"
"It won't do, Henri," said Joe, advancing towards his companion, and
wiping his forehead with the cuff of his leathern coat; "I can't catch
him. The wind's a'most blowed out o' me body."
"Dat am vexatiable," replied Henri, in a tone of commiseration.
"S'pose I wos make try?"
"In that case I s'pose ye would fail. But go ahead, an' do what ye
can. I'll hold yer horse."
So Henri began by a rush and a flourish of legs and arms that nearly
frightened the horse out of his wits. For half-an-hour he went through
all the complications of running and twisting of which he was capable,
without success, when Joe Blunt suddenly uttered a stentorian yell
that rooted him to the spot on which he stood.
To account for this, we must explain that in the heights of the Rocky
Mountains vast accumulations of snow take place among the crevices and
gorges during winter. Such of these masses as form on steep slopes
are loosened by occasional thaws, and are precipitated in the form of
avalanches into the valleys below, carrying trees and stones along
with them in their thundering descent.
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