rse to pursue. There were several steep precipices and
awkward places that must be avoided, for though they were all quite
ready to try their skill at scaling rocks, it seemed no use to waste
unnecessary time over performing difficult feats.

"I expect that last crag will give us enough practice in that," remarked
Donald. "I've brought a rope with me in case we want it--got it wound
round and round my waist under my coat."

"Oh, that explains why you look so stout to-day!" laughed Meg. "I should
think it's pretty uncomfortable."

"Not a bit of it! It keeps me warm. I call it jolly cold up here."

"I believe we've reached the Arctic zone!" agreed Gipsy.

The air had undoubtedly grown colder with every hundred feet of their
ascent. The sunshine had disappeared, grey clouds had gathered, and
feathery flakes of snow began to fall lightly. The grass was soon
covered with a thin white coating which gave a delightfully Alpine
aspect to the scene. The prospect was glorious--the sharp, splintered,
snow-crested crags stood out in bold relief against the neutral-tinted
sky, and the long stretches of moor below them looked soft and blurred
masses of whiteness.

"We can find our way home by our footsteps in the snow!" said Gipsy,
drawing long breaths of the pure, exhilarating air.

"I wonder if we ought to turn back," said Meg, rather doubtfully.

"Turn back!" exclaimed Donald. "You don't mean to say you want to turn
tail now, Meg? Why, we're just getting to the exciting part!"

"I was only thinking of the snow."

"Why, that makes it all the more like Switzerland! You don't suppose Dad
turns back at the snowline when he's doing a climb? We're in luck to
have the chance of a little snow. I wish there'd been a keen frost, and
we could have tried an ice axe somewhere. Pluck up your courage, Meg!
You'll never do the Matterhorn if you shirk Hawes Fell!"

Thus encouraged Meg said no more, though she had her private doubts
about the wisdom of proceeding farther. It is an unpleasant task to be a
drag on other people's amusement, and both Donald and Gipsy were very
keen on making the ascent. So they scrambled onward and upward, slipping
often on the rapidly freezing rocks, helping each other over difficult
places, sighing for nailed boots and alpenstocks, but laughing and
enjoying the fun of the adventure.

To climb to the summit certainly taxed all their strength. The mountain
seemed to heave before them in a succession of huge