ding up to the top of the cliff. Having
provided themselves with a strong iron bar, a rope, and several stout
sticks, Frank and Dick started out for Ben Galt, accompanied by a Scotch
gillie. They climbed to the top of the cliff without much difficulty,
and drove the iron bar firmly into a crevice of the rock. Then Frank
tied one end of the rope round his waist, and having fastened the other
to the iron bar, he passed the middle of the rope round it in a loop,
and told the others how to pay it out in sailor fashion. This done he
dropped over the edge of the cliff, and began his descent.

The boys had seen the eagles starting out upon their morning hunt, as
they were on their way to Ben Galt. The birds were nowhere in sight when
Frank swung himself from the cliff, and he had no fear of an attack. He
was careful, nevertheless, to carry a good stout stick with him. He
dropped upon the edge where the nest was built, and drew down just
enough rope to allow him to move about freely. The nest was a flat pile
or floor of sticks, covered with rushes, heath, and grass. It was not
hollowed out, but the eaglets upon it were protected to some extent by
the overhanging of the cliff itself. About the nest lay the scattered
bones of hares, rabbits, and moor-fowl, with here and there a larger one
which might have belonged to some young lamb or kid.

Frank stood looking at the nest for a few minutes before he took up one
of the young birds. The eaglet gaped hungrily as he lifted it up, and
made a sort of screeching noise, struggling apparently to reach
something behind Frank. He turned quickly, and was horrified to see one
of the parent birds sweeping up from the valley below. His first impulse
was to give the signal for those above to haul him up, and to jump off
the edge at once; but a moment's reflection showed him that it would be
foolish to do so. The eagle was close upon him, and he saw that he would
be much more helpless dangling at the end of a rope, than standing
firmly upon his feet. So he withdrew as far as he could under the
shelter of the overhanging rock, and waited, stick in hand, for the
angry bird. As it came up, he hit out with all his force. It was well
that he had remained where he was, for the eagle was placed at a
disadvantage by having to draw in its wings in order to approach him.
With gaping beak and extended claws it flew at him, but before it could
touch him he delivered another heavy blow at its neck, and three