Short though their stay had been, it had proved very pleasant, for it was full of energetic labour and active preparation, besides a great deal of amusement, so that quite a home feeling had been aroused in their minds, and their regret at leaving was considerable.
But after the first few miles of their journey had been accomplished1, the feeling of sadness with which they set out wore away, and hopeful anticipations2 of being home again in a few weeks rendered them cheerful, and enabled them to proceed with vigour3. The weather at starting was fine, too, so that the night encampments in the snow were comparatively agreeable, and the progress made during the first few days was satisfactory.
After this, however, the good fortune of our adventurers seemed to desert them. First of all one of Nelly’s snow-shoes broke down. This necessitated4 a halt of half a day, in order to have it repaired. Then one of Roy’s snow-shoes gave way, which caused another halt. After this a heavy snow-storm set in, rendering5 the walking very difficult, as they sank, snow-shoes and all, nearly to the knees at each step. A storm of wind which arose about the same time, effectually stopped their farther advance, and obliged them to take to the shelter of a dense6 part of the woods and encamp.
During three days and three nights the hurricane raged, and the snow was blown up in the air and whirled about like the foam7 of the roaring sea; but our wanderers did not feel its effects much, for they had chosen a very sheltered spot at the foot of a large pine, which grew in a hollow, where a cliff on one side and a bluff8 of wood on the other rendered the blast powerless. Its fierce howling could be heard, however, if not felt; and as the brother and sister lay at the bottom of their hole in the snow, with their toes to the comfortable fire, they chatted much more cheerily than might have been expected in the midst of such a scene, and gazed upward from time to time with comparative indifference9 at the dark clouds and snow-drifts that were rushing madly overhead.
On the fourth day the gale10 subsided11 almost as quickly as it had arisen, and Roy announced that it was his intention to start. In a few minutes everything was packed up and ready.
“I say, Nell,” said Roy, just as they were about to leave the camp, “don’t the sled look smaller than it used to?”
“So it does, Roy; but I suppose it’s because we have eaten so much during the last three days.”
Roy shook his head, and looked carefully round the hole they were about to quit.
“Don’t know, lass; it seems to me as if somethin’ was a-wantin’. Did ye pack your own bundle very tight?”
“Yes; I think I did it tighter than usual, but I’m not very sure.”
“Hum—that’s it, no doubt—we’ve packed the sled tighter, and eaten it down. Well, let’s off now.”
So saying, Roy threw the lines of the sledge12 over his shoulder and led the way, followed by his sister, whose only burden was a light blanket, fastened as a bundle to her shoulders, and a small tin can, which hung at her belt.
The country through which they passed that day was almost destitute14 of wood, being a series of undulating plains, with clumps15 of willows16 and stunted17 trees scattered18 over it like islets in the sea. The land lay in a succession of ridges19, or steppes, which descended20 from the elevated region they were leaving, and many parts of these ridges terminated abruptly21 in sheer precipices22 from forty to sixty feet high.
The sun shone with dazzling brilliancy, insomuch that the travellers’ eyes became slightly affected24 by snow-blindness. This temporary blindness is very common in these regions, and ranges from the point of slight dazzlement to that of total blindness; fortunately it is curable by the removal of the cause—the bright light of the sun on pure snow. Esquimaux use “goggles” or spectacles made of wood, with a narrow slit25 in them as a preventive of snow-blindness.
At first neither Roy nor Nelly felt much inconvenience, but towards evening they could not see as distinctly as usual. One consequence of this was, that they approached a precipice23 without seeing it. The snow on its crest26 was so like to the plain of snow extending far below, that it might have deceived one whose eyesight was not in any degree impaired27.
The first intimation they had of their danger was the giving way of the snow that projected over the edge of the precipice. Roy fell over headlong, dragging the sledge with him. Nelly, who was a few feet behind him, stood on the extreme edge of the precipice, with the points of her snow-shoes projecting over it. Roy uttered a cry as he fell, and his sister stopped short. A shock of terror blanched28 her cheek and caused her heart to stand still. She could not move or cry for a few seconds, then she uttered a loud shriek29 and shrank backwards30.
There chanced to be a stout31 bush or tree growing on the face of the cliff, not ten feet below the spot where the snow-wreath had broken off. Roy caught at this convulsively, and held on. Fortunately the line on his shoulder broke, and the sledge fell into the abyss below. Had this not happened, it is probable that he would have been dragged from his hold of the bush. As it was, he maintained his hold, and hung for a few seconds suspended in the air. Nelly’s shriek revived him from the gush32 of deadly terror that seized him when he fell. He grasped the boughs33 above him, and was quickly in a position of comparative security among the branches of the bush.
“All right, Nell,” he gasped34, on hearing her repeat her cry of despair. “I’m holdin’ on quite safe. Keep back from the edge, lass—there’s no fear o’ me.”
“Are you sure, Roy?” cried Nelly, trembling very much, as she stretched forward to try to catch sight of her brother.
“Ay, quite sure; but I can’t get up, for there’s six feet o’ smooth rock above me, an’ nothin’ to climb up by.”
“Oh! what shall I do!” cried Nelly.
“Don’t get flurried—that’s the main thing, lass. Let me think—ay, that’s it—you’ve got your belt?”
“Yes.”
“Well, take it off and drop the end over to me; but lie down on your breast, and be careful.”
Nelly obeyed, and in a few seconds the end of the worsted belt that usually encircled her waist was dangling35 almost within reach of her brother. This belt was above five feet long. Roy wore one of similar material and length. He untied36 it, and then sought to lay hold of the other. With some difficulty and much risk of falling he succeeded, and fastened his own belt to it firmly.
“Now, Nell, haul up a little bit—hold! enough.”
“What am I to do now?” asked Nell, piteously; “I cannot pull you up, you know.”
“Of course not; but take your snow-shoe and dig down to the rocks—you’ll find somethin’, I dare say, to tie the belts to. Cheer up, lass, and go at it.”
Thus encouraged, the active little girl soon cleared away the snow until she reached the ground, where she found several roots of shrubs37 that seemed quite strong enough for her purpose. To one of these she tied the end of her belt, and Roy, being an athletic38 lad, hauled himself up, hand over hand, until he gained a place of safety.
“But the sledge is gone,” cried Nelly, pausing suddenly in the midst of her congratulations.
“Ay, and the grub,” said Roy, with a blank look.
This was indeed too true, and on examination it was found that things were even worse than had been anticipated, for the sledge had fallen on a ledge13, half way down the precipice, that was absolutely inaccessible39 either from above or below. An hour was spent in ascertaining40 this, beyond all doubt, and then Roy determined41 to return at once to their last encampment to gather the scraps42 they had thrown away or left behind as useless.
That night they went supperless to rest. Next morning, they set out with heavy hearts for the encampment of the previous day. On reaching it, and searching carefully, they found that one of the bundles of dry meat had been forgotten. This accounted for the lightness of the sledge, and, at the same time, revived their drooping43 spirits.
“What is to be done now?” inquired Nelly.
“Return to Silver Lake,” said Roy, promptly44. “We must go back, fish and hunt again until we have another supply o’ grub, and then begin our journey once more.”
Sadly and slowly they retraced45 their steps. Do what he would Roy could not cheer up his sister’s spirits. She felt that her back was turned towards her father’s house—her mother’s home—and every step took her farther from it.
It was a lovely evening, about sunset, when they reached Silver Lake, and found the hut as they had left it, and enough of old scraps of provisions to afford a sufficient meal.
That night they ate their supper in a more cheerful frame of mind. Next day they breakfasted almost with a feeling of heartiness46, and when they went out to resume their fishing, and to set snares47 and make traps, the old feeling of hopefulness returned. Ere long, hope became again so strong in their ardent48 young hearts, that they laughed and talked and sported as they had done during the period of their first residence there.
At first they were so anxious to make up the lost quantity of food that they did little else but fish, hunt, and dry their provisions when obtained; but after a few days they had procured49 such an ample supply that they took to shoosking again—having succeeded in making a new sledge. But a thaw50 came suddenly and spoiled all their fish. A wolf carried off the greater part of their dried meat one day while they were absent from the hut. After this the frost set in with extreme violence, game became more scarce, and fish did not take the bait so readily, so that, although they procured more than enough for present consumption, they were slow in accumulating a travelling store; and thus it came to pass that November found Roy and Nelly still toiling51 wearily, yet hopefully, on the shores of Silver Lake.
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1
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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2
anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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necessitated
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| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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6
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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7
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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8
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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9
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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10
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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11
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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12
sledge
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| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
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13
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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14
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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15
clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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16
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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17
stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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18
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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24
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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25
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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26
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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27
impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
blanched
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| v.使变白( blanch的过去式 )；使（植物）不见阳光而变白；酸洗（金属）使有光泽；用沸水烫（杏仁等）以便去皮 | |
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29
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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30
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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32
gush
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| v.喷，涌；滔滔不绝(说话)；n.喷，涌流；迸发 | |
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33
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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34
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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35
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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36
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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37
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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38
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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39
inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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40
ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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41
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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42
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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43
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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44
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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45
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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46
heartiness
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| 诚实，热心 | |
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47
snares
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| n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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49
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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50
thaw
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| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
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51
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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