"Now, lie down by my
side, and work yourself backwards. Go over on one side of the cushion,
for you might otherwise displace it. I will hold your wrists and let
you over. Dick will hold the rope. I will put it fairly on the
cushion. Then I shall take it and stand close to the edge, and pay it
out gradually as you go down. If you should find any projecting piece
of rock, call out 'Stop!' I will hold on at once. We can then talk
over how we can best avoid the difficulty. When you are down, and I
tell you Dick is coming, take hold of one of the steps, and hold the
ladder as firmly as you can, so as to prevent it from swaying about.
"Now, are you ready?"
"Quite ready," Surajah said, in a firm voice.
Dick, who was standing five or six yards back, tightened the rope.
Gradually he saw Surajah's figure disappear over the edge.
"Slack out a little bit," his father said. "That is right. I have got
it over the cushion. Now hold it firmly until I am on my feet. That is
right. Now pay it out gradually."
It seemed an endless time, to Dick, before his father exclaimed:
"The strain is off! Thank God, he has got down all right!"
A minute later there was a slight pull on the rope, and the captain
paid it out until he heard a call from below.
Pages:
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532