Part 52 (1/2)
I was in no humour to argue, with the perilous crossing before me, so I remained silent.
”I said--and not so much as a walking-stick to help us.”
”Yes, Esau, I heard you.”
”Then why don't you say something?”
”What can I say? Only be plucky and go.”
”There you go again! Oh, it does aggravate me. Now you want me to go off first.”
”No; I'll go first if you like; but I should like to see you safe over.”
”That's just what I feel about you. I say--if I fall I shall go head over heels down, like a ball.”
”No, no; you must drop into a sitting position, and slide down.”
”If you can,” grumbled Esau. ”Oh dear, I wish I hadn't come. I'd give all I've got to be sitting down in old Dempster's office, with him bullying me about a mistake in the copying.”
”Come along!” came like an echo over the stones, and even that sound sent a few stones sliding down as I looked across and saw Gunson with his hands to his mouth, while just then I saw something which quite cheered me. For there was a faint curl of smoke rising up from among the trees, and I knew that it was Quong making a fire to get us some tea.
”There, Esau,” I said, ”Quong's getting ready to cook something. Come, you go, and let's have a rest and a good meal.”
”Ready to cook indeed! Why the sun's cooking one side of me now.
There, look at that.”
”Yes,” I said, as I looked in the direction indicated; ”some kind of eagle.”
”Yes; flying away as easily as he likes. Don't it seem a shame that a stupid bird should be able to go along like that, and we have to climb and fall down?”
”Oh, I can't argue about that,” I said, desperately, as, somewhat in doubt whether I could balance my pack on my head, I raised it there and stood perfectly still. ”I'm going to take a long breath and then start.”
”Here, what yer going to do?” he cried. ”I ain't going to be left all alone here.”
”Well, then, go first.”
”But I can't go first and leave you. S'pose you can't get over after, or tumble down, what am I to say to that Mr John?”
”What an unreasonable fellow you are, Esau!” I cried angrily.
”There, you're getting nasty with me. That's right. Now I ask you, ain't a fix like this enough to make any fellow unreasonable?”
”But if we've got it to do, why not do it?”
”Come on!” Gunson shouted, and I took two steps forward, when, bringing up his pack, Esau made a desperate plunge and got before me, sending quite an avalanche of stones down as he shouted--
”Me first!--you wait.”
I had no alternative but to step back to the easier slope, and regain my position, while Esau went on tramp, tramp, balancing himself steadily, but instead of striking up the slope he kept straight on for a time, and gradually sinking lower and lower as he went farther away.