The pony stopped. Peter used his whip, and the next instant the snow appeared to rush towards them, open, and swallow them up. They had struck a boulder and gone over the cleave. The body of the cart was in one spot, its wheels were in another; and wallowing in the sea and snow were Peter and Mary and the pony. The animal was the first to regain its feet, and made off at once, with the broken harness trailing behind. Mary was the next to rise, plastered over with snow from head to foot; but she was soon down again, because her legs refused to support her. Presently she heard her brother's voice. He was invisible, because he had been thrown several feet lower, and had landed among rocks somewhat bruised and sprained; had it not been for the soft snow he would probably have been killed. "I be broke to bits," he wailed. "So be I," cried Mary; "So be the cart." "Be the cart broke?" said Peter; and when Mary had replied it was only fit for firewood (it had not been fit for much else before the accident), he went on, "'Twill cost ye a lot o' money to buy me a new one." "Buy ye a new one? The man be dafty!" screamed Mary. "'Twas taking yew home what broke it," Peter explained. "Call this taking me home?" Mary shouted. "I done my best," said Peter; "'twas your weight what sent it over. There'll be the cart, and the harness and the doctor's bill; 'twill cost ye a heap o' money." "Dear life, hear the man talk!" said Mary, appealing to the snow which was piled upon her ample form. "Mayhap there'll be funeral expenses," said Peter lugubriously; "I be hurt dreadful." "Yew won't want the cart then," his sister muttered; "and I'll have the pony." "Where be the pony?" Peter demanded. "Gone home likely; got more sense than we," said Mary. "Why doan't ye get up, Peter?" "Get up wi' my two legs broke!" Peter replied in disgust. "Dear life, man, get up!" Mary went on, with real alarm. "If us doan't get up soon us'll be stone dead carpses when us gets home." "I'll try, Mary, I'll try," said Peter. "Come up here, Peter; there be a sheltered spot over agin them rocks," said Mary. "There be a sheltered spot down here," Peter answered; "'tis easier vor yew to roll down than vor me to climb up."