CHAPTER III 



AN OFF-DAY 



HAVING skinned the ibex, and taken his 

 head complete, we hurried on, getting back 

 about dark to the hut in which my abode 

 had been taken. After a good square meal 

 off very tough mutton I was soon asleep, 

 and lay like a dead man till morning, with 

 the knowledge that four a.m. was to see us off 

 towards our nullah, the Krish ; for Lassoo's 

 idea was to get into its vicinity and to make 

 darts up the adjoining valleys before fellows 

 came over. 



What was my surprise, therefore, on 

 waking, to find that it was eight o'clock. I 

 shouted to my " bearer," who told me that 

 it had been snowing hard the whole night ; 

 that there was no sign of change, and that 

 Lassoo had left a message advising an 

 4 6 



