"I hope so, indeed; for by Saint Olaf I shall never succeed in getting
out of this scrape myself."

It was evident that the tourist had lost none of his presence of mind;
but his fall had probably disabled him, and all he could do now was to
keep himself upon the narrow shelf of rock that separated him from the
abyss.

Meanwhile Hulda continued her descent, and in a few minutes reached
the traveler; then, bracing her foot against a projecting point in the
rock, she caught hold of his hand.

The traveler involuntarily attempted to raise himself a little.

"Don't move, sir, don't move," cried Hulda. "You will be sure to drag
me down with you, for I am not strong enough to keep you from falling!
You must wait until my brother reaches us. When he gets between us and
the fall you can then try to get up."

"That is more easily said than done I fear."

"Are you so much hurt, sir? I hope you have broken no bones."

"No; but one leg is badly cut and scratched."

Joel was about twenty yards from them, the rounded shape of the brow
of the cliff having prevented him from joining them at once. He was
now obliged to climb this rounded surface. This was, of course, the
most difficult and also the most dangerous part of his task.

"Don't make the slightest movement, Hulda!" he cried. "If you should
both slip while I am not in a position to break your fall you would
both be killed."

"You need not fear that, Joel!" replied Hulda. "Think only of
yourself, and may God help you!"

Joel began to crawl slowly up the rock, dragging himself along on his
belly like a veritable reptile. Two or three times he narrowly
escaped sliding down into the abyss below, but finally he succeeded in
reaching the traveler's side.

The latter proved to be an elderly but still vigorous-looking
man, with a handsome face, animated with a very genial and kindly
expression.

"You have been guilty of a very imprudent act, sir," remarked Joel as
soon as he recovered his breath.

"Imprudent!" repeated the traveler. "Yes, and as absurd as it was
imprudent."

"You have not only risked your life, but--"

"Made you risk yours."

"Oh! that is my business," replied Joel, lightly. Then he added, in
an entirely different tone: "The thing to be done now is to regain the
brow of the cliff, but the most difficult part of the task is already
accomplished."

"The most difficult?"

"Yes, sir. That was to reach you. Now we have only to ascend a much
more g