Clinging to this peak with his two hands, the upper part of his body being out over the abyss, he stared upward, and as I watched his face I noticed the look of joy and amazement that spread across it.
"What is it, Holman?" I cried. "Are we saved? Tell me!"
He slid hurriedly back to safety and pounded the rock above his head with his bare fists.
"Do you know what this is?" he yelled. "Do you know?"
I tried to utter the words that came to my tongue, but I could not. I could see the joy in the youngster's eyes, but I was afraid to speak.
"It is the Ledge of Death!" he shouted. "There is only six inches of rock above us!"
"Then we're saved!" I cried.
"Sure! If you put the rope around me I can crawl up on it, and once there I can haul up the others. Do you know what Soma told the Professor about the bad men falling into this infernal pit?"
I nodded my head. I was unable to speak at that moment.
"Well, the Wizards of the Centipede fixed that! Don't you see? This was their seat! They leaned out of this place as I leaned out just now, and they gripped the ankles of any poor devil they had a grouch against. It was devilish——"