For the moment we had a wild hope that she could be pulled up, but by the time we could rig shears the air temperature had converted the slush into hardened ice, and she was found to be stuck fast.

The hurrying steeds of a carriage, passing at great speed, dashed the gathered slush of the street over his dark-blue Melton over-coat.

He was knocking the packed and frozen slush from them at the moment Angus McRae confronted him.

"But it is best to throw slush over the fire and hide our traces.