In the Heart of the Rockies eBook

As fast as the blocks were cut out they were carried and piled regularly to form the face.  Tom’s share of the work was to keep on melting snow, and to bring it up and pour between and over the blocks.  As fast as a line of these were made the loose snow was thrown in behind it and trampled down hard.  Except for meals there was no rest.  The chief said that as there was little chance of the ’Rappahoes coming up so soon, Hunting Dog had better stay behind and help, and he lent his aid in carrying the blocks of snow on a rough stretcher they made for the purpose.  By the time it became dark the wall had risen to a height of three feet above the general level of the snow, and was already sufficient to form an excellent breastwork.

At the end farthest from the side from which the Indians were likely to come, a gap was left between it and the edge of the ravine three feet wide, in order that if necessary the horses could pass out.  When it became dark the chief returned.  He had gone many miles along towards the main valley, but had seen no sign of any Indians.  After supper was over he took one of the wapiti skins and his buffalo robe, went up to the “fort,” as they had already called it, and laid the deer-skin down on the slope of snow behind the wall, wrapped the buffalo robe round him, and lay down upon it.  Hunting Dog then threw another robe over him, projecting a foot beyond his head, so that he could from time to time raise it and look out over the snow.  The night was a dark one, but any object moving across the unbroken white surface could be seen at a considerable distance.

“I feel sure I should go to sleep,” Tom said, “if I were to lie down like that.”

“I have no doubt you would, Tom, but there is no fear with the chief.  An Indian never sleeps on the watch, or if he does sleep, it is like a dog:  he seems to hear as well as if he were awake, and every minute or two his eyes open and he takes a look round.  I would rather have an Indian sentry than half a dozen white ones, unless it is in the open, where there is no tree to lean against, and a man must keep moving.”

Hunting Dog threw himself down as soon as he returned to the hut, and was almost instantly asleep.  Three hours later he rose and went out, and Leaping Horse a minute or two later returned.

“All quiet,” he said; and then after smoking for a short time also lay down.

CHAPTER XII

THE SNOW FORT

The hut was quiet at an unusually early hour, for the men had done a very hard day’s work, and felt the strain after the long weeks of inactivity.  At daybreak they were up and about, but could remain out but a few minutes, for the cold was so intense that they felt unable to face it until they had taken some hot tea and eaten something.  Half an hour sufficed for this early breakfast.  Hunting Dog was again left behind by the chief when he started.