From Peril to Safety

           THEnightfavoredtheirescape,andprudenceurgedthemtolosenotimeingettingawayfromthefatalneighborhoodofLakeTaupo.Paganeltookthepostofleader,andhiswonderfulinstinctshoneoutanewinthisdifficultmountainjourney.Hisnyctalopiawasagreatadvantage,hiscat-likesightenablinghimtodistinguishthesmallestobjectinthedeepestgloom.

           Forthreehourstheywalkedonwithouthaltingalongthefar-reachingslopeoftheeasternside.Paganelkeptalittletothesoutheast,inordertomakeuseofanarrowpassagebetweentheKaimanawaandtheWahitiRanges,throughwhichtheroadfromHawkes’BaytoAucklandpasses.Oncethroughthatgorge,hisplanwastokeepofftheroad,and,undertheshelterofthehighranges,marchtothecoastacrosstheinhabitedregionsoftheprovince.

           Atnineo’clockinthemorning,theyhadmadetwelvemilesintwelvehours.Thecourageouswomencouldnotbepressedfurther,and,besides,thelocalitywassuitableforcamping.Thefugitiveshadreachedthepassthatseparatesthetwochains.Paganel,mapinhand,madealooptowardthenortheast,andatteno’clockthelittlepartyreachedasortofredan,formedbyaprojectingrock.

           Theprovisionswerebroughtout,andjusticewasdonetotheirmeal.MaryGrantandtheMajor,whohadnotthoughthighlyoftheedibleferntillthen,nowateofitheartily.

           Thehaltlastedtilltwoo’clockintheafternoon,thentheyresumedtheirjourney;andintheeveningtheystoppedeightmilesfromthemountains,andrequirednopersuasiontosleepintheopenair.