The Pony Rider Boys in the Rockies
de. Running to the edge of the cliff,
o caught the plaintive
ad manifested the slightest sign of excitement. Just now, howeve
g near the masked edge of the cliff. "You'll all be over if you don't have a care.
manded the Profe
Don't move an inch. I'm going back for a torch," he c
e Professor, not observing
d, pointing to the ledge of roc
-I know
! Walt's alive! But I don't kno
ad framed itself on the
d out in an ind
we going to do, Thomas-how
ast them, and, dropping down, leaned over the cliff,
d Tad tremulously, c
es down there. But I ain't
and shadows. Where is it tha
the edge of the light space made by
are coming. Hey, Walter! Where are you?" "H-e-r-e," was the faint response. "All rig
erfectly still," warned t
made some reply that was
ing to do, I'd like
a tough job. If I had a couple of mountaineers who knew th
and let it down to
the cook tent and tell Jose to give you those rawhid
the briefest possible time came racing back with the leather coils, which he to
ping over the shoulders of a man. This he dropped over the brink, after splicing two lariats together, and
e reaches you. Can you slip it over your sho
as no r
n there!" s
ndered Tad. "H-e-l
depths in answer to the boy's hail. T
" asked the Pr
d lasso him and haul him up. But I don't dare try it. Then again, these roots o
happened to him?" asked
ll grown man. Ain't no use to expect him to hook himself onto the line, even if he does wake up," decided t
to do? We've got to ge
ver after him,"
won't do it. Something else besides say
uld you
t. "That's the only way we can reach him," explained Lige, dangling t
t dark place? Oh!
cided the Professor sharply. "I could not think of allow
ed Ned Rector, stepping forward, w
Tad. "I am the one to go after Walt, if
gazing at the two boys approvingly. "It
y will," interrupted
Professor. "You yourself
e, shortly. "You'd have both of us at the botto
r when you are
ests, slipped the noose over Tad's shoulders, and, drawing it down and up under his arms
ut, before removing the rope from your own body, make sure that you are safe. If you find the support too weak to bear your weight, let me know. I'll send down another rope to which you ca
derst
you r
es
down on a shelf of rock at the edge
did he betray the slightest nervousness. Yet Tad Butler realized fully the perilous nature of his undertaking, and t
e line drew taut. After winding the end tightly a
rally more so for the boy who was about to desce
d the guide in a
ver the ledge, his right hand holding the torch, his left firmly gripping the
whide slip slowly around the trunk of the tree. As he did so
The movement sent his body sw
to steady himself, Tad wisely concluded that
d the guide. "Better lie down so you, too, don't take a notion
ce on the part of the little group at the top of the canyou. After what
ade fast the l
e answered, leani
ural to those above. "He's so far to the right of me that I
re i
a pinyon tree, I think it i
," cautioned t
laced under the rope so as to relieve the strain of the rock upon it, that there
ht. Now
feet below them, at the end of a slender line. Lige, leaning over the brink, was able to fo
point, and the watching guide knew that the cou
of the light far below them, the guide understood that the lad was at wor
or, unable to restrain his impatience longer, his
the best he can. Mebby you think he's having so
-l r
and clear, rose from t
sked Lige, making a m
w," was the answer that carried with it such a note of glad
e line, and stepping to the edge that he might command bot
g!" answer
ed only because the warning eyes of the guide were upon them, the two boys,
the guide gripped Walter by an arm an
ng struck on the yielding branches of the pinyon, which broke his fall and saved his life. Beyond sundry bruises, a black eye and a t
branches of the pinyon tree, with fifty feet of nothingness benea
m his grasp, the fagots scattering as they slipped down between the limbs of the tree and
the slender support with grim courage until a hail from above tol
n Tad had first descended, and the boy grasped eagerly at
to the top, amid the wild cheers of his companions and