Ralphson George Harvey - Boy Scouts on the Open Plains; The Round-Up Not Ordered стр 3.

Harry nervously caught his breath, and called out:

Better be careful there, Jimmy, how you bend over and look down. You might get dizzy and take a lurch or the frisky burro give a lug just then and upset you. We all think too much of you to want to gather up your remains down at the bottom of a precipice.

Jimmy laughed and seemed pleased at the compliment. He did not again bother about looking over, but occupied himself with managing his pack animal, which kept showing an increasing desire to hasten. At one point Ned had stopped to tighten the ropes that held the pack on his burro, and in some manner Jimmy managed to get at the head of the little procession that wound, single file, down that steep mountain trail.

It was Neds intention to assume the lead again at the first opportunity, when he could pass the others. Meantime he thought he could keep an observant eye on Jimmy, so as to restrain him in case he began to show any sign of rashness.

After all it was not so much Jimmys fault that it happened, but the fact that his burro had quite lost its head in the growing desire to get down to the green pastures from which it had been debarred so very long, and for which it was undoubtedly hungering greatly.

That the unlucky animal should chance to make that stumble just at the time of passing another narrow place in the trail, where the conditions again caused them to move in single file, was one of those strange happenings which sometimes spring unannounced upon the unwary traveler.

Jimmy at one time even walked along with the end of the rope wound about his waist in a lazy fashion; but Ned had immediately told him never to think of doing such a thing again, when there was even the slightest chance of the burro slipping over the edge of the sloping platform and dragging his master along. But right then Jimmy had such a rigid clutch upon the rope that he did not seem to know enough to let go when the pack animal stumbled, tried to cling desperately to the rocky edge, and then vanished from sight into the gulf.

In fact Jimmys first idea seemed to be a desire to drag the tottering animal back to safety, and it was because he was tugging for all he was worth on the rope that he was pulled over the edge himself.

The other three scouts seemed to be petrified with horror when they saw their plucky but rash chum dragged over. None of them could jump to his assistance on account of the burros being in the way and plunging and kicking wildly, as though terrified at the fate that had overtaken their mate.

Ned was at the end of the line, and Harry, though not far from the spot where the terrible accident happened, seemed to be too terrified to know what to do, until it was all over, and poor Jimmy had vanished from their view.

CHAPTER II. LUCKY JIMMY

Ned knew that unless the remaining three burros were quieted a still greater disaster was apt to overtake them.

Speak to your animal, Harry; get him soothed right away! Easy now, Teddy, stand still where you are! Its all right, old fellow! Back up against the rock and stand still there.

Ned as he spoke in this strain managed to throw a coil or two of the leading rope over a jutting spur of rock. Then turning round, he crept on hands and knees to the edge of the yawning precipice and looked over, shuddering to note that while not nearly so high as that other precipice had been, at the same time the fall must be all of seventy feet.

There at the foot he could see the unfortunate burro on his back and with never a sign of life about

him. Doubtless that tumble must have effectually broken his neck and ended his days of usefulness.

Do you see him, Ned? asked a trembling voice close by, and the scout leader knew that Jack too had crawled to the edge in order to discover what had become of poor Jimmy McGraw.

Not yet, replied Ned, sadly; he may be hidden under the burro, or lying in among that clump of bushes.

But glory be, he aint, all the same! said a voice just then that thrilled them all. If ye be lookin over this way yell discover the same Jimmy aholdin on with a death grip to a fine old rock that sticks out from the face of the precipice. But tis me arms that feel like they was pulled part way out of the sockets with the jerk; and Id thank ye to pass a rope down as soon as ye get over the surprise of havin a ghost address ye.

Bully for you, Jimmy! exclaimed Jack; seems like youve got nearly as many lives as a cat. Hold on like anything, because Neds getting a rope right now, and hell heave it over in three shakes of a lambs tail. Dont look down, Jimmy, but keep your eye on me. Well pull you out of that in a jiffy, sure we will. And here comes Ned right now with the rope. Hes even made a noose at the end, so as to let you put your foot in the same. Keep holding on, Jimmy, old fellow!

In this manner, then, did Jack try to encourage the one in peril, so as to stiffen his muscles, and cause him to keep his grip on that friendly crag that had saved him from sharing the dreadful fate of the wretched burro.