he made a detour of about half a mile in order to cross
the mountain stream; for to cross it at the spot which he had chosen
for his ambush would have been impossible, owing to the depth and
swiftness of the current.

After fording the stream at the further point---under protest from
Keno, who picked his way very carefully and grudgingly over the
treacherous rocky bed---Ralph dismounted and tied the horse to a
tree. Then he walked carefully along the base of the cliff,
crawling or jumping from one rock to another, taking advantage
of every slight projection, and holding his breath for dread lest
he slip and hurl himself into the foaming water. At last he came
to the foot of the rock where, but a short time ago, the eagles
were devouring their breakfast. There he paused to get his wind
and to look for the fallen bird.

Quite out of reach, on the ledge above his head, the female eagle
lay stunned and broken-winged, but still alive. To scale the
cliff was not possible, for here it sloped sharply out over its
base, where it had been worn smooth by the stream at some previous
age when the water was swollen higher. There were no trailing
vines or overhanging saplings strong enough to bear Ralph's weight;
but, foreseeing this very obstacle, he had brought a rope which
he now uncoiled from around his waist. He flung it dexterously
over the ledge. To his utter surprise, it caught there at the
middle, while the other end dangled within his grasp. He seized
it, gave a few strong tugs at each end of the rope to make certain
it was secure, leaving his coat and rifle on the ground, and then
he began to climb up, hand-over-hand.

Gaining the ledge, he at once saw the wounded bird. After a short,
sharp struggle, he dispatched her, and was in the act of tying
the lifeless body to his hunting belt when he was startled suddenly
by a loud whir of wings, and something hit him a stinging blow on
the back of his head. The male eagle, attracted by the shrill
cries of its mate, had come to the rescue!

A hasty glance over his shoulder showed him an alarming glimpse of
the mighty potentate of the air bent on revenge for the death of
his mate. Ralph ducked just in time to escape another blow from
those powerful wings, and he struck out wildly with his right arm,
missing the winged warrior by a mere inch. He saw that he was
going to wage battle, then and there, on the face of that
precipitous cliff.

As he drew his long huntin