"Too fast!" was Saunders' comment. Suddenly, in response to a hoarse cry from the steersman, the crew swung their bodies to the left and simultaneously flung out their arms in the same direction. The manœuvre was designed to bring the "bob" round the corner without checking the pace by applying the brake. The result was unsatisfactory. The prow of the "bob" struck the counter-bank violently, there was a gasp from a hundred throats, and a feathery cloud of snow rose, in which the limbs of half a dozen human beings were whirling in an intricate and inextricable confusion. No one, fortunately, was damaged, and in a few seconds the crew had sorted themselves and resumed their chequered career. "Heroism and no brake!" muttered Karl. "How like our friend the American!" "May his fall be as harmless!" said Saunders. Frau Bilderbaum snorted. "I should like to see him go over the precipice!" she exclaimed. "You probably will--metaphorically speaking," said Meyer. "He is accompanying this expedition against us, and he has outwitted me twice." A minute later another "bob" was making its nerve-shattering descent of the lightning run. This time its crew,--a well-drilled sextet in blue jerseys bearing the facetious badge of a tortoise,--swept round the dangerous bend without mishap. "Well done, Miss Reeve-Thompson!" cried Mrs. Saunders, naming the lady who was steering the successful craft. "That's done me good," sighed Karl in a note of satisfaction. "God's sky and the best of sports! Clean snow and the champagne air of Weissheim, and what care I for the rabble of the plains." And so the morning wore on, with cheers for the skilful, gasps for the rash, and murmurs of pity for the unfortunate. There were more spills, of course, but fortunately no disasters of magnitude, and at mid-day the great competition was over. The "times" were added up and checked, and ultimately Miss Reeve-Thompson's crew were adjudged the winners, and accompanied by a cheering throng they received the cup from Lady Cobham at the Pariserhof. The royal party waited till the crowd of onlookers had dispersed, and then wended their way back to the Brunvarad--the Winter Palace--on foot. As they followed the track that bordered the run they fell in with General von Bilderbaum, struggling up the hill in a great grey overcoat, very moist and red of face. "Well," said Karl, "how are the new forts looking?" "Very workmanlike, sire. We have got two new quick-firers on to the south escarpment of redoubt A, and some old but serviceable _mitraileuses_ in position in the long fosse between redoubts C and D." "Excellent," drawled Meyer. "And our dear, loyal gunners--are they continuing to make good practice at the ice-targets?" "I am sorry for anything they get sight of within two kilometres," responded the General.