round so as to crawl the rest of the way head
first instead of feet.

It seemed very simple, but at the first trial his rifle caught tightly,
and he was attacked by a sensation as of something thrusting at him
hard, so that he closed his eyes and remained for some seconds with his
head projecting over the edge of the shelf before he shuffled himself
back into his former position, and then lay panting till the
breathlessness that had attacked him passed away, leaving a sensation of
anger against himself for his want of firmness.

"Oh, it's cowardly," he muttered fiercely. "I can't go on backwards,
and I must and will do it. But how?"

He thought more calmly at last, and it seemed plain enough. All he had
to do, it seemed, was to take fast hold of some projection in the rock,
so as to steady himself, and then--

No, that wouldn't do.

"I see," he panted the next minute. "Turn over on my back. But is
there room?"

This required a good deal of anxious thought, for failure meant plunging
down at once into the depths below.

"There must be room enough," he panted, "if I keep on edging myself
close to this great wall of rock."

He hesitated no longer, but setting his teeth hard and moving by inches,
and battling with the hindrances offered by the weapons he carried, he
wrenched himself round till he lay flat upon his back, gazing upward
calmly enough in spite of one terrible half-minute he had passed, when
it seemed to him that his rifle was acting as a lever to thrust him
right off.

"But that was only fancy," he said to himself now the danger was past,
"and all I have got to do is to take hold tightly of the rock with my
right-hand and of some block or projection in this wall with my left,
let my legs glide over the edge, and sit up. It only means my legs
swinging over the gulf. Then I can get on to my hands and knees and go
forward easily enough, while my rifle won't be in the way.

"Only means my legs swinging over the gulf," said Chris again, this time
aloud, in a peevish, low voice. "Only! Oh, I can't do it," he groaned,
and then breathlessly and without giving himself an opportunity to
shrink, he said aloud, "I will."

The next minute he had begun making the effort--seizing the edge of the
rock and reaching up overhead to feel about till his fingers sank into a
crevice, and then, panting heavily, he made one brave effort, holding on
tightly and letting his legs glide over, while he stiffly raised