ok down
again, and then make quite a convulsive clutch at the rock, against
which he now rested motionless, and without making an effort to move.

"Is he resting?" I shouted.

"No; lost his nerve entirely," said Gunson. "Stop where you are and
hold my rifle."

He thrust it into my hand, and then went quickly along the ledge back to
where Esau stood motionless, and I saw him go to the poor fellow and
speak to him.

Esau raised his head and looked at him as I thought piteously, and then
once more he began to edge his way along, step by step, with Gunson
close by him, and, as it seemed to me, through the mist which rose from
the water, holding one arm behind him to help him along.

Very soon, though, I saw what had been done. The Indian had stretched
out one of the spears he carried behind Esau, and Gunson had hold of the
other end, so that as they held it the shaft formed a rail behind Esau's
back, giving him more moral than real support, but sufficient to
encourage him to try, with the result that they soon came so near that I
had to creep back along round the corner; and a few minutes later we
were on better ground, where the Indians raised the packs once more, and
again led the way onward, with Esau and me last.

We trudged on in silence for nearly an hour before Esau spoke. I had
tried to draw him into conversation several times, but he had preserved
a sulky silence, which annoyed me, and I went on just in front, for of
course we were in single line. All at once he said loudly--

"'Tain't my fault."

"What is not?"

"That. I was born and brought up to walk on flag-stones. I was never
meant to do this sort of thing; if I had been, mother would have paid
for me to learn to walk on tight-ropes."

"There," I said, "you got over it. Never mind now."

"But I ain't got over it, and I do mind now," he cried angrily. "How
would you like to be laughed at because you were thought to be a coward?
And I ain't one, I'm sure."

"Of course you are not."

"But of course I am, and you know I am. I never expected British
Columbia was made like this. Here's a pretty place! Why, it's just as
if the world had been split open ever so far, and we was obliged to walk
along the bottom of the crack."

"Yes," I said, as I looked up the side of the canon to where the sky
seemed to be a mere strip above our heads; "but then see how awfully
grand it is."

"Oh, yes, I know it's awfully enough, but I don't see no grand