'Look out for stones, Dick!' cried Snap all at once, as a few great fragments of granite came rattling down.
'All right, sonny,' cried the voice from below; 'never mind the "sut," but tell us when the top brick's a-comin'.'
'Now, Dick,' said Snap, after about fifty feet of this work, 'you'll have to shove your back and hands against one side and your feet against the other, like this, and shove your way up so.'
'All right, pard, I understand: I've got to sit on about 5,000 feet of nothing at all and keep going up'ards. Quite simple. Go ahead!'
'Hang it, Dick, do be serious,' replied Snap, laughing.
'Well, so I am, ain't I?' replied the old man; 'you don't suppose I'm here for enjoyment, do you?'
Snap, looking down between his legs at the cowboy below him, would have exploded with laughter had he dared to. The old chap was growling away to himself, and puffing and blowing with the unusual exercise, but gripping the rock with hands like eagles' claws, and pushing with his strong legs until, as Snap told him afterwards, he was in momentary dread of seeing the opposite wall come down.
'Now hold on a bit, Dick,' cried the voice above after a pause, 'and toss that lariat up my way if you can.'
There was a good deal of grumbling, but at last the lariat lay across Snap's legs, and, getting hold of it, he made cast after cast at a little spike of rock some ten feet above him. It was difficult shooting with a noose at such a mark in such a position, and he heartily wished old Dick could change places with him. But that was impossible.
'I reckon my back 'll hold out about three more shies, Snap,' said the voice from below; 'there ain't much starch left in it.'