Part 5 (1/2)

Thad had come to the same conclusion some time before; and somehow the idea gave him more or less satisfaction. How often was it being made patent that the very fact of a boy taking up with the scouts might prove one of the most valuable a.s.sets he could possess. If the boy on the ledge--for they insisted on believing that this Aleck Rawson _must_ be a fellow of perhaps their own age--had not known how to communicate by means of the telegraphic code, he might have had considerably greater difficulty in letting them know of his predicament, and asking for immediate a.s.sistance.

Of course, there were plenty of knotty things that none of them pretended to be able to explain; but then Thad felt sure all would be made clear, once they had drawn the other up from his dangerous position on that ledge, down along the face of the precipice, that had been a cliff when they were below it.

Now and then they would come to a pause, it being necessary that the guide take an observation, in order to locate their position. He had several ways for doing this, and Thad, as well as Allan, understood enough about them to know that Toby was ”making good.”

It was all so much Greek however to Giraffe, who fretted considerably because there was any delay, the need of which he could not understand.

But in the end the guide announced that he believed they must now be about over the identical spot from which the fire signals had come. A dark void down below told where the great valley lay. The moon, about in the full now, was hanging there just above the opposite range, and lighting up their wild surroundings.

”Seems to me we ought to see him, if he's still there?” grumbled Giraffe, just as though he meant to hint that if the imperiled boy had lost his hold, and fallen, it would be partly because they had been so slow in getting there.

”Perhaps we may,” replied Thad, as Toby crawled to the edge to peer over; ”but it wouldn't surprise me if we found that the face of the precipice backed in, and that would keep us from sighting the ledge, or any one on it.”

”Looky! there's Toby beckonin' to us. Come on, fellers!” and the eager Giraffe started to move toward the edge of the descent.

Knowing that Giraffe was inclined to be reckless in his haste, Thad kept close beside him, and whispered words of warning.

”Slow now, Giraffe,” he said; ”be careful, because we wouldn't like to have you take a plunge down there. You'd never know what hurt you, if you did.”

Thus warned the other did slow up a little; but quickly they all reached a position where they could stretch their necks, and look over.

The moonlight fell on the face of the precipice. They could even see away down near the base, where the sharp rocks that had fallen during countless years in the past were piled up in ugly ma.s.ses. Just as Thad had remarked, if any one did have the hard luck to fall over, he would never know what hurt him.

”It does slant in below, Thad!” said Giraffe, the first thing.

”Yes, and we've got to call out to learn whether he's there or not,”

returned the scoutmaster; then raising his voice a little he said:

”h.e.l.lo! Aleck, are you here?”

Immediately they heard an exclamation of delight, and then came a reply:

”Yes, yes, and right underneath you too, I think. Have you got a rope along with you?”

”Just what we have; and I hope it's going to be long enough,” replied Thad.

”Then quick, tie a stone to the end, and lower away. When you have got it down opposite to me, give a swing in and out. I can take hold easy enough, if you do that,” came from below, in the eager tones of one in whose heart new hope had taken lodgment.

Thad lost no time in fastening on a piece of stone, after which he started to lower away, all the while listening, hoping to hear a cry that the stone had gone down far enough. As he was getting perilously near the end of the rope, his heart had begun to misgive him, when suddenly came a hail:

”Hold on! that is far enough! Now, keep a tight grip up there!”

”Get hold with me, the rest of you,” said Thad, allowing the guide to be first; for he wished to take as much advantage of Toby's great strength 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 rea.s.sure Aleck.