Thefogofthepreviouseveningstilllingeredsoheavilyoverthewoodsthatthemorningcouldnotpenetratethetreestilllongafteritstime。Theloadbeingaponderousone，thelanecrooked，andtheairsothick，Winterbornesetout，asheoftendid，toaccompanytheteamasfarasthecorner，whereitwouldturnintoawiderroad。
Sotheyrumbledon，shakingthefoundationsoftheroadsidecottagesbytheweightoftheirprogress，thesixteenbellschimingharmoniouslyoverall，tilltheyhadrisenoutofthevalleyandweredescendingtowardsthemoreopenroute，thesparksrisingfromtheircreakingskidandnearlysettingfiretothedeadleavesalongside。
Thenoccurredoneoftheveryincidentsagainstwhichthebellswereanendeavortoguard。Suddenlytherebeamedintotheireyes，quiteclosetothem，thetwolampsofacarriage，shornofraysbythefog。Itsapproachhadbeenquiteunheard，byreasonoftheirownnoise。Thecarriagewasacoveredone，whilebehinditcouldbediscernedanothervehicleladenwithluggage。
Winterbornewenttotheheadoftheteam，andheardthecoachmantellingthecarterthathemustturnback。Thecarterdeclaredthatthiswasimpossible。
“Youcanturnifyouunhitchyourstring-horses。”saidthecoachman。