It was a marvellous exhibition of coolness and skill.
Without waiting an instant, he began to stalk the goat, dodging
amongst the bushes with feet that clung to the steep sides of
the cliff as well as the animal's. Before he could reach her,
she had winded him, and was off up the track. He followed,
without further attempt to hide himself; but, despite his vigour
and ability, would, I fancy, have stood a microscopic chance of
catching her had she not been heavy with kid. As it was, he had
all his work cut out for him. When he did catch her, she made so
fierce it struggle for life and liberty that, in the endeavour to
hold her, he missed his insecure foothold, and the pair came
tumbling over and over down the cliff in a miniature avalanche of
stones and dust. At the bottom they both lay quiet for a time;
while I anxiously waited, fearing the rash fool was seriously
injured; but in a minute or two he was on his feet again.
Lashing the goat to his body, and ignoring her struggles, he
crawled out as far among the rocks as he could; then, at the
approach of a big breaker, he dived to meet it, coming up outside
its threatening top like a life-buoy. I pulled in, as near as I
could venture, to pick him up, and in a few minutes had him
safely on board again, but suffering fearfully.
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