Oh," he shouted, "if there was only a hundred of us coming down like
this to take the enemy front and rear! Are you all right, sir?"

"Yes, yes; but beware of the rocks down below there by the track."

"Right, sir. Wish they weren't there, though, and we could go right on;
charge through 'em in no time."

He had to speak without turning his head, and Bracy did not catch half
his words. But it was no time for speaking; and, forgetting for the
time being his injuries and partial helplessness, Bracy began to share
in his driver's excitement, and watched the movements going on below.

The height to which they had climbed had been great, and some memory of
the labour they had gone through in the ascent came back as they swept
rapidly down, till in an incredibly short space of time they neared the
rocky track, with its rugged pinnacles and masses standing right up out
of the snow.

Gedge saw that the enemy was still far below the track; and as he
checked the way on the stone by gradually driving in his well-nailed
boot heels, he looked to right or left for a spot where there would be a
clear crossing of the track, free from projecting rocks, so that a
stoppage would not be necessary. There it was, lying well to the right,
narrow but perfectly practicable. For, plainly enough, he could see
that there had been a snow-slide burying a portion of the track, and if
he could steer between a couple of rocks, not ten yards apart, the glide
down could be continued without a pause.

"It's all right, sir," he cried. "Signals is clear, and we don't stop
at that station. Hoorray! Her Majesty's mails. Fast express."

It was on Bracy's lips to cry, "Take care," but he nipped them together
and sat fast, feeling their pace slacken as if, to carry out Gedge's
simile, they were easing down to run through a station.

Nearer, nearer, with rough crags half-buried in the snow on both sides
and seeming to close in upon them as they glided down, with the narrow
pass between the two rocks unaccountably growing for the moment closer
together. But directly after, by clever steering, Gedge made a curve in
their descent, brought the stone opposite the opening, and then let it
go.

Their way rose a little as they approached the track where it was buried
in the snow, but directly after the descent was steeper; and as soon as
Gedge felt sure of his course they dashed through the opening at a
greatly increased speed. Then he shouted in his