Chapter 34
As the day drew to a close, the temperature on the mountain dropped dramatically.
Unable to move around like the others, Sherlock was struggling to keep warm.
Harry covered him with a thick blanket, while Basil and Herbert began constructing a bivouac. At such an altitude as this, there was no telling what the weather might do and so, a substantial shelter was essential. Between bouts of weaving brushwood and unpacking lapsacks, Herbert gathered what little wood he could find for a fire, leaving Harry free to prepare a very special blend of tea herb, maple syrup and a few other secret ingredients, which he had expertly formulated to aid the Constable’s recovery.
After much leaf grinding, root mashing, grating and stirring, he filled the kettle with fresh water from a pool in the rocks and very soon four welcome mugs of ‘Survival Special’ were ready for consumption.
The warming effect of this medicinal infusion was beyond description, and as they each sipped the sweet golden brew, the stress of a very intense day magically disappeared. For the time being, everything was fine.