rushing water,
then if they had slipped and fallen it would have been all up with them.

It seemed as if the sea, furious at having lost Jim a short while ago,
was making fierce efforts to get at them now. The great waves foamed
against the cliff and the spray dashed over the boys, making the
surface of the rock treacherous and slippery.

"I can't bear to look down," said Jo. "It makes me dizzy."

"Look up, then," Jim called back.

"That's almost as bad," replied Jo.

"Keep 'em shut then," was Jim's command.

Finally they came to a place that stopped Jo entirely. Jim was able to
get over it, because of his superior height and reach, and he attained a
point of safety above Jo.

"What am I going to do now?" cried Jo. "I can't go any higher and it is
impossible for me to go back."

"You wait," urged Jim, "till I get a secure foothold above here."

"Oh, I'll wait," said Jo grimly, "you don't observe any anxiety on my
part to move, do you?"

CHAPTER XXVI

TWO LASSOES

Finally Jim reached a broad ledge, that gave him an excellent foothold,
and he got his lariat ready and dangled the loop under Jo's nose.

"What are you going to hang me for?" inquired Jo.

"For a horse thief, I reckon," replied Jim, "that bay don't belong to
you does it, Mister?"

"Meaning this ocean bay?" queried Jo.

"I certainly will hang you for that," retorted Jim, "Now get the loop
under your armpits."

"All ready," cried Jo.

Then Jim, bracing himself, kept a taut line on his brother, and with
this help he was able quite easily to get over the slippery, bare belt
of rock, and in a few moments was safe with Jim on the ledge.

"It won't take us long now," said Jo, "to get to the other side."

"Let's give him a yell," suggested Jim, "to let him know that we are
coming."

Then Jim put his hands to his lips and cried:

"Senor, ahoy." They listened breathlessly and in a few moments came a
faint reply. This put renewed energy into the boys and as the way was
now easier, they leaped ahead, agile as goats, and had soon reached the
top of the cliff. They looked eagerly down.

There was the deep short semi-circle of the little bay with the waves
heaving in against the cliffs and at the point midway between the two
head-lands, where the beach was highest, they saw the Spaniard on Don
Fernando. Already the encroaching waves were gnawing at them.

It was only a question of minutes now, and horse and rider would be
carried out t