was preparing to visit with his sister, the Glacier
des Bossons. Others were going, or had gone, to the source of the
Arveiron, and to the Brevent, while the British peer, having previously
been conducted by a new and needlessly difficult path to the top of
Monte Rosa, was led off by his persecutor to attempt, by an impossible
route, to scale the Matterhorn--to reach the main-truck, as Captain
Wopper put it, by going down the stern-post along the keel, over the
bobstay, up the flyin' jib, across the foretopmast-stay, and up the
maintop-gallant halyards. This at least was Lewis Stoutley's report of
the Captain's remark. We cannot answer for its correctness.

But nothing can withstand the sweet influences of fresh mountain-air and
sunshine. In a short time "dull care" was put to flight and when our
party--Emma being on a mule--reached the neighbouring heights, past and
future were largely forgotten in the enjoyment of the present.

Besides being sunny and bright, the day was rather cool, so that, after
dismissing the mule, and taking to the glaciers and ice-slope, the air
was found to be eminently suitable for walking.

"It's a bad look-out," murmured Captain Wopper, when he observed that
Dr Lawrence turned deliberately to converse with the Professor, leaving
Lewis to assist Emma to alight, even although he, the Captain, had, by
means of laboured contrivance and vast sagacity, brought the Doctor and
the mule into close juxtaposition at the right time. However, the
Captain's temperament was sanguine. He soon forgot his troubles in
observing the curious position assumed by Slingsby on the first steep
slope of rocky ground they had to descend, for descents as well as
ascents were frequent at first.

The artist walked on all-fours, but with his back to the hill instead of
his face, his feet thus being in advance.

"What sort of an outside-in fashion is that, Slingsby?" asked the
Captain, when they had reached the bottom.

"It's a way I have of relieving my knees," said Slingsby; "try it."

"Thank 'ee; no," returned the Captain. "It don't suit my pecooliar
build; it would throw too much of my weight amidships."

"You've no idea," said Slingsby, "what a comfort it is to a man whose
knees suffer in descending. I'd rather go up twenty mountains than
descend one. This plan answers only on steep places, and is but a
temporary relief. Still that is something at the end of a long day."

The artist exemplified his