op of
the cutting, set their faces towards the hill through which the tunnel
was cut. It was stiff work.

"It's like Alps," said Bobbie, breathlessly.

"Or Andes," said Peter.

"It's like Himmy what's its names?" gasped Phyllis. "Mount Everlasting.
Do let's stop."

"Stick to it," panted Peter; "you'll get your second wind in a minute."

Phyllis consented to stick to it--and on they went, running when the
turf was smooth and the slope easy, climbing over stones, helping
themselves up rocks by the branches of trees, creeping through narrow
openings between tree trunks and rocks, and so on and on, up and up,
till at last they stood on the very top of the hill where they had so
often wished to be.

"Halt!" cried Peter, and threw himself flat on the grass. For the very
top of the hill was a smooth, turfed table-land, dotted with mossy rocks
and little mountain-ash trees.

The girls also threw themselves down flat.

"Plenty of time," Peter panted; "the rest's all down hill."

When they were rested enough to sit up and look round them, Bobbie
cried:--

"Oh, look!"

"What at?" said Phyllis.

"The view," said Bobbie.

"I hate views," said Phyllis, "don't you, Peter?"

"Let's get on," said Peter.

"But this isn't like a view they take you to in carriages when you're
at the seaside, all sea and sand and bare hills. It's like the 'coloured
counties' in one of Mother's poetry books."

"It's not so dusty," said Peter; "look at the Aqueduct straddling slap
across the valley like a giant centipede, and then the towns sticking
their church spires up out of the trees like pens out of an inkstand.
_I_ think it's more like

"There could he see the banners
Of twelve fair cities shine."

"I love it," said Bobbie; "it's worth the climb."

"The paperchase is worth the climb," said Phyllis, "if we don't lose it.
Let's get on. It's all down hill now."

"_I_ said that ten minutes ago," said Peter.

"Well, I'VE said it now," said Phyllis; "come on."

"Loads of time," said Peter. And there was. For when they had got down
to a level with the top of the tunnel's mouth--they were a couple of
hundred yards out of their reckoning and had to creep along the face of
the hill--there was no sign of the hare or the hounds.

"They've gone long ago, of course," said Phyllis, as they leaned on the
brick parapet above the tunnel.

"I don't think so," said Bobbie, "but even if they had, it's ripping
here, and we shall