the
path would be reasonably easy. All remembered the shelf and the ravine;
the question was merely whether the first lay beneath them, and as near as
Daggett supposed. A mistaken confidence beset the last, and he carried
this feeling so far as to decline taking an end of a line which Roswell
threw to him, but seated himself on the snow and slid downward, passing
almost immediately out of sight.

"What has become of him?" demanded Roswell, endeavouring to pierce the air
by straining his eye-balls. "He is not to be seen!"

"Hold on to the line, sir, and give me the other end of it; I will go and
see," answered Stimson.

It being obviously the most hazardous to remain to the last, and descend
without the support of one above him, Roswell acquiesced in this proposal,
lowering the boat-steerer down the rock, until he too was hid from his
sight. But, though out of sight in that dense snow-storm, Stimson was not
so distant as to be beyond the reach of the voice.

"Go more to the right, sir," called out the seaman, "and steady me with
the line along with you."

This was done, the walking being sufficiently secure at the elevation
where Roswell was. Presently, Stimson shook the line, and called out
again.

"That will do, Captain Gar'ner," he said. "I am on the shelf _now_, and
have pretty good footing. Lay the line down on the snow, sir, and slide
as slowly as you can; mind and keep close at its side. I'll stand by to
fetch you up."

Gardiner understood all this perfectly, and did as he was desired to do.
By keeping near the line he reached the shelf precisely at the spot where
Stimson was ready to meet him; the latter arresting his downward movement
by throwing the weight of his own body forward to meet his officer. By
such a precaution Roswell was stopped in time, else would he have gone
over the shelf, and down a declivity that was so nearly perpendicular as
to offer no means of arresting the movement.

"And what has become of Captain Daggett?" demanded Gardiner, as soon as on
his feet again.

"I fear he has shot off the rock, sir," was the answer. "At the place
where I reached this shelf, it was so narrow I could with great difficulty
walk--could not, indeed, had not the line been there to steady me; and,
judging from the marks in the snow, the poor man has gone down helpless!"

This was appalling intelligence to receive at such a time, and in such a
place! But, Roswell was not unmanned by it; on the contrary, h