y are safe. Look!" For the last two gradually passed on
out of our sight, and Gunson drew a long breath full of relief.

"Hah!" he ejaculated. "All right. Well, lads, if those fellows can do
it with the loads hanging from them, it ought to be easy for us. Who
goes first?"

There was no reply, and Gunson said quickly--

"Now, Quong, on with you."

"Me go 'long nex? All light."

He stepped down on the ledge, carefully catching hold of the rock, and
edged his way along without a moment's hesitation.

"There, Gordon," said Gunson, "that's the advantage of having a very
small brain. On with you next, Dean. I want to see you lads over
safe."

"But I ain't got a small brain," said Esau. "Won't you go first?"

"No. I went over the clatter slide first, and regretted it directly I
had started. I felt as if I ought to have been last. Now then, don't
hesitate."

"But--"

"Shall I go over, Esau?" I said. "Yes, please. One of my legs is a
bit stiff, and I think I'll take off my boots first."

By this time Quong had nearly reached the part where there was the
projection to go round, and I stepped down with something else to think
about, for I saw Gunson laughing rather contemptuously at Esau, who sat
down at once to remove his boots, his face scarlet with shame and
annoyance, for Gunson said mockingly--

"Don't take off the stiff leg too, my lad; you'll want it."

I glanced back, and caught Esau's eye, and fancied that I heard his
teeth click together as he gave a kind of snap, looking as if he would
like now to take my place for very shame.

But it was too late. I was already on the ledge, feeling for places to
get a hold, and finding that the rock was so full of cracks that I could
insert my fingers easily enough, and steady myself as I shifted my leg
along. Gunson had followed down close behind me.

"Well done!" he shouted, so as to be heard above the roar of the water.
"Don't look down at the river, my lad, but keep your eyes on the rock,
and you'll soon be over."

I made no attempt to reply, but kept sidling my way along slowly and
cautiously, and finding the task much easier than I thought it would
prove; in fact, if it had been solid ground below me instead of that
awful torrent, I felt that the task would have been nothing. It was the
thought that a slip would be fatal which made all the difference, and I
had hard work to resist the magnetic attraction of that writhing water,
which seemed