and several times he could hardly keep from calling to those left behind to pull him up. But he was grit, and kept on descending until the ledge upon which Menden had stood was gained.
All was uncertain about him. The jagged rocks loomed up all around him, and to one side was the vast opening the Englishman had mentioned. Dick waved his torch over it and concluded it was a bottomless pit.
Several tons of rocks had fallen, but most of the mass had gone over the edge of the ledge. There was a heap of small stones close at hand, and looking down among these the youth saw Robert Menden's body, partly covered up.
"Can he be dead?" he asked himself. "Oh, I pray God he is alive!" And then he heard the Englishman utter a short groan.
"He's alive!" he shouted. "But he's badly wounded."
"Better send him up, then," returned Leander. "Do you want another rope?"
"Yes."
It was speedily forthcoming, but, alas! it proved too short by a dozen feet.
"Let down some more," called Dick.
"We can't. That's all we have."
"It won't do."
"Can't you tie him on the rope you have?" asked Bob.
