At intervals, here and there among the shrouded fields, lay cottages half hidden by a white network of trees.

Groups of yellow sheep stood clustered together under hedge-rows, motionless in the low mist, and making no sound.

A lonely colt, with tail erect, ran beside us on the other side of the hedge as far as his field would allow him, his heavy hoofs falling noiseless in the snow.

The cold was intense.
"There will be a drift at the bottom of Farrow hill," said Ralph; "we shall be late for the train." And in truth, as we came cautiously down the hill, on turning a corner we beheld a smooth sheet of snow lapping over the top of the hedge on one side, like iced sugar on a cake, and sloping downward to the ditch on the other side of the road.
"Hold on!" cried Charles, as I stood up to look; and in another moment we were pushing our way through the snow, keeping as near the ditch as possible--too near, as it turned out.

But it was not to be.