If the darkness came on while we were descending, I should never be able to scramble down." "Never fear, brother; I'll look after you," cried Eric.
On their approaching the eastern end of the clift again, the sailor lad first lowered down the dead kid by a piece of rope he had taken with him, on to one of the niches in the gorge above the waterfall, and then prepared for the descent of Fritz and himself.

"Never fear brother," he repeated.

"Although you may be stronger than I, still my eye is steady and my hand sure!" "Good!" said Fritz.

"You had better then go down first, and direct me where to put my feet.

After we've been up and down once or twice, of course, I shall not find it so difficult." "All right," responded Eric, "here goes!" So saying, he swung himself over the top of the cliff, when, holding on firmly to the tussock-grass and half slipping down and half stepping on the projections in the face of the crag, he reached in a few minutes the first broad ledge over which the rivulet from above tossed its spray.
"Are you quite safe ?" asked Fritz, before adventuring on the descent.
"Certainly," said the other.