ake the giant long to convince them that he was far from an
invalid. He seemed built of iron, and he was sure footed as a mountain
goat.

Before long they were forced back from the shore of the lake and
compelled to pick their way through a rough and rocky region, where
progress was exasperatingly slow.

It was midafternoon, when they halted at the beginning of a desperate
and dangerous climb amid mighty bowlders, with yawning chasms on every
hand.

Here they opened one of the packs and brought forth provisions enough
for the party to satisfy their hunger, the food being washed down with
water from a tinkling brook that ran toward the lake.

After they had satisfied their hunger, and allowed the horses to feed,
the animals were saddled again, the packs made fast, and once more they
started onward.

Although Big Gabe had explored the greater part of the rough region
lying around the lake, he had never before attempted to find a road for
horses along the precipices and black ravines.

After eating, they set about the most severe and dangerous part of the
journey yet reached. Up amid the giant bowlders they climbed, at times
working around some part of the mountain where there would be a bare
bluff on one hand and a yawning chasm on the other.

The giant guide warned them to look out for the loose bowlders, saying
that some of them could be sent crashing down the mountain almost by the
pressure of a hand.

The dangers from these huge rocks were made apparent before they had
passed beyond that region.

Frank's horse proved far more skillful in climbing, keeping close to Big
Gabe's heels, and the others were left at a considerable distance, so it
became necessary to pause once or twice for them to come up.

A nearly level bit of the mountain had been reached, and they were
pausing before the next climb, when a rumbling jar was heard, and a cry
of warning broke from the guide.

"Loose bowlder! Look out fer it, boy!"

The others were yet some distance away, so that Frank and Gabe were
together, the boy being astride his heavily breathing horse.

With each moment the roaring grew louder, till it swelled to jarring
thunder, and then past them shot a huge black mass, enveloped in a cloud
of dust. This mass leaped down into the black depths of a great chasm
that yawned close at hand.

Frank's horse was frightened and began to plunge. The boy tried to quiet
the animal, which was no easy task. In its mad plunging t