as a sudden check.

"Hah!" ejaculated Dale. "I see. We are at the end of the new rope, and
the knot has caught in the groove we've made. I can hold him, Saxe.
Take your axe, and pick the ice away on one side. Mind! you must not
touch the rope."

Saxe took his axe, and a few strokes with the pointed end broke off a
good-sized piece. The knot glided over, and the next minute, with the
same idea inspiring both, they began to haul up Melchior's rope.

Will this last out, and not be broken by the friction?

Foot by foot--foot by foot--till at any moment they felt they would see
the man's hand appear; and all seemed to depend now upon the state in
which the poor fellow would be in when he reached the surface. If he
were perfectly helpless, the worst part, perhaps, of their task would
come. If he could aid, it would be comparatively easy.

At last there was a faint glow of light behind the edge, which grew
plainer in the gloom in which they had been working, and directly after
Melchior's hand reached the edge.

Dale was a man of resource, and he was about to call upon Saxe to hitch
the rope round the axe handle once more--that which acted as an anchor--
when he saw in the faint glow that the fingers clutched at the edge.

"Haul! haul!" he cried; and as they pulled the whole arm appeared above
the edge, and was stretched flat on the ice. And the next moment, with
a dash, the guide's axe was swung over the edge, and the sharp point dug
down into the glistening surface, giving the poor fellow a slight hold,
which, little as it was, proved some help.

It has been said that Dale was a man of resource, and he proved it more
than ever now.

"I can hold him," he cried. "Take the rope, and lower down a big loop
right over his head. That's right: lower away." Then, as Saxe
responded quickly, he cried to the guide, "Try if you can get one or
both your legs through the loop."

There was a little scraping and movement before the poor fellow said,
hoarsely--

"Through."

"Now, Saxe, twist the rope as quickly as you can, so as to get hold."

Saxe twisted the double rope till the loop closed upon the guide's leg;
and then there was a momentary pause.

"Now, ready! When I say haul, try to help us all you can. Haul!"

Saxe had his heel in a groove, and he struggled with all his might,
Melchior aiding him so effectually that, as Dale drew the poor fellow's
arm farther, Saxe was able to raise the leg he held to the