Paul's Cathedral.

"I feel extremely picturesque," said Archie. "If only we had a wolf or
two after us, the illusion would be complete. The Boy Trappers, or
Half-Hours among the Rocky Mountains."

"It is a pleasant thought, Archie," I said, "that in any wolf trouble
the bachelors of the party would have to sacrifice themselves for us.
Myra dear, the loss of Samuel in such circumstances would draw us very
close together. There might be a loss of Thomas too, perhaps--for if
there was not enough of Simpson to go round, if there was a hungry wolf
left over, would Thomas hesitate?"

"No," said Thomas, "I should run like a hare."

Simpson said nothing. His face I could not see; but his back looked
exactly like the back of a man who was trying to look as if he had been
brought up on skis from a baby and was now taking a small party of
enthusiastic novices out for their first lesson.

"What an awful shock it would be," I said, "if we found that Samuel
really did know something about it after all; and, while we were
tumbling about anyhow, he sailed gracefully down the steepest slopes. I
should go straight back to Cricklewood."

"My dear chap, I've read a _lot_ about it."

"Then we're quite safe."

"With all his faults," said Archie, "and they are many--Samuel is a
gentleman. He would never take an unfair advantage of us. Hallo, here we
are!"

We left the road and made our way across the snow to a little wooden hut
which Archie had noticed the day before. Here we were to meet Dahlia
for lunch; and here, accordingly, we left the rucksack and such garments
as the heat of the sun suggested. Then, at the top of a long snow-slope,
steep at first, more gentle later, we stood and wondered.

"Who's going first?" said Archie.

"What do you do?" asked Myra.

"You don't. It does it for you."

"But how do you stop?"

"Don't bother about that, dear," I said. "That will be arranged for you
all right. Take two steps to the brink of the hill and pick yourself up
at the bottom. Now then, Simpson! Be a man. The lady waits, Samuel.
The---- Hallo! Hi! Help!" I cried, as I began to move off slowly. It was
too late to do anything about it. "Good-bye," I called. And then things
moved more quickly....

Very quickly....

Suddenly there came a moment when I realized that I wasn't keeping up
with my feet....

I shouted to my skis to stop. It was no good. They went on....

I decided to stop without them....

The ensuing second went