, having
started, there was no turning back. To attempt to wheel about, in
order to retrace their steps, was more perilous than to push on, while
to stand still was hardly less dangerous.

The moonlight gave such slight help that the four depended almost
wholly upon the instinct of their animals. Hercules never faltered,
but advanced with the slow, plodding, undeviating certainty of those
of his kind who thread their way through the treacherous passes of the
Alps. Once his hind hoof struck a stone which went bounding down the
precipice on his left, until at the end of what seemed several
minutes, it lay still at the bottom. Neither animal nor rider showed
the least fear, for in truth both were accustomed to little slips like
that.

"I'm blessed if this isn't the most ticklish business that I ever
attempted," muttered Captain Dawson; "I never had anything like it in
the army; it reminds me of scouting between the lines, when you expect
every second a bullet from a sharpshooter--"

At that instant his horse stepped on a round, loose stone which turned
so quickly that before he could recover himself the hoof followed the
stone over the edge of the precipice. The horse snorted and struggled
desperately, and the brave rider felt an electric shock thrill through
him from head to foot, for there was one moment when he believed
nothing could save them from the most frightful of deaths.

The left hind leg had gone over the rocky shelf, which at that point
was very narrow, and the hoof was furiously beating vacancy in the
despairing effort to find something upon which to rest itself. His
body sagged downward and the rider held his breath.

"Steady, my boy!" he called, and with rare presence of mind allowed
the rein to lie free so as not to disconcert the steed.

The tremendous struggle of the intelligent animal prevailed and with a
snort he recovered his balance and all four feet stood upon firm
support.

"That was a close call," observed the parson, whose heart was in his
mouth, while the brief fight for life was going on.

"It was so close that it couldn't have been any closer," coolly
commented the captain, fully himself again.

CHAPTER XIX

A COLLISION

At this moment, the cheery voice of Adams called:

"There's only about a hundred yards more of this, but we've now struck
the worst part of the whole trail."

"If it is any worse than what we have just passed, it won't do to try
it," replied Captain D