254 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES 



feet flew out from under me and I found my- 

 self sliding downward. 



"None of the snow above was moving, but a 

 great mass below had given way and was hurry- 

 ing down the mountainside at a terrific rate. 

 Unless I could check myself I should be carried 

 over the brink of the wall and into the valley 

 below, I knew not how many hundred feet. 



"Frantically, I tried to dig my heels into the 

 snow but could not stop. I had fallen just 

 beyond reach of the rocks but managed to roll 

 over a couple of times, and, seeing a projection a 

 short distance below, I seized it as I was passing 

 and held on until the snow had slipped out from 

 under me. 



"Being at the extreme upper edge of the 

 slide, only a few inches of the surface had given 

 way, so, after the excitement was over and I 

 had scrambled to my feet, I found myself stand- 

 ing on the drift while the slide poured over the 

 edge of the wall with a sound like escaping 

 steam. 



"Regaining my somewhat startled wits, I be- 

 gan to wonder how to get out of my predica- 

 ment. To attempt to pass around the mountain 

 as originally planned now seemed impossible, 



