CHAPTER XXVIII.

AT THE END OF THE ROPE.

"Careful, everybody; we must be near the edge of the drop right now!"

When Donald said this in a low but thrilling tone, Billie drew himself up into as small a space as possible, and strained his eyes in the endeavor to discover for himself any danger that might threaten them.

He chanced to know what it meant to feel himself plunging downward through space, and was in no hurry to repeat the experience.

"There's the crooked tree you marked down, Donald," whispered Adrian; "right off there to the right."

"So it is," came the pleased response; "and that means we are just a little to the left of where I calculated to strike. Slowly now, all; and in three shakes of a lamb's tail we ought to be there."

Crawling carefully along the rough surface of the mountain in the direction of the crooked cedar that grew close to the edge of the steep precipice, which had appeared to their eyes when seen from below as a cliff, they presently reached their destination.

"That part's done, anyhow," the others heard Billie say to himself, with a certain air of relief that told how strained his nerves must be, what with all the excitement through which he had lately been compelled to pass.

Now, although they had as yet not told Billie about it, his chums had talked the matter over, and determined that one of their number should by rights stay there on the top of the precipice, while the others descended the rope to the shelf they felt sure lay just one-third of the way down the rocky wall.

And of course this should be Billie, for everything combined to mark him as the victim. He was so very heavy that it would be a task to get him up, once he managed to slide down the rope. Then again, he was inclined to be clumsy, and might in some way make a slip that would result in a sad tragedy. Last but far from least in the list, Billie was not fitted as well as they were to take part in a desperate enterprise like this.

And so all that remained to be done now was to tell him. Neither of them liked the job, but it must be done; and when Donald nudged Adrian, and whispered in his ear that he ought to speak, the other lost no time in doing so.

"You know, Billie," he said, getting his lips as close to the ear of the stout chum as possible, "all of us can't go along, because there's got to be one stay up here to help pull, when we're ready to come back."

"Oh! why to be sure," replied Billie, sweetly; "and of course you've selected me to be that one? But then, what's the difference? I'm that heavy I might break the rope; or drag somebody down with me. I'm just as well satisfied; though it'll seem _aw_ful lonely while you're gone, fellows; and I sure hope you won't stay all night."

This was a pleasant surprise, for they had fully anticipated that Billie would set up a great opposition to their plan. But apparently he had himself been thinking it over, and settled on his plan of campaign, should they give him the choice of going or staying.

"Nothing is apt to bother you up here, Billie, make sure of that," said Donald, reassuringly.

"And you have your gun along in case you need it," added Adrian.

"Don't you worry about me a single minute, boys," the stout chum went on to say, in what was meant to be a firm and even buoyant tone as though he could see no reason for any undue anxiety.

That point having been settled in a satisfactory way, they began to prepare to make the descent. First Donald fastened the two lariats together in a fashion known particularly to cow-punchers. Then he made sure that the loop at the lower end ran free; after which he attached the other end to the crooked cedar that grew so close to the edge of the descent that it seemed to be there especially to serve their particular purpose on this occasion.

Adrian wanted to be the first to go down; but somehow Donald seemed to have assumed the position of master of ceremonies, and he also usurped that privilege as coolly as you please.

"When I get safe on that platform I'll shake the rope twice," he announced as he prepared to swing himself over the edge.

"That will mean for me to start down, I reckon?" asked Adrian.

"Yes, and be careful, please, old fellow; don't forget that a slip might throw you down all the way to the bottom," Donald went on to say, a bit uneasily.

"Speak for yourself, Donald," remarked the other, with a chuckle. "I like your nerve, to caution me when it's you that goes about everything in such a hurry, you're always apt to get in trouble. But it's all right, Donald, I'll hold tight; and be sure you do the same."

Adrian shook the hand of his chum, as did also Billie, before the other swung over the edge, and began his downward journey.

It was all dark below him, even though fairly light above; but then Donald depended more on his sense of touch than his eyesight, in a case like this. He kept dropping, a yard or so at a time, with one leg twisted around the rope; and the other foot feeling for what he sought below.

Crouching there, Adrian kept feeling of the rope, and in this way knew how the other was getting on. As long as he caught that periodical jerk he realized that Donald was making satisfactory progress.

Finally the strain seemed to be off the rope, so that he could even pull it up a few inches as he chose. Either Donald had reached the shelf, and thus relieved the rope from his weight, or else--but Adrian would not allow himself to even consider the other possibility; and besides, they had heard no cry, no heavy thud.

Ah! immediately he felt the rope twitch violently; yes, and a second time this came about. That must be meant as a signal by the one below; and he remembered how Donald had said he would give two distinct jerks after he had safely landed.

"My turn now, Billie; look out for yourself; and when you find that one of us is coming up the rope, stand by to pull, if you get the word. It might be a bigger climb than we counted on, and some help needed before we could get to the top."

"Count on me, Adrian," Billie said simply; and if his heart seemed in his throat as he shook his comrade's hand lingeringly, no one knew it, because the night concealed all traces of his emotion.

Adrian went down in just the same way the other had adopted, a little distance at a time, then a brief interval, after which he would again allow himself to slide some more.

Presently, when he thought he might have come about far enough, something touched his foot that sent a thrill through his whole body, until he realized that it must be the hand of Donald, reaching up to reassure him.

"All right, Ad; just one more drop, and you're there," came a low whisper; and he found himself guided into the haven, so that he could plant both feet on the solid rock.

Leaving the rope to swing free, they began to look around them, in order to learn just how the old Witch Doctor came out upon that same shelf. In this they were greatly helped by the little electric hand torch which Donald had with him; and by means of which they quickly discovered a fissure in the face of the cliff, wide enough to allow the passage of a man.

Leading the way, and using this useful means of illumination, Donald felt confident of being able to serve as a guide to the expedition.

The path was very rough, so that at times they had to almost crawl; but then as they moved along it they could see from time to time that another had walked this way many times, undoubtedly the old medicine man of the Zunis, and those who had occupied his place years and years ago.

"I wouldn't be surprised," remarked Adrian, in a low tone, as he caught hold of his companion's arm, "if that dip yonder proves to be the passage which he uses whenever he enters below at the base of the cliff, and ascends, like he did that time we followed him here. The Zunis are that afraid they would run like wildfire if they thought they stood any chance to see him enter the mountain; so he must have fallen into a sort of a free-and-easy way. After seeing us around, he tightened up, and would only come here at night-time."

"H'st!"

When Donald made that hissing sound his chum closed his lips, for he instinctively understood that it meant danger.

"Look down the shaft, and you'll see signs of a light!" whispered Donald, close to his ear now.

"What do you reckon it can be?" asked the other, as he too saw the faint glow.

"It's getting brighter all the while, Ad, and that tells us whoever holds the torch is coming up from below!"

"You mean Pick-ne-quan-to?" whispered Adrian, in no little excitement.

"Well, as we don't believe in spirits, it must be the old medicine man," replied his chum; "and I only hope our comrade, Billie, kept back from the edge above, for he might have been seen."

"Or either of us while crawling over the edge," continued Adrian. "Looks like we might be lucky boys tonight, Donald; but of course you won't stay here, to be seen when he gets up even with us?"

"I should say not," replied the other; "and it happens that I noticed a splendid _cache_ right back here that will hold both of us. Come on, let's make our get-away before it's too late."

Three minutes later they had secreted themselves in the cavity noticed by Donald, and were waiting, more or less anxiously, to see if the party approaching did turn out to be the Witch Doctor.

Donald, peeping out of a cranny, whispered in the ear of his comrade that sure enough it was the medicine man. He walked serenely past where they were hiding. Once, when he seemed to stop and look around, Adrian could feel the arm of his chum fairly quiver; and he realized that the old Witch Doctor must be furiously angry did he discover these intruders, come to spy upon his secret, which he kept from even the chief of the tribe.

Adrian was more than half sorry he had consented to come; but this feeling passed away when he saw the glow of the torch moving on again; and from the indications realized that the queer medicine man had gone about his business.

"Let us follow him at a safe distance," whispered Donald; and they started forth, when it seemed as though the coast were clear.