that she had given him her confidence and they shared a secret. At the
top, he found the others had loaded the sledges and were ready to start.
Since the dales folk are conservative, he had expected some opposition to
his plan, but they listened attentively and an old man supported him.

"I mind hearing my father say that yan hard winter after a wet back end
o' year, they let peat run doon t' fell. What has been done yance can be
done again."

Kit said nothing; for the other, by using a favorite motto, had banished
his companions' dislike of novelties.

"It was deeun no' so long sin'," another remarked. "In my time, they
browt slate doon on t' stane-boats across the Fleet-pike scree. Pushed
them off at top and let them go."

There was some further talk and when they resolved to make the experiment
Kit went down the hill. He said he wanted to see how the first sledge
crossed an awkward pitch, but it counted for much that he saw a small
figure below. Grace looked satisfied with his excuse for joining her and
they waited for a time while the men above moved the first load to the
edge. The sunshine had gone and it was getting cold; the shadows in the
dale had faded from blue to dusky gray and the frost was keen. All was
very quiet, but now and then distant voices and the musical rattle of
chains came down through the nipping air.

"It will be dark before they're ready if they're not quick," said Kit,
and Grace looked up the hill.

"I think they're starting the sledge. If there had been nobody about, I
would have liked to come down with the peat. You can't imagine how
exciting it is."

They watched the sledge slip over the brow of the descent. It got larger
as it came down, but it did not run as fast as the toboggan. One could
see it rock and swerve, shaking off loose peats, where the ground was
broken, and Grace glanced at the steep pitch Kit had come to watch.

"It will go down there with a splendid rush, but I don't think it will
upset," she said. "My plan is going to work."

The sledge got nearer. They saw the snow fly up about its front and heard
the scream the runners made. There was something fascinating about its
smooth but fast descent, and as it approached the top of the dip they
moved back rather unwillingly to let it pass. When it was nearly level
with them it slowed on the changing incline and Grace noted that there
was a narrow space between the back of the frame and the peat. She gave
Kit a quick loo