e lower ledge, which
you can surely accomplish in safety. That done you must stand by to
steady me and prevent me, if possible, from going backward over the
precipice; and, with us two safely on the ledge, we are surely men
enough to catch the professor when he makes the drop. What say you to
the plan?"

"It is frightfully dangerous, but it is perhaps worth trying--if you
think you have the strength for it. What say you, professor? Have you
nerve enough to make the drop, trusting to us to catch you?"

"Anything is better than this," answered the professor. "Your own and
Mildmay's are the most difficult portions of the task. If you are equal
to your parts I will perform mine; but my strength is not sufficient to
justify my offering to change places with either of you."

"Then let us try it," exclaimed the colonel decisively. "Will you go
first, Mildmay, or shall I?"

"You go first," answered Mildmay. "I am pretty strong in the arms, and
think the method I have proposed the safest, on the whole."

"All right, then. I am ready whenever you are."

"Stand firm, then, and let me steady myself down over the ledge by your
leg--we shall be down, one way or another, all the sooner. Now, look
out, I am going!"

The colonel braced himself as firmly as possible against the strain, and
Mildmay lowered himself cautiously down until he hung from the ledge by
both hands. Then, without wasting a moment, Lethbridge carefully placed
himself in position, got down on his knees, lowered one foot until it
rested on Mildmay's shoulder, then the other; firmly grasped the ledge
with both hands, outside Mildmay's; got his knees down on Mildmay's
shoulders, and then, warning the lieutenant to hold firm, grasped him by
both wrists and proceeded as rapidly and carefully as possible to slide
down his body until he hung to him by a firm hand-grasp round the
ankles. The muscles of poor Mildmay's hands and arms quivered and
fairly cracked with the terrible strain thrown upon them during the
latter part of this manoeuvre; but he set his teeth hard, remembering
that the lives of the whole party depended upon him just then, and hung
on. It was not for long. The colonel paused only for a moment to give
one downward glance at the spot upon which he was about to drop, and
then let go. He pitched fairly on the ledge, slipped, staggered for a
moment, _almost_ went over, but recovered himself and stood firm. Then
moving a little to one sid