trength as possible, when it came time for the hard pulling.

Thad started to swing the rope inward and outward, as he had been
directed. A minute later, and the one below called again:

"There, I've got it, all right; and I find you were smart enough to
make a loop for my foot. Tell me when you're ready, and I'll let loose
down here. It'll be a heavy load; and I hope you won't let the rope
slip through."

Looking down at the dim vacancy far below Thad felt that the other had
some reason for feeling a trifle worried over the possibility of an
accident; so he hastened to reassure Aleck.

"Four of us have hold here, and one is a strong man; so don't believe
anything is going to happen to you, Aleck. Tell us when you're going;
it's all right up here with us."

"Then I'm off!"

With the words they felt a sudden heavy strain, and knew that the
speaker had allowed himself to swing clear of the ledge, as he
suggested he would do.

"Careful now, everybody!" warned cautious Thad; "there's no hurry
about it; and we don't want to knock him to hard against the face of
the wall. Easy, Giraffe, Rome wasn't built in a day; and slow makes
sure, sometimes. This is one of them."

While Thad was speaking in this manner, he lay close to the edge of
the abyss, so he could guide the rope, and avoid letting it be cut by
any sharp stone; and at the same time watch out below.

Foot by foot did the guide, assisted by the two scouts, draw the
imperiled one upward. Presently Thad could see him plainly below,
swinging a little, turning around also, but always coming closer and
closer.

He was reminded somewhat of Smithy's little adventure on the preceding
day; only in his case there had been really very little danger,
although at the time the poor fellow had not known but that a thousand
feet of space lay below him, rather than a beggarly five, as was later
on discovered.

Now Thad could stretch out a hand, and touch the other.

"Slower still; he's right here, boys!" he cautioned.

Then he got a grip himself, and held on. Giraffe came to his
assistance; while Allan and the guide continued to grip the rope. One
supreme effort, in which the one they were saving did his part; and
then Aleck Rawson climbed alongside his young rescuers, panting hard
with the exertion he had been through.

Giraffe felt like giving a shout; but somehow he knew Thad would frown
on any such demonstration. When scouts were in a region where danger
of any k