“That I can’t say,” replied Oliver; “deep enough if you could look straight down. Here, Smith, let’s have the ladder. Will it reach?”
The two men came up with the light ladder and pushed it across to find that it was long enough to act as a bridge with a couple of feet to spare.
“But it looks too risky,” said Drew, while the two sailors glanced at each other and scratched their heads as they wondered whether one of them would be sent forward to try the ladder’s strength.
“Yes, it looks risky,” said Oliver, coolly, “but we have to do it.”
“No, no,” said Panton warmly, “it is too bad. I was disposed to chaff you, Lane, because you threw the hatchet a little about your adventures. It would be madness to cross that horrible rift.”
“Hear, hear,” said Smith, in an undertone.
“As aforesaid,” said Wriggs.
“We’re going across there,” said Lane, coolly. “It’s the nearest way up and only needs care.”
“But, oh! poof!” exclaimed Drew, “you can smell a horrible reek coming up.”
“Yes, that’s what we keep getting puffs of as we climb. Give me the end of that coil of line, Smith.”