Step by step, with a careful hold taken, and making myself determined as I mastered my feelings of cowardice, I kept on in a fixed stolid way, till I thought that I must be half-way along the ledge, and that now every step would bring me nearer to safety, when, to my utter astonishment, I found myself within a yard of Quong, who was again seated on a block of stone, blinking thoughtfully, and ready to look up at me and nod and smile.
A curious feeling of satisfaction came over me—that glow of pleasure one feels at having conquered a difficulty, and instead of going on I edged back a little, till I could stand and watch for the others coming.
To my surprise I found that Gunson was half-way across, and he hastened his pace as he saw me there.
“Here, what is it?” he shouted, so as to make his voice heard. “Afraid to go any further?”
“No, no; I stepped back to see Esau come along.”
“Oh! He had not got both his boots off when I started.”
There stood Esau plainly enough beside the Indian. His boots were tied together by the strings, and hung about his neck, and he was watching us.
I should have shouted at him, but my words would not have been heard, and even if I had felt disposed to wave my hand, leaving part of my hold, Esau could not have seen me, as Gunson was between. And still the lad did not move.
We saw the Indian look at him and walk down toward the ledge, and it seemed to us as if he tried to make him go by saying something, which of course Esau could not understand in words, but he comprehended his movements, and we saw him turn upon him angrily.
“Oh,” shouted Gunson, “I wish that savage would spur him on with one of his spears, the miserable coward!”