The scene that met his eyes was typical of the England countryside as depicted on Xmas cards and in old-fashioned melodrams. Everywhere was snow, deep drifts of it - no mere powdering an inch or two thinck.

Major Burnaby drew on his gum boots, buttoned his overcoat collar round his neck, took from a shelf near the door a hurricane latern, and cautiously opened the front door of his bungalow and peered out.