My blood seemed to stop pulsating and I fully expected to see poor Dan go crashing past my head into the waters below. As for my chum, the violence of his exertions had now caused him to faint dead away.
But then I thought of my pistol, and of what Oliver had said about firing a shot to attract attention. Quickly I drew the weapon and fired a shot into the air.
The discharge of the weapon frightened Ramon Delverez greatly, as he, no doubt, thought I was aiming at him. Up went his hands and Dan dropped like a lump of lead upon the very edge of the cliff, one arm hanging limply down toward me.
"Ha! you will shoot at me!" screamed the Spaniard, and now brought out his own pistol. "Perhaps I can do some shooting myself."
He pointed the long weapon, and I lost no time in skipping out of sight under the bulge of the cliff upon which he stood.
I must admit that my situation was a truly uncomfortable one, bodily and mentally: bodily on my own account, and mentally when I thought of Dan's peril.
A few minutes passed in silence. I strained my ears to learn what Delverez was doing, but could hear absolutely nothing.
Soon I heard a call from Oliver, and presently
