Then he shifted his position so as to be more comfortable, while he waited for them to get out of hearing.
Though he had found a narrow support for his feet, his weight hung largely on his arms, which were beginning to ache so that he knew he must soon loosen his hold upon the rocks.
In this dilemma he moved one foot to and fro, up and down, on the rocky wall, hoping he might find a better standing place.
In this he was so far successful that he changed his position to one of comparative ease, when he drew his first long breath since entering the place.
It was too dark for him to see anything of his surroundings, and he soon began to realize that there was small chance for him to ascend to the top of the chasm. He hardly dared to move, for fear he should lose his hold and fall headlong into the pit yawning below him. Such attempts as he did make showed him the utter impossibility of climbing the perpendicular side of the rocky wall.
He made a discovery, however, which gave him a ray of hope. The shelf upon which he stood extended farther than he could reach with his foot.
Carefully then he moved along the precarious path, inch by inch, until he had traveled several feet. Stopping then for rest, he happened to thrust out one hand, when to his unbounded joy, he touched the opposite wall!
The fissure had narrowed so the sides here came within a short distance of each other.
Again he tried to climb to the top, and by pressing against the two sides, he managed to ascend.
With what gladness he finally found he was near the surface need not be told. He was so weak from the ordeal that he fell exhausted a short distance away from the brink.