Christmas Eve in a Punt. 225 



The snowstorm came and took them completely by 

 surprise. It was driven down the broad from the north by 

 a high wind, that grew into a gale in a few minutes. The 

 B.A. had often read of the blinding attributes of snow, and 

 was now fated to learn by bitter experience that it was 

 something more than a poetical phrase. It seemed that in 

 a few seconds they were completely wrapped up in snow 

 that came from every point of the compass, and that whirled 

 upwards as well as downwards, the flakes fighting and 

 dancing in the maddest fashion. 



"Where are the rugs ?" Harvey asked. 



"In the bow of the boat, under the waterproof," the 

 other answered, turning round to bring them forth. 



" Heavens ! you have let the oars go adrift." 



Alas ! too true. Buffeted by snow and wind, Thorn- 

 bury had overbalanced himself, tumbled backwards into 

 the bottom of the boat, and given the little sturdy oars 

 such an impetus that they disappeared like darts into the 

 water, and came up probably several yards from the 

 boat. I say probably, because the storm still wrapped the 

 two men in its pitiless folds, and shut them in to them- 

 selves. 



" This is serious," Harvey said, looking around and sorrow- 

 fully referring to his watch. "It will soon be dark; we 

 have no oars ; there is not a board in the boat that will do 

 for paddling, not even a stretcher; we can't see our hands 

 before us ; it snows and blows harder every minute ; in half 

 an hour it will be black as pitch, and we are driving to 

 some place or other at a very decent rate." 



He was a sound judge ; it was exceedingly serious, and 

 Lord Chief Justice Cockburn himself could not have summed 

 up the evidence more pointedly. They were in for it 

 indeed. After all their rosy visions and promises and 



Q 



