They arrived at the plateau in the afternoon, and cautiously, yet quickly was the plank placed over.
Frank did not wait to attach the rope to his waist, so eager was he. The yawning green gulf beneath him might have tried the nerve of Blondin. He paused not to think, however, but went over almost with the speed of a bird upon the wing, and more slowly the others followed.
They brought with them the end of the coils of rope, and these were speedily hauled across.
For a few moments Frank and Duncan stood silently clasping each other's hands; and the Cockney lad could tell by the look of anguish in his Highland cousin's face that the worst had occurred.
"Too late! too late!" Duncan managed to say at last, and he turned quickly away to hide the blinding tears.
"Poor Conal," explained the captain, "is lying down yonder--that black object is he enveloped in rugs, but he has made no sign for hours, and doubtless is frozen hard enough ere now."
"Come," cried Frank, "be of good cheer, my dear Duncan, till we are certain. Perhaps he does but sleep."
"Yes, he sleeps," said Duncan mournfully, "and death is the only door which leads from the sleep that cold and frost bring in their train."
"Come, men," cried Frank, now taking command, for he was full of life and energy, "uncoil the rope most carefully. I am light, Captain Talbot, so I myself will make the descent. I shall at once send poor Conal to bank, or as soon as I can get him bent on. Haul up when I shout."
When all the rope was got loose and made into one great coil, the end was thrown over into the crevice to make sure it would reach.