Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-25

advance, and as for retreating all
thoughts Of that had been long aban-
Goned
After I had slgnified my assent. Toby,
without uttering a single word. crawled
along the dripping ledge until ne
gained a point from which he could
just reach one of the largest of the
hanging roots. He shook it. 1t quiv-
cred in his grasp. and when he let it
go it twanged in the air like a strong
wire sharply struck. Satisfied by his
scrutiny. my light-limbed companion
swung himself nimbly upon it, and,
twisting his legs around it in sailor
fashion, slipped down or 10 feet,
where his weight gave it motion not
unlike that OF pendulum. He could
not venture To descend any farther So,
holding on with one hand. he with the
other shook one by one all the slender
roots around him, and at last. finding
enc which he thought trustworthy.
shifted himself to 1t and continued his
downward progress.
So far so we'll, but I could not avoid
comparing my heavier frame and
weakened condition from a snake bite
with his light figure and remarkable
activity. But there was no help for it
and IN less than q minutes time l was
swinging directly over his head. AS
soon as his upturned eyes caught
glimpse Of me he exclaimed in his usual
dry tone, Tor the danger did not seem
TO daunt him in the least:
Mate. do me the kindness not TO
fall until I get out of your way" And
then swinging himself more on one
side he continued his descent.
In the meantime I cautiously trans
ferred myself from the limb down
which | had been slipping To couple
OF others that were near il. dsemins
two strings to my bow better than one
and taking care to test their strength
first
On arriving toward what may be
called the second stage of this vertical
journey, and shaking the long roots
which were around me. to my cOnSter-
nation they snapped of one after an
other like so many pipe stems. and fell
III fragments against the side of the
gulf. Splashing at last into the waters
beneath.
As one after another the treacherous
roots yielded to my grasp and fell into
the torrent my heart sank within me
The branch on which ! was suspended
over the yawning ChaSm swung TO and
fro in air. and l expected them every
moment to snap in twain Appalled, a;
the dreadful fate that menaced me. I
clutched at the only large root which
remained rear me- but in vain.
could not reach II, though my fingers
were within q few inches Of It. Again
and again / tried 10 reach it. until at
length. maddeneo with the thought OF
ny situation, l Swayed myself violently
BY striking my foot against the side OF
The rock and at the instant that | ap-
preached the large root caught deSper-
ateiy AT 1t and transferred myself e IT,
II vibrated violently under the sudden
weight, but fortunately did not give
way
My brain grew dizzy with the idea OF
the trlghtful risk l had gust run, and
inVoiuntarlly closed my eyes to shut
cut the view of the depth beneath me.
For the instant | was safe, and | Ut
tered dev0ut ejaculation of thanks
giving fer my escape.
Pretty well donei" shouted Toby be-
meath me You are nimbler than |
thought you 10 be, hopping about up
there from root to root like any Young
squirrel AS soon as YOU have diverted
yourself sufficiently | would advise you
TO proceed"
Aye. aye, Toby. all in good time.
Two or three more such famous roots
as this, and | shall be with YOU"
The remainder of my downward prog
reSS WAS comparatively easy. The roots
were IN greater abundance. and in one
or two places ]utting-out points OF
rocks assisted me greatly In a few
moments l was standing by the side OF
my intrepid companion.