Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-03-02
cnAPTER XIV.
The Knife and the Rope.


~ situation and made rapid
strides in learning the art OF
sticking TO wet and slippery ice The
little man was the first 10 speak.
Gee he said and minute later
IF you can dig in for a moment and
slack on the rope | can turn over
Try It."
Smoke made the effort. then rested
on the rope again. 81 can do it," he
said. ''Tell me when you're ready
and be quick"
about three feet down Is holding
for my heels" Carson said lit won't
take a moment Are you readyT
"Go on
1t was hard work to slide down "A
yard, turn over and sit up. But 1t was
even harder for Smoke 10 remain dat
tened and maintain position that
from instant To instant made a greater
call upon his muscles Az ii was. he
could feel the almost perceptible begin
ming OF the slip when the rope tight
ened, and he looked up into his com
panion's face. Smoke noted the yellow
pallor Of sun tan, forsaken by the
blood, and wondered what his own
complexion was like. But when he
saw Carson, with shaking fingers
tumble for his sheath knife he decid
ed the end had come. The man was IN
funk and was going to cut the rope
Don't m-mind MINNIE" the little
man chartered. Il amt scared It's
only my nerves, gosh dang them. III
bible all right In a minute
And Smoke watched him, doubled
over, his shoulders between his knees
shivering and awkward, holding a
slight tension on the rope with one
hand, while with the other he hacked
and gouged holes for his heels in the ice
Carson" he breathed up TO him
you're some bear, some bear"
The answering grin was CHASTITY and
pathetic. II never could stand height,
Carson confessed 1T always did get
me. DO you mind If | stop a minute
those heel holes deeper so / can heave
you up"
Smokes heart warmed. Look here
Carson; the thing for you to do is 10
cut the rope. You can never get me
up, and there's no use both OF US be
ing lost You can make II out with
your knife"
"You shut upF' was the hurt retort
who's running this?"
And Smoke could not help but see
that anger was good restorative for
the others nerves. As for himself, ii
was the more nerve racking strain
lying plastered against the ice with
nothing to do but strive to stick on.
A groan and quick cry OF Hold
on warned him. With face pressed
against the ice he made supreme
sticking effort, felt the rope slacken
and knew Carson was slipping toward
him. He did not dare look up until
he felt the rope tighten and knew the
other had again come to rest
Gee, that was a near gor' Carson
chartered II came down over n yard
Now. you wait I've got to dig new
holds"
Holding the few pounds OF strain
hcttSSdfg iof Cmoht Wftu Ills lell
hand, the little man jabbed and chop.
ped at the ice with his right. Ten
minutes Of this passed
Now, I'll tell you what I've done.
Carson called down. 1--WE made heel
holds and hand holds for you along
side Of me. I'm going to heave the
rope in slow and easy. and you just
come along sticking and not too fast
I'll tell you what, first of all. I'll take
you on the rope, and you worry out OF
that pack. Get me?'
Smoke nodded, and with infinite care
unbuckIed his pack straps With a
wriggle OF the shoulders he dislodged
the pack, and Carson saw it slide over
the bulge and out OF sight
NOW. I'm going 70 ditch mine" he
called down You just take IL easy
and wait"
Five minutes later the upward strug
gle began Smoke. after drying his
hands on the insides Of bis arm sleeves,
clawcd into the cllmb-bellied and
clung and stuck and plastered-
tanned aud helped by the pull Of the
rope. Alone. he could not have nd
vanced
A third OF the way up, where the
pitch was sleeper and the ice less
eroded. he felt the strain on the rope
decreasing. he moved slower and
slower. Here was no place to stop aud