between the blocks,
which often lay like huge courses of quarried stone.

Then, as he hung there breathing heavily, he found his voice:

"Mike!" he shouted; and the answer came in a smothered tone from the
other slope of the steep ridge.

"Hullo!"

"Can you help me?"

"No: can't move; if I do you'll pull me over."

There was a terrible silence for what seemed to be minutes, but they
were moments of the briefest, before Vince spoke again.

"Can you hold on?"

Silence, broken by a peculiar rustling, and then Mike said: "I think so.
I've got my hand wedged in a crack; but I can't hold on long with my
head down like this. Look sharp! Climb up."

"Look sharp--climb up!" muttered Vince, as, raising his left hand, which
had been holding on to a projection in the rock at his side, he reached
up, and, trying desperately, he managed to get hold of the doubled-over
fold at the bottom of his companion's trouser, cramping his fingers over
it, and getting a second good hold.

It does not seem much to read, but it took a good deal of his force out
of him, and he lay still, panting.

"Pray look sharp," came from the other side.

"Yes. Hold on," cried Vince, as a horrible sensation began creeping
through him, which he felt was preparatory to losing his nerve and
falling: "I'm going to turn over."

"No, no--don't," came faintly. "I can't hold on."

"You must!" shouted Vince fiercely. "Now!"

Clutching desperately at the frail cloth, he gave himself a violent
wrench and rolled himself right over upon his face, searching quickly
with his toes for some support, and feeling them glide over the surface
again and again, till a peculiar sensation of blindness began to attack
him. Then a thrill of satisfaction ran through his nerves, for one boot
toe glided into the fault between two blocks, and the tension upon his
muscles was at once relieved.

"I can't help it," came faintly to his ears. "You're dragging me over.
Help! help!"

_Croak_! came in a hoarse, barking note, and the great raven floated
across them not a dozen feet above their heads.

"All right!" cried Vince. "I can manage now." And he felt about with
his other foot, found a projection, and having now two resting-places
for his feet, one higher than the other, he cautiously drew himself up,
inch by inch, till his chin was level with his hands, when, taking a
deep, long breath, he forced his toe well against the rock, trusting to
a slight projection; a