CHAPTER XIV
IN THE VALLEY
Roy ran and ran and ran until he was breathless; yet still he ran, until
little by little he recovered his breath again as wild animals do. Every
moment he hoped to see Tumbu either returning or standing still, panting
and 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 two
tracks instead of one. The marks of the bear went up a little side
valley, the marks of the sledge went down the slope. What could have
happened? Had Tumbu in his haste missed the bear's trail? That was not
likely. Having come so far, had he determined to go on? That was not
likely either, unless the children had urged him forward. Knowing
Mirak's bold, adventurous spirit, this seemed possible, and Roy's heart
sank; but he started off running again, knowing that no matter what had
happened he must follow his little master, and follow fast.
But as he ran downward and downward the frost film on the snow became
less and less firm. The sun was rising now, and even its earliest rays
seemed to melt his foothold, and he began to sink at every step. The
sledge, however, appeared from the faint marks it left to have slid on
without difficulty. No doubt, he thought, because of the children's
light weight, and because the platform between the swords and scabbards
which 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 a
little, and would doubtless have sunk more but for the pace at which he
must have been going.
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