"No. I'll take Billy and Columbus."
"And supposing these missing men, the six sent to take the corpse to the cemetery, turn up while you are in amongst the rocks? What chance would you and Billy have, especially if Columbus went over to their side?"
"I'd take care Columbus didn't turn traitor," said Charlie viciously.
"What do you say, Brown?" inquired Morton. "Shall we let Charlie go?"
"How do you propose getting down the hole?" asked Brown.
"We can climb down," returned Charlie.
"I don't think you'll find either Billy or Columbus go far with you," said Morton. "If we had any sort of a rope I should not mind, but there's nothing but the tent-line, and that's not strong enough."
"I'll take great care," pleaded Charlie.
"No doubt you will, but if you make a slip and flop down some thirty or forty feet, no amount of care will get you back again with sound bones."
Charlie looked unconvinced.