By the light of the flash that had revealed his peril to him, the lad had calculated the jump. And now, with a murmured prayer on his lips, he made it.
Out into space, he flew, and the next instant landed safe and sound across the gulf. Nerve and pluck will conquer many such gulfs and voids.
Out into space he flew, and the next instant landed safe
and sound across the gulf.
But with Jack, it was different. Try as he would, he could not nerve himself for the leap into blackness. He felt he would almost rather be recaptured than face the jump.
"Come on!" cried Sandy encouragingly out of the darkness, "mon, it's too easy."
"I can't, Sandy! I can't!" came back Jack Dacre's voice.
Sandy noted that it held a quiver of real fear, and he didn't much blame his chum for it.
But Jack must be gotten across that chasm somehow. How was it to be done? Sandy tried to laugh off the perils.