“No,” I answered, thoughtfully. “He’s got some plan in his head, I’m sure, to help us. But where have the men gone now?”
Nux could not answer this problem, but after a few moments it solved itself, for the robbers and Bry appeared upon the sandy shore, close to the water, and walked briskly along the narrow strip of beach between the lapping waves and the grim precipice of the mainland. It was not long before a bend in the coast hid them completely, and then we sat up and looked at one another inquiringly.
“What we do now?” asked the black.
“Let’s go down the rock,” I suggested, assuming to be braver than I really was. “They’ve left the gold behind them, that’s sure; and the gold is what we’re after, Nux. Once we have recovered that, it doesn’t matter so much what becomes of the thieves.”
“Won’ dey come back?” enquired Nux, hesitatingly.
“I hope not,” said I, truthfully. “At least not until after we’ve got back the gold. But there’s no time to lose. Follow me.”
Having thus assumed the leadership, I strove to banish all unmanly fear and boldly sprang on to the end of the rocking-stone that rested on the mainland. Slowly and with caution I crept up its incline until I was directly over the gulf. It was now that the stone should tip, but it seemed that my weight, being less than that of any of the men who had passed over, was not sufficient to balance the rock, so it began to look like a risky thing for me to climb further up the tapering point.
“But it’s got to be done,” I muttered to myself, setting my teeth firmly together; and then, summoning what courage I possessed, I lay close to the rock and crawled steadily upward, digging my toes desperately into the irregular hollows of the surface, to keep from sliding into the gulf that yawned below. Higher and higher I climbed, and at last the huge rock trembled and then gently sank beneath me. For a moment I was exultant; but I had crept so near to the slippery point of the wedge that I could find no rough projection to grasp with my fingers, and therefore as soon as my head became lower than my feet I slid headforemost to the point and tumbled off before the rocking-stone had reached a point of rest upon the peak.
Fortunately, however, I had been carried over the gulf, and although I lay, half-stunned, upon the very edge of the great precipice, I was not much hurt. In another moment I managed to drag myself to a position of greater safety, while the rocking-stone, relieved of my weight, reared its nearest point into the air again and fell slowly back into its original position.
Nux, who had watched breathlessly my adventure and hair-breadth escape, was trembling violently when he in turn mounted the stone. But I called out to reassure him, and his greater weight caused the wedge to tip more quickly, so that he effected the passage to the rocky peak with comparative ease.