In that misleading darkness, clinging with his hands and climbing on the sides of his feet, and starting at startled feathered things that squawked and fluttered from under his groping hands and feet, Gard found it no easy matter to follow Nance, though she carried a great bundle and waited for him every now and again.

When he looked down next day upon the way they had come he marvelled that they had ever reached the top in safety.
"Wait here!" she said at last, when they had attained a somewhat level place, and before he had breath for a word she was away down again.
She was back presently with another bundle, and he started when she thrust into his hands a long gun, and bade him pick up the first bundle and follow her.

The feel of the gun brought home to him, as nothing else could have done, her and Bernel's views of possible contingencies.
He followed her stumblingly along the rough crown of the ridge, till she dipped down a rather smoother slope and came to a stand before what seemed to him a heap of huge stones.
"There is shelter in here," she said.

"And these things are for your comfort.

We will bring you more to eat in a day or two--" "Nance, dear," he said, dropping the gun and the bundle, and laying his hand on her slim shoulder.