He stumbled on, falling into pools and stumbling across banks of stones, and soon stopped again.

He had come down the slope, so to speak, blindly, and now stood on the edge of a vast, dark pit.

One could not see beyond the edge, but the confused noises that came up hinted at profound depth.

The gale shrieked, but he heard the roar of falling water and the rattle of stones the wind dislodged.
"Do you think this is Beatarn ghyll ?" he asked.
"I dinna ken," Tom answered; and added hopefully, "if it's t'ither, we'll mayhappen find oot before we step over Ling Crag." They went down at a venture, whistling vainly for the dogs.

The drop was very sharp, and now they were leaving the wind-swept pass, the snow had begun to pack among the stones and boggy grass.