"Yes, Eli, that rope you brought."
"Iss, iss, my deear, in a minute."
A few seconds later I saw a rope descending. The cliff was perhaps thirty feet in height just here. I could not judge exactly, but it was about perpendicular, so I could not climb it. After much struggling, however, I reached a point where ascent was possible, and aided by Eli, who pulled like a madman at the rope I had fastened around my body, I at length reached a place of safety.
"Oa, Maaster Jasper, Maaster Jasper!" sobbed Eli, "how glad I be! How I do love 'ee!" And he fondled my wet, clammy hands tenderly.
"Is the madman dead?" I asked.
"I dunnaw. Never mind 'bout he; be you all right? You'n sure et's you?"
"Sure, Eli, safe and sound. Let us go to him."
By the aid of the bright moonlight we found him lying seemingly stark and dead on the ground. I soon discovered to my joy, however, that he was only stunned, and a few minutes later he sat up and spoke to us.
"Jasper Pennington not dead!" he cried.
"No," I said, telling him how I had escaped; "but come, can you walk? Have you any bones broken?"