The causeway led them to steep slopes of snow, up which it was just possible to kick steps, and then working back again to the east they reached the foot of the great buttress on its western side just where it forms a right angle with the face of the mountain.

Garratt Skinner once more looked at his watch.

It had been half-past two when they had put on the rope, it was now close upon half-past six.

They had taken four hours to traverse the ice-fall, and they should have taken only two and a half.
Garratt Skinner, however, expressed no anxiety.

On the contrary, one might have thought that he wished to lose time.
"There's one of the difficulties disposed of," he said, cheerily.