"Look here," he said, "it is no use hesitating here; we shall never do any good at this rate. Let me offer a suggestion. I will lower myself down over the ledge until I hang from it by my hands alone; then you, Lethbridge, must climb down over me, using my body as a ladder (or a rope, rather), and when you are hanging at arm's-length from my feet there will only remain a very trifling drop to the lower ledge, which you can surely accomplish in safety. That done you must stand by to steady me and prevent me, if possible, from going backward over the precipice; and, with us two safely on the ledge, we are surely men enough to catch the professor when he makes the drop. What say you to the plan?" "It is frightfully dangerous, but it is perhaps worth trying--if you think you have the strength for it. What say you, professor? Have you nerve enough to make the drop, trusting to us to catch you?" "Anything is better than this," answered the professor. "Your own and Mildmay's are the most difficult portions of the task. If you are equal to your parts I will perform mine; but my strength is not sufficient to justify my offering to change places with either of you." "Then let us try it," exclaimed the colonel decisively. "Will you go first, Mildmay, or shall I?" "You go first," answered Mildmay. "I am pretty strong in the arms, and think the method I have proposed the safest, on the whole." "All right, then. I am ready whenever you are." "Stand firm, then, and let me steady myself down over the ledge by your leg--we shall be down, one way or another, all the sooner. Now, look out, I am going!"