a beauty," said Lilla, enviously. "It doesn't look over strong,
though; I shouldn't wonder if it broke in two. You'll have to mind the
hole at the bottom; there have been a lot in already."

For the information of the uninitiated, I may as well describe how this
hilarious amusement is conducted. Having first selected the highest hill
the neighbourhood affords, well covered with slippery frozen snow, two
individuals who purpose forming the freight of the toboggin pose
themselves, the foremost holding the reins, which, however, are more for
effect than use, sitting between the feet of the hindmost traveller, who
steers with his hands.

As a finger on the snow alters the course of the toboggin, and a nervous
push makes it slue round, scattering the inmates, it is needless to say
the tyro in front is admonished to preserve the most absolute immobility.
Then the vehicle receives a shove off the top of the hill, and shoots
down the smooth precipice, and the novice, with shut eyes to escape
the blinding snow that flies like hailstones about him, listens to the
wind whistling behind, and with bated breath--the first time at any
rate--wishes it were over.

"Captain Du Meresq," cried Lilla, "come along; I am going to take you
down the big jump."

"Off Niagara, if you like."

"It _is_ a tidy drop, the first shelf, so please I'd rather steer.
I never trust my neck to any one but myself."

Bertie craned over. "Let me go down first, and see what it is like; it
will give you an awful shake."

"Bosh! I have been down before; sit tight," said Lilla, adjusting
herself.

It was a series of snow terraces, half natural, half artificial. The
ridge they started from was very steep, and jutting out a little way
down, yawned over a perpendicular drop to the next ledge, which sloped
off again to ever recurring but lesser falls.

Receiving the necessary impetus from above, Bertie and Lilla slithered
down at a terrific pace, and shot over the jutting ridge--a good twenty
feet drop. As they touched the ground, the toboggin ploughed up the snow,
recovered without upsetting, and tore on, jumping down the lesser falls
the same way, and continuing a considerable distance along the level at
the bottom before its impetus was exhausted.

Bertie, blind, breathless, and half-choked with snow, heard a voice
behind, jerking in quick grasps--

"Did you e-ver feel such a de-light-ful--sensation in your life before?"

"Never," said he with a prof