tually gained, seemed to have no outlet; and at no time
was the advancing force enabled to survey the pass for any distance
ahead.

Everything in the approach of the Georgian was conducted with the
profoundest silence: not the slightest whisper indicated to the
assailants the presence or prospect of any interruption; and, from the
field of strife below, nothing but an occasional shot or shout gave
token of the business in which at that moment all parties were engaged.
This quiet was not destined to continue long. The forlorn hope had now
reached midway of the summit--but not, as their leader had fondly
anticipated, without observation from the foe--when the sound of a human
voice directly above warned him of his error; and, looking up, he
beheld, perched upon a fragment of the cliff, which hung directly over
the gorge, the figure of a single man. For the first time led to
anticipate resistance in this quarter, he bade the men prepare for the
event as well as they might; and calling out imperatively to the
individual, who still maintained his place on the projection of the rock
as if in defiance, he bade him throw down his arms and submit.

"Throw down my arms! and for what?" was the reply. "I'd like to know by
what right you require us to throw down our arms. It may do in England,
or any other barbarous country where the people don't know their rights
yet, to make them throw down their arms; but I reckon there's no law for
it in these parts, that you can show us, captain."

"Pick that insolent fellow off, one of you," was the order; and in an
instant a dozen rifles were lifted, but the man was gone. A hat
appearing above the cliff, was bored with several bullets; and the
speaker, who laughed heartily at the success of his trick, now resumed
his position on the cliff, with the luckless hat perched upon the staff
on which it had given them the provocation to fire. He laughed and
shouted heartily at the contrivance, and hurled the victim of their
wasted powder down among them. Much chagrined, and burning with
indignation, Fullam briefly cried out to his men to advance quickly. The
person who had hitherto addressed him was our old acquaintance
Forrester, to whom, in the division of the duties, this post had been
assigned. He spoke again:--

"You'd better not, captain, I advise you. It will be dangerous if you
come farther. Don't trouble us, now; and be off, as soon as you can, out
of harm's way. Your bones will be all t