ed, as the other had done, and meet with a similar fate.
This might have succeeded, but it would have been a dangerous
experiment. Lucien suggested that two of them should go round the edge
of the precipice and examine it more carefully, while the third kept a
watch upon the bear. Perhaps there might yet be found some other path
that led to the plain. This offered but a faint hope; still it would
take only a few minutes to make the examination, and Lucien's proposal
was therefore agreed to.

"If we only had a rope," suggested Francois, "we could let ourselves
over the cliff, and then the old grizzly might stay there for ever, if
she pleased."

"Ha!" shouted Basil, as if some plan had suddenly come into his mind,
"what dunces we have been! Why did we not think of it before? Come,
brothers! I'll get you down in the twinkling of an eye--come!"

As Basil uttered these words, he strode off towards the spot where they
had butchered the big-horns. On reaching it he drew his hunting-knife;
and having spread out one of the skins, proceeded to cut it into strips.
Lucien, at once guessing his design, assisted him in the operation;
while Francois was sent back to the head of the ravine, in order to
watch the bear.

In a few minutes the brothers had cut up both of the hides, until the
ground was covered with long strips. These they knotted firmly
together--placing cross-pieces of pine branches in the knots--until they
had made a raw-hide rope over one hundred feet in length!

They now proceeded to a convenient point of the cliff--where a pine-tree
grew near its edge--and tied one end of the new-made rope around the
trunk. To the other end they fastened Marengo, the three guns--for
Francois had arrived upon the ground--and, along with these, a large
stone--in order to test the strength of the rope before any of
themselves should venture upon it. All these things were now lowered
down until they could see them resting upon the prairie below.

The rope was next made taut above; and the weight of the stone--which
was too heavy for Marengo to move--kept all fast below. Francois
slipped down the rope first. There was but little difficulty in his
doing so; as the pieces of wood formed rests, or steps, that prevented
him from sliding too fast. Lucien followed next, and then Basil; so
that in less than half an hour, from the time that this plan of escape
had occurred to them, all three found themselves safe upon the level