"It may only be a place where we can get down easily enough." "Or it may be a place where we can't," said Mike.

"All right: I'll go, if you like." "No: I'll go first," said Vince.

And he drew out his hammer and crowbar; but a block of granite close by stood up so much like a thick, blunt post that there seemed to be no need for the crowbar to be driven in; so, making one end fast round the block with a well-tried mooring knot--one which old Daygo had taught them might be depended upon for securing a boat--they calculated how much rope would be necessary to well reach the bottom of the broken-off slope, and at the end of this the line was knotted round Vince's chest and he prepared to descend.
"Ease it away gently, so that I'm not checked," said the lad, as Mike took hold close to him and knelt down ready to pay the rope out and so as to be able to tighten his grasp at any moment if there was a slip.
"Right! I'll mind; and you'll be all right: you can't fall." "I know," was the reply; and trusting to his companion, while strengthened by the knowledge that at the very worst he must be brought up short by the granite block, Vince gave a sharp look downward, and, selecting a spot at the edge a little to his right for the point to make for, he turned his face to the slope and began to descend, carefully picking hand and foothold and helped by the steady strain upon the rope which was kept up by Mike, who watched every movement breathlessly, his eyes fixed upon his companion's head, and ready to respond to every order which was uttered.
Vince went down as calmly and deliberately as if the level ground were just below him till he was about two-thirds of the way, when he could not help giving a start, for Mike suddenly exclaimed: "Here's that old raven coming!" "Where ?" "Off to my right--in a hurry.

You must be somewhere near the nest." Vince hesitated for a few moments, for the thought occurred to him that the bird might make a swoop at him, as he had read of eagles acting under similar circumstances; but the next moment he had thought of what power there would be in the blow of a fist striking a bird in full career, and knowing full well that it must be fatal to the raven, he continued to descend, with the bird flying by some fifty feet overhead and uttering its hoarse croak.
"Lower away a little more," said Vince, as he drew nearer the edge of what might either be a precipice or an easy slope for aught he could tell.
"I'll lower," was the reply; "but I want to feel you well." "That's right.

I must have rope enough to move quite freely." "Yes, that's all very well; but I don't feel as if I could haul you up if you slipped over the edge." "Who's going to ask you to ?" said Vince.