The overhanging cliff which formed the boys’ shelter was draped from its upper edge with frozen snow, which even hung down in front and gave the appearance of an ice grotto. The only relief from the prevailing white radiance was afforded by the bare rock of the cliff at the back. Even that was picked out in ruddy lights reflected from the fire. That fire was the saving feature of the whole scene. Outside, the prospect was one of Arctic desolation, but inside, the impression given by the cheerful blaze was one of comfort and warmth. The boys soon imbibed the cheer of their immediate surroundings, and were promptly fortified by their supper. Both of them had been exhausted as much by hunger as by hard work. Not until they were lying at their ease by the fire, and felt the rest that is given by food, did they realize that they had eaten nothing since they left Bezheeta in the morning. The cold and bleakness of the road had not invited lunches. The wonder was that they had not given out before they did. “Wasn’t the trail covered up entirely before we stopped, Sid?” asked Raymond after they had finished their supper and lay in the warmth. “Yes, there wasn’t a foot of it left.” “Do you think we can get up to the top without any road?” “Oh, I think so. It isn’t far, and it will look mighty near in the morning.” “But the snow is pretty deep,” said Raymond, “and we’ll have to do some tall wading. And suppose we drop into a hidden gulch?” “I think,” said Sidney, “that if we can get up to the ridge back of this cliff we can follow that up and the snow won’t be so deep. “Well, I don’t want to be a croaker, Sid, but what shall we do if we can’t find the road down the other side?” “I think when we get to the top that we’ll find there is no snow on the other side, or maybe just a little near the summit. It’s too early in the season for the snow to go very far down the south side of the range.” “I hadn’t thought of that,” said Raymond. “That will be fine; I’m tired of snow.” “We’ll make quick time,” said Sidney, “down the south side. As I remember the map it’s a very short slope, compared with this side.” “Gee!” said Raymond, “I’ll be glad of that. I want to get where I can eat a square meal and have all the coffee I want. We haven’t had a smell of coffee since we left Petrovsk.” “I hope, when we reach Tiflis,” said Sidney, “that we can send a cable to mother. I don’t know whether everything around the Black Sea will be all war or not.” “There’s one sure thing,” said Raymond; “Russia can’t send any troops over these mountains.” “Not by this trail, I guess,” said Sidney with a laugh, “but she can send them up through the Dariel Pass. You know they told us at Petrovsk that troops were going north that way then.” “That was ages ago,” said Raymond. “The war may have been ended long before now.” “It does seem a long time.” And Sidney sighed wearily as he thought of the work back of them. “I hope the war is over. I wish we knew.”