of the rope opening out as they
followed the iron.

There was a loud jangling sound, and Chris held his breath as he saw the
operator begin to draw upon the rope hand over hand, fully expecting to
see a check, and that the hook had caught.

The boy was not disappointed--it had, and Chris uttered a low cheer.

"Got it!" he whispered.--"Why is he doing that?"

_That_ was the jerking of the rope to set it at liberty to be drawn in
again, for the simple reason that the catch was only the corner of a
rock.

But Griggs was soon ready again, and he mounted on to the top of a stone
before taking careful aim, as he swung the hook to and fro, and then
once more launched it through the air, to fall this time with a dull
sound as if it had struck upon wood.

"He'll do it this time," whispered Ned excitedly. "Yes: he has got it."

For as Griggs hauled there was again a check, evidently, from the sound
of the iron, against wood.

"Oh!" groaned Chris, as they saw the rope hauled in again quickly for
another throw. "What a while he is! He won't be able to see."

"All right, Chris," cried Ned cheerily; "third time never fails."

"We shall have to do it, Ned," replied Chris merrily. "Now then, once
to be ready, twice to be steady, three times to be off: there it goes."

Away went the hook, and after it the dimly-seen coils of rope, followed
by a sharp clang again of iron upon stone.

"Now he's hauling," whispered Ned, and all held their breath, for the
change from daylight into darkness was rapidly going on, and Griggs's
figure standing erect upon the grey rock began to look as if some thin,
filmy, smoke-tinted veil was being drawn over it.

_Tchingle_! came--clearly heard!

"Hurrah!" cried Chris. "He has caught the chain this time. He'll want
us to help haul."

The boy strained forward as if ready to start at the first call; but he
did not, for no call came, but Griggs himself began to move sharply
after a tug at the rope, and then leaping down from the stone upon which
he had stood, he came running towards them swiftly, dodging in and out
amongst the stones standing in his way.

"Off with you," he shouted; "the varmint are coming along the rope!"

All turned at the order, retreating steadily to allow Griggs to overtake
them, which he did directly.

"I don't think we need go far," he said. "I don't suppose they'll come
further than the end of the rope. I could see dozens of them striking
at the barrel and