he sides. Hamp dropped instantly on top of
his companion. There was ample space for them, since the amount of
luggage was small.

Just as Sparwick uttered an angry yell, Hamp sent the sled forward by a
shove of his foot. The fore end scraped on a hidden chunk of rock that
half checked it for an instant. The delay was brief but fatal.

Sparwick dashed forward with a tremendous stride. He grabbed at the
sled, but missed it. Then he made a desperate spring, and landed on top
of the lads.

The next instant there was a wild, giddy rush--a roaring of wind and a
sprinkling of fine snow. The sled, freighted with its living burden, was
dashing like a meteor down the mountain side!

It was almost a miracle that the top-heavy sled did not upset. Had the
course been less smooth and even, it must have done so at the start.

"Hold tight, lads," shouted Sparwick. "If we upset, we'll be smashed ter
pieces."

The sled plunged on in its mad, careening course. Now it was two-thirds
down the mountain.

Suddenly Hamp uttered a startled cry, and Brick chimed in lustily.
Through the flying cloud of fine snow tossed up by the runners, both
lads had made a frightful discovery. Just ahead was a chasm of unknown
depth--a treacherously-projecting knob on the slope of the mountain. The
white blanket of snow had kept its existence hid until now.

"Scrape your feet," yelled Hamp. "Swing the sled to one side. Quick!
quick!"

He meant Sparwick, but the latter had no time to carry out the order.
The sled whizzed to the verge of the abyss. It shot into the air, turned
over, and plunged downward through twenty or more feet of space!

Happily there was a deep drift at the bottom, and the crust on top of it
was none too hard. The sled struck on its fore-runners, and went through
like a rocket.

Brick landed near by on his side, and Hamp took a header a few feet
beyond. Both lads were immersed in powdery snow beneath the surface.
Sparwick fared better. He landed squarely on his feet, and the broad
surface of his snowshoes saved him from sinking more than a few inches.

Sparwick dragged the sled out of the snowy depths. Then he rescued the
boys, one at a time. They had not sustained even a scratch. They made no
resistance, knowing that it would be useless. Sparwick bound their arms
behind them, and ordered them to go slowly down the remaining brief
stretch of the mountain side. He followed with the sled.

"That there ride saved a heap of time,