n."

The man laughed unpleasantly, and Nic felt an involuntary dislike to
him.

"But I heard them call you Leather."

"Leatherhead generally," said the man roughly: "because I'm such a
fool."

"Then it's a nickname," cried the boy, thinking instantly of his own
annoyance at school. "I say, I'm very sorry: I didn't know. What is
your name?"

"Call me the same as the others do," said the man roughly. "Leather
will do."

"Oh, but I should be sorry to say anything to hurt you."

"I'm used to it, young gentleman. Well, what is it? Does your father
want me?"

"Oh no: I'm having a walk to see the country. I want to find the
Bluff."

"You are on the Bluff," said the man, in his surly tones.

"Oh yes, I know. The whole place is called the Bluff. But I mean where
you can stand on the edge and look down into a great gap thousands of
feet deep."

"Look round."

Nic looked about him, and then back at the bitter-countenanced man.

"What am I to look at?"

"Can't you see the edge of the Bluff?"

The man took a few paces, winding among the low growth, and Nic followed
him, to start back directly in alarm.

"Nothing to mind," said the man; but Nic did not see the freedom from
danger, and he involuntarily caught hold of a handful of twigs at the
top of the nearest bush to steady himself, as he gazed away down into a
mighty valley whose sides looked to be sheer and whose bottom was
thousands of feet below. It was like looking down into an open country
shut in by a perpendicular wall of mountains where a glittering river
ran, and the trees were dwarfed into tiny shrubs, while patches of
forest looked like tufts of grass. The colours were glorious; but for
the moment the boy felt nothing but that breathless, shrinking sensation
which attacks some people upon a height; and he said huskily:

"How horrible!"

"Yes," said the man gloomily. "Right: how horrible!" and he scowled
down at the vast depression.

"No, no," cried Nic excitedly. "How lovely--glorious--grand!"

"No," said the man, without turning his head; "how horrible!"

"Oh no," cried Nic again. "I did not mean it. I was startled. It
looks so deep. How do you get down?"

"Step over the edge and fall," said the man bitterly.

"What?"

"One good step and down you would go, and be out of your misery."

"Oh, nonsense," cried Nic. "It's wonderful. Show me the way to go
down."

"What, go first?"

"Yes."

The man uttered a strange la