rn your axe into an anchor if we want its help. Work--hard!"

Saxe drove his axe down on to the ice with vigour, blow after blow
sending the tiny crystals flying, while he had to fight down the intense
desire to leave off and watch the rescue, as Dale began to lower the
noose he had made.

"Is it long enough?--is it long enough?" he muttered, as he rapidly
passed the rope through his hands, Saxe giving a side glance from time
to time as he picked away.

Down went the whole length of the guide's line, and the knot passed
Dale's hands, after which the weight was sufficient to draw down the new
rope, whose rings uncoiled rapidly, and, as their number grew fewer,
Saxe breathed hard, and he echoed Dale's words, "Will it be long
enough?"

The last coil but three--the last coil but two--the last coil but one--
the last coil; and Dale's nervous right hand closed upon the very end,
and he went close to the brink and looked down at the light.

"Can you reach it?" he shouted.

There was a pause, and then the voice came up--

"No! Lower a little more."

Dale groaned. Then, lying down, he held his hands close to the edge,
giving quite another three feet to the length.

"Can you reach it now?"

"No."

"How far off is it above you?"

There was a pause, and then--

"I can just touch it with the end of my finger. I am lying down, and
holding on with one hand and my ice-axe. If I could use my axe, I could
pull it down."

"No, no!" shouted Dale. "The rope is all out. Stop: if I give you
another two feet, can you get your arm well through the noose I have
made, and hang on?"

"I will try."

"Come here, Saxe. I am going to lean over the edge and hold the rope
down as far as I can reach. Drive the head of your axe into the hole
you have made, and hold on with one hand; take hold of my ankle with the
other. There will be no strain upon you, but it will give me strength
by holding me in my place."

The axe was driven in to hold like an anchor, and Saxe shuddered as he
held by the handle and took a good grip of Dale by thrusting his fingers
in at the top of his heavy mountaineering boot.

Then Dale shuffled himself as far over the brink as he dared, and
stretched his arms down to their full extent.

"Now: can you do it?"

Another terrible pause.

"No, herr."

Dale groaned, and was wondering whether he could achieve his aim by
drawing up the rope, re-knotting it, and making the noose smaller, but
just th