lue, as it reflected
the pure sky, while other portions seemed one gorgeous, dazzling
damascene of molten metal, upon which Bart could hardly gaze.

Then there was the wonderful variety of the tints that adorned the
shrubs and creepers that were growing luxuriantly wherever they could
obtain a hold.

There were moments when Bart fancied that he could see the salmon plash
in the river, but he could make out the birds in the depths below as
they floated and skimmed about from shore to shore, and over the tops of
the trees that looked like shrubs from where he crouched.

Just then, as he was forgetting the absence of the Doctor in an intense
desire to explore the wonders of the canyon, to shoot in the patches of
forest, to fish in the river, and find he knew not what in those
wondrous solitudes where man had probably never yet trod, he heard a
call, and, brought back to himself from his visionary expedition, he
shouted a reply.

"The Beaver's coming to you, Bart. Lower yourself down, my boy, and
come."

These--the Doctor's words--sounded close at hand, but the speaker was
invisible.

"All right; I'll come," cried Bart; and as he spoke a feeling of
shrinking came over him, and he felt ready to draw back. But calling
upon himself, he went closer to the edge, trying to look under, and the
next moment there was the head of the Beaver just below, gazing up at
him with a half-mocking smile upon his face.

"You think I'm afraid," said Bart, looking down at him, "but I can't
help that. I'll come all the same;" and swiftly turning, he lowered
himself down till his body was hanging as it were in space, and only his
chest and elbows were on the shelf.

Then for a moment he seemed to hesitate, but he mastered the shrinking
directly after, and lowered himself more and more till he hung at the
extremity of his hands, vainly seeking for a foothold.

"Are you there, Beaver?" he shouted, and he felt his waist seized and
his sides pinioned by two strong hands, his own parted company from the
shelf, and he seemed to fall a terrible distance, but it was only a
couple of feet, and he found himself standing upon the solid rock, with
the shelf jutting out above his head, and plenty of room to peer about
amongst the clustering bushes that had here made themselves a home.

The chief smiled at his startled look, and pointing to the left, Bart
glanced sidewise at where the precipice went down, and then walked
onward cautiously along