ver him. Now he found himself alongside
Claude. The boy's face was the color of ashes;

Hugh had never looked upon a corpse in all his life, but he could not
help comparing Claude's pallid countenance to one.

He was glancing around with the eye of a general who lets nothing,
no matter how trivial, escape him. Just a foot below Claude's dangling
toes there was a narrow ledge. If only both of them could find
lodgment upon this, and have some hold above for their hands, they
might maintain their position until Hugh's shouts attracted "Just"
Smith to the spot, and he could do something to aid them.

"Listen, Claude," he said earnestly. "There's a way to save you,
if only you keep your head about you. 'Just' Smith is coming along
the road, and I'll shout out to guide him here so he can help us."

"But---the bush is going to give way right off!" gasped the terrified
boy.

"Well, below us there's a ledge where we must plant our feet, and hold
on," continued Hugh, convincingly. "I'm going to drop down to it now.
Then you must try to lower yourself along the bush, inch by inch, until
you feel the ledge under you. Don't be afraid, because I mean to grab
hold of you; but when you feel me touching you, above all things don't
let go above, or you'll throw us both down. Now, be ready, Claude;
and, remember, it's going to be all right. Keep cool!"

Of course, Hugh only said that last to reassure the poor chap. Claude
was already cold with as cold as an icicle, in fact; and quaking with
fear in the bargain.

It was easy enough for Hugh to drop down another foot or so, until
he felt the solid little ledge under him. Indeed, had it been necessary,
such an agile fellow very likely might have continued all the way
down to the base of the precipice.

His next move was to find a firm hold for his left hand, to which he
could continue to cling while he sustained much of the weight of the
other boy, after the weakened roots of the bush gave way entirely.

Claude was trying to do what he had been told, though in rather a
bungling fashion. Inch by inch he allowed the bush to slip through
his hands, looking down as well as he was able at the same time, in
order to ascertain just how near he might be to that same ledge Hugh
had told him of.

CHAPTER XI

THE CRISIS IN CLAUDE'S LIFE

Hugh kept a watchful eye on that bush. He knew it was going to give
way presently, when, unless Claude had managed to secure a fre