the huge creat

arty beyond the copse and higher up the hill. But in a moment he was roused from his brief abstraction. The young Chinaman, seeing t

e languid droop, the timid mien, the furtive cringing expression of the eye. The lad stood erect; his eyes shone; words flowed

s a mandarin, the governor of Szechuan; I am his eldest son. Six months ago that man, Wen Shih, entered my father's service; he was a diligent servant, and was trusted by all. He gained my confidenc

to a murmur, his jaw dropped, and

said Forrester, taking

d his voice be heard. He turned slowly about, and with head hung forward and arms outstretched before h