The dropping down upon them of numerous small fragments of rock, caused by the scrambling of Billie when he tried to keep from falling, had aroused many of the half dormant reptiles, so that they were
making quite a din with their rattles just then, and showing signs of sudden anger, as they coiled, and waited for the intruder to land among them.
Billie had been looking down at them, but appearing to know that his chums must have arrived above, he turned a white, appealing face up toward them. Such fear the others had never seen in all their lives; but chances were their own faces must have been just as white at that same instant.
“Help me, boys, for goodness sake!” gasped poor Billie, as he squirmed there, unable to find the slightest perch for his dangling feet, so that all of his great weight came upon his arms alone, and they must have been sorely tried when he first clutched hold of the rough face of the rock to check his descent.
“Hold on like everything, Billie!” called Donald, excitedly.
“Ain’t I doing that same; but please get busy and start something to save me, boys!” groaned the one in peril. “It’s just awful hanging here, and listening to them use their old rattleboxes that way.”
“How long can you hold out?” demanded Donald, “for if I could run over to our ponies and snatch up a rope, I’d have you out of that in a jiffy.”
“Go!” pleaded Billie. “Anything, so that you’re on the jump! I’ll do the best I know how to keep hanging here; but it’s pretty tough on a fellow!”
Donald had already disappeared, and was flying
like the wind toward the spot where their mounts were fastened, leaping over rocks that stood in the way as if they were next door to nothing.