t his waist, and looking for
foothold, for a few moments in vain, till he saw a way out of his
difficulty.

"How are you getting on?" cried the captain excitedly.

"I'm obliged to kneel right on the poor fellow," said Lennox; "there's
so little room. He's alive--I can feel his heart beating. Keep the
rope tight for a few minutes."

"Tight it is, sir," shouted Sergeant James.

"Look here, Lennox," cried Roby hoarsely; "can you unfasten the rope and
tie it to the corporal? We can see nothing from up here."

"That's what I'm trying to find out, sir," replied Lennox.--"Yes, I
think so."

"Think! You must be sure," cried Dickenson, whose voice sounded husky
and strange. "Look here, I'm going to slide down to you."

"Silence!" roared the captain. "You will do nothing of the kind.--Look
here, Lennox."

"I'm all attention, sir."

"If you can't do as I say I must send for another rope."

"No, no, it would be horrible to leave the poor fellow; he'd slip off
the rock."

"Then you must stay with him."

"Very well, sir," said Lennox after a short pause.

"Ha! I think I can do it now I've found room to kneel."

"Bravo!" shouted Dickenson.

"Will you be silent, Mr Dickenson?" cried the captain.--"Now, Lennox,
what are you doing?"

"Trying to get this knot undone, sir; it's so tight." At the end of a
minute he cried, "I can't move the knot. I'm going to pass it over my
head, and then make a noose and slip it round the corporal."

"Can you do that?"

"Yes, sir, I think so. Now slacken away all you can, but keep a tight
hold in case I have to snatch at it again."

"Oh yes, they'll keep a tight hold.--Do you hear, Sergeant James?"

"Oh yes, sir, I hear," growled the sergeant, whose face glistened with
the perspiration that streamed down from the gathering-place--his brow.

"How are you getting on?" cried the captain.

"Don't talk to me, please," panted Lennox. "I'm doing my best." There
was a pause, and then, "I've got it off, and I'm going to pass it over
his neck and shoulders now. It will compress his chest, but I can't
help it."

"Don't study that; only get it fast. Ready?" continued the captain
after another pause.

"Not quite yet. It is hard to get the loop over. I have to bend down
to reach with one hand, and hold on with the other."

"Go on," said the captain.

A strange rustling sound came up, and then it seemed as if the rope was
being flapped against the rock.

"Can't you do