Qfc (Tftounfain (pong 



back, and removed the bridle. Cricket was 

 thus left a naked horse in the snow. 



When after two hours she had made her way 

 out, I went for the saddle and sleeping-bag. 

 As it was impossible to carry them, I attached 

 the bridle to them and wallowed my way for- 

 ward, dragging them after me. Meantime 

 Cricket was impatiently waiting for me and 

 occasionally gave an encouraging hurry-up 

 neigh. 



When I had almost reached her, a mass of 

 snow, a tiny slide from a shelving rock, plunged 

 down, sweeping the saddle and the bag down 

 into the canon and nearly smothering me. As 

 it was almost night, I made no attempt to re- 

 cover them. Without saddle or bridle, I mounted 

 Cricket and went on until dark. We spent the 

 night at the foot of an overhanging cliff, where 

 we were safe from slides. Here we managed to 

 keep warm by a camp-fire. Cricket browsed 

 aspen twigs for supper. I had nothing. A num- 

 ber of slides were heard during the night, but 

 none were near us. 



At daylight we again pushed forward. The 

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