"No," mused Oscar. "And there is a rope in the donkey-cart--a strongish one, I think." Away went Dick as with winged feet, while the other stood crowned with red sunbeams, and viewed their position. Back came Dick. "'Twould never bear my weight," observed Oscar, tossing off his jacket and tightening his belt for action. "No, but it would steady you, if you'll scramble down; or let me go down, and you hold the rope--I'm your man for either." "No, no, I must go down. See there, I can't resist that," whispered Oscar, pointing below. It was poor little Inna's pale pleading face upturned to him in silence. The boys had been talking and doing; the rope was fast round Oscar's waist: a strong-looking rope, but weak, when one considered that it was in a sense to hold a life in its keeping. "Oh, Dick!" cried Jenny from below, "the water is dashing up to our feet!" Yes, the boys could see it was so--the twins were clinging together, and Inna stood with her arms thrown about them both. "I'm coming!" cried Oscar reassuringly, and stepped over. "Steady, old man, and the thing is done," whispered Dick, gripping the rope with his strong young hands. [Illustration: "IT SNAPPED AND HE WAS GONE."] It was an heroic feat, yet no more than bold venturesome lads of their age have done before and since. There were ledges here and there for strongly planted feet to rest upon, and to which young grasping hands could cling, although steep as the walls of a house. A giddy descent, but one to be accomplished with a steady head--that of a half sailor, to use Dick's words. The girls below were silent; even Jenny held her breath, although the water now was washing all their feet. Dick held the rope and his breath also. But not far had the deliverer gone down his adventurous way when he stumbled, reeled, his hands forgot to cling, and poor panic-stricken Dick, who was clinging to that broken reed of a rope, knew it could not sustain the strain of Oscar's weight; it snapped, and he was gone, falling down, to be caught by that very ledge of rock upon which he was to land the girls. He would never do it now; he moaned as he fell, then he lay, face downward, terribly motionless and still. And the girls were not rescued. "Oh, Dick! the water is lifting us off our feet," wailed Jenny. "Do you think he's dead?" cried Inna, still holding the affrighted twins in her embrace. "Jenny, you know how to climb almost like a boy; help Inna to land on the ledge: there's room," cried Dick in desperation, peering down in awe at Oscar, lying so still on his narrow resting-place. "Then between you tug up the twins, and I'll go down to the shore yonder and get help and a rope, and come down to you."