"
As he spoke his eyes twinkled cheerfully out of his flaming countenance.
"You certainly seem to take it easy," said Dick.
"I take it easy, 'cause the jaws of that vise ain't goin' to clamp down.
Bein' somewhat interested in a run for your life you haven't noticed
how dark it's gettin' up here on the heights an' how hard it's snowin'.
It's comin' down a lot thicker than it was when we crossed the first
time."
It was true. Dick noticed now that the snow was pouring down, and that
all the peaks and ridges were lost in the white whirlwind.
"I told you that I had been a traveler," said Red Blaze. "I've been as
far as fifty miles from Townsville, and I know all the country in every
direction, twenty miles from it, inch by inch. Inside five minutes the
snowstorm will be on us full blast, an' we won't be able to see more'n
twenty yards away. An' that crowd that's follerin' won't be able to see
either. An' me knowin' the ground inch by inch I'll take you straight
back to your regiment while they'll get lost in the storm."
There was room now in the road for the three to ride abreast, and they
kept close together. They heard once a shout behind them and saw the
flash of a firearm in the white hurricane, but no bullet struck them,
and they kept steadily on their course, Red Blaze directing with the
sure instinct that comes of long use and habit.
Heavier and heavier grew the snow. There was but little wind now,
and it came straight down.
Pages:
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97