CHAPTER XIV
IN THE VALLEY
Roy ran and ran and ran until he was breathless; yet still he ran, untillittle by little he recovered his breath again as wild animals do. Everymoment he hoped to see Tumbu either returning or standing still, pantingand waiting for the others to come up. But he saw nothing save,stretching away as far as the eye could reach, a smooth, not over steep,snowy slope. So far there was little fear of the sledge being overset.
Then, after he had run a long way, he paused, for there were now twotracks instead of one. The marks of the bear went up a little sidevalley, the marks of the sledge went down the slope. What could havehappened? Had Tumbu in his haste missed the bear's trail? That was notlikely. Having come so far, had he determined to go on? That was notlikely either, unless the children had urged him forward. KnowingMirak's bold, adventurous spirit, this seemed possible, and Roy's heartsank; but he started off running again, knowing that no matter what hadhappened he must follow his little master, and follow fast.
But as he ran downward and downward the frost film on the snow becameless and less firm. The sun was rising now, and even its earliest raysseemed to melt his foothold, and he began to sink at every step. Thesledge, however, appeared from the faint marks it left to have slid onwithout difficulty. No doubt, he thought, because of the children'slight weight, and because the platform between the swords and scabbardswhich supported them was so large; many times larger than his own feet!Why, even Tumbu's four broad, furry paws had sunk into the snow alittle, and would doubtless have sunk more but for the pace at which hemust have been going.
The sledge was the thing! How clever it was of Old Faithful to rememberFirdoos Gita Makani's way of saving his horse; but after all, when onecame to think of it, the thanks were due to Babar the brave for being areal King, kind-hearted to animals.
And now Roy's task became dangerous as well as hard, for every momentlessened the firmness of the ice film. And he was now running down ashallow valley, which was completely blocked up by drift, except in thevery middle, where every now and again you got a glimpse of a roaringtorrent--kept unfrozen by its snowy covering--hollowing its waydownward; but for the most part it was invisible, the only sign of itbeing a roar, a tremble beneath your feet. Thus he was, as it were, on asnow bridge, of which the surface might at any moment give way. And thatmeant certain death in the dark pools below. In one place, indeed, hewas all but lost; however, a wild leap landed him on safe ground, andwith a gasp of fear, not for himself, but for the children ahead ofhim, he ran on, comforted by the sight of the sledge track going on andon.
After a while he had to cease running from sheer fatigue; but still heplodded on, telling himself that even half an hour would have made adifference in the snow. That where he found danger, the children mighthave found safety; and always before him that track of thescabbard-sledge showed him that so far, at any rate, all had gone well.
And then, as he turned a sharp curve in the shallow, snow-coveredvalley, he saw a little below him something that made him turn sick withfear. It was the sledge, empty, deserted! A second glance, however,showed him that it was not overset. Those who had been in it must haveleft it of their own accord; and the cause of this was soon made clear.Within a few yards the snow ended and a rocky descent began, down whichthe sledge could not have gone. So either Tumbu or the children had beenwise; and they were still in front of him, but how far off who couldtell? The sun was already high, hours must have passed since he firststarted in chase; but now that they were on foot there was some chanceof overtaking them before anything dreadful happened.
In his hurry Roy almost flung himself from rock to rock down thedescent; but he had to pause to take off his fur coat, for in thissheltered spot the sun beat shadelessly, the snow melted as he passed,the stones ran with moisture, and in the crannies of the rocks younggreen things were everywhere starting into growth. The past storm ofbitter cold had ended winter; spring had begun. And now the rushingtorrent, escaping finally from its snowy blanket, dashed over theboulders beside him, carrying with it great blocks of melting snow.
On and on he went, thinking the descent would never end, till at a turnhe saw below him a tiny valley, just a sort of cup in the hills, throughwhich the stream rushed, sparkling in the sunshine. The banks were stillbrown, but they were patched with great beds of rose-pink primula, bluegentian, and yellow dog pansies. And on a perfect carpet of these satthree dark figures! Never in his life was Roy so overjoyed. He forgothis fatigue, and ran on until he could plainly see Princess Bakshee BaniBegum making cowslip balls out of the pink primulas, the Heir-to-Empirecontentedly munching a cold hearth cake, and giving bits of it to Tumbu,who, with his head cocked on one side, had evidently heard Roy's distantstep. The next instant a furious barking showed that he was on the alertto defend his young charges, and Roy had to call to him again and againbefore he was satisfied that the newcomer was a friend.
"Why, what a long time you've been coming," said the Heir-to-Empirecalmly. "We've had our breakfast, 'cos we couldn't wait any longer. Youcan't have come as fast as you could. No more would Tumbu, only we madehim not be lazy, 'cos Head-nurse says--what is it she says, Bija?"
The little girl looked solemn. "She says every one should do everythingas quick as ever they can. So we shouted at Tumbu and pulled his tailjust a liddly-wee bit like the bullock drivers do. And then we had theloveliest ride, and Tumbu wasn't a bit cross; but he wouldn't go downthe rocks and growled. So we had to get out and walk. And then we camehere, and first of all we picked flowers; then I had hearth cakes andpopcorn in my veil, and so we ate our breakfast, and then you came--andthat's all, thank you!" She had just finished a lovely soft ball and sheflung it full at the Heir-to-Empire. It hit him, but he took no notice.He was thinking of something else.
"But where," he began, and his little lip went down, "is Head-nurse--andFoster-father--and Foster-mother--and Old Faithful--and Meroo--and Down?What have you done with them, slave?"
He was half angry, half ready to cry, so Roy, though his own heartfailed him as he thought of the dangers of the road, had to soothe andcomfort him by saying, as cheerfully as he could, that they would comebefore long. But would they? Now that the relief of finding the childrenwere safe was over, poor Roy began to see the difficulties before him.If those others did not come, what would he, a mere lad, do? How couldhe care for his little master and mistress? They had had theirbreakfast, it is true--Roy forgot he had had none himself!--but whatcould they have for supper? He could not even think, he felt too giddyand tired even to sleep; so, after he had rolled his fur coat into asoft pillow for the little Prince and Princess, who were drowsy fortheir mid-day rest, and covered them over with their own, he sat withhis head between his hands, his eyes closed, wishing he were not sostupid, wishing he could only think of something to do; for in realityhe was quite wearied out. If the others did not come! Of course theymight come at any moment; and yet the moments passed to minutes, theminutes to hours, while the children slept in the sunshine, and Roy feltthat he was a fool.
And then something cold touched his hand. He opened his eyes and sawthat it was Tumbu's nose; Tumbu, who had something strange in hismouth--something like a rabbit and yet like a squirrel!
In reality it was a fresh-killed young marmot, an animal that lives amidthe snow and ice and rocks of the very highest hills. Tumbu, havinghanded over charge of the children, must have gone off on his ownhunting, found a colony of the quaint creatures, and, as usual, broughthome his bag! Roy did not in the least know what the marmot was, but hesaw it was something to eat! The relief was too much for him! Here, atleast, was supper. He flung his arms round Tumbu's neck and burst intotears, murmuring with choking sobs that he, Roy, had been foolish, butTumbu was a wise, wise, good doggie. And so he was!
After this Roy felt better, and having, as all Indian boys used to havein those days, a flint and steel with him, began to look around for fuelwith which to light a fire and cook the supper. There were, of course,no trees and no bushes
; but right away at the farther end of the longvalley there were some patches of very dark green. They did not lookpromising, but he would go and see. They proved to be a creeping sort ofevergreen plant that trailed its stiff branches right on the veryground. He picked a bit, and on trying to light it, found to hissurprise, that it blazed up in a fierce flame. For it was juniper, andso full of resin.
He now had the possibility of fire, so that evening the little cup inthe hills held quite comfortable encampment.
Roy had brought down the sledge, and using the swords and theirscabbards as supports, had made a lean-to tent against a warm rock outof the strip of shawl. In this he had strewn juniper branches to make asoft bed, and the children could just creep into it. Then they had themarmot, roasted in its skin, for supper, and all the three were toohungry to ask themselves if marmot flesh was as toothsome as rabbit oras bitter as squirrel! And Tumbu ate the bones with an air as if hewould say, "It is not bad, but to-morrow I must catch two marmots."
After that there was peace and quiet in the camp, Roy sitting beside thefire and making it blaze up every now and again by putting on a freshjuniper branch. For he knew that since the others had not arrived bydaylight, they must either all have perished on the road or else bewaiting until the cold of night once more froze the ice-film on thesnow. In this case the firelight seen from afar might be a guide.
So the night passed. More than once Roy fell asleep, for despite hiscare the smoke of the juniper branches could not quite be avoided, andthat, every one knows, is terribly sleepifying. He woke every time,however, before the fire was quite out, and hastened to send up a flareof flame. As he did so the last time it was answered by a _hulloo_ fromthe rocks above, and shortly afterward Meroo, the scullion's, blubberingvoice could be heard as he uttered thanks to Heaven.
"And the others?" asked Roy anxiously, as out of the darkness Merooappeared and cast himself at the lad's feet, bellowing joy.
"They come, they come! They are but a short way back. I saw the fire,and the sight of it warmed the cockles of my heart! Lo! I shall cookonce more! I shall not die hungry in the wilderness. Nay! go not," forRoy was starting up. "True! the women are nigh dead, and Foster-fatherhath his fingers frost-bitten, but--nay, put more flame to the fire,boy! It is the fire they need!"
He was half beside himself, but he was right. As the fresh juniperbranches blazed up Head-nurse came tottering and stumbling into itslight. Roy sprang to help her, but she pushed him aside.
"The Heir-to-Empire?" she muttered, her lips almost refusing to form thewords. "The Heir-to-Empire, the Admired-of-the-World----"
Roy pointed to the little tent. "There! Safe! Well! Asleep!" he cried;and the poor woman with a sob sank as she stood, and lay prone mutteringlong strings of titles.
Before a minute had passed Foster-father and Foster-mother struggledinto the circle of light, and after a word of question and reply, sankdown also.
Then there was a long pause, but no sign came of good Old Faithful'stall, gaunt figure. At last Roy spoke.
"Faithful?" he asked in a low whisper. "What of him?"
There was no answer at first; only Foster-father covered his face withhis hands. At last he spoke gently.
"He was faithful to death. He was going first, as ever, cheering us allwith his sayings of Firdoos Gita Makani. I saw him there one momentturning to tell us words of wisdom--the next the snow bridge had givenway beneath his feet and he was gone. We waited on the bank of the awfulchasm for a long time, but there was no sound save the roaring of thestream below. Firdoos Gita Makani, his master, had called him. Peace bewith them both!"
The Adventures of Akbar Page 17