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At last he finished the business to his satisfaction and stepped backward. My imagination made the thing above me tremble as I looked at it with eyes of fear. The part of my body that spanned the depression became numb, and I breathed with difficulty. Holman broke the silence. "Good-bye, Verslun," he said cheerfully. "It's mighty tough to go out like this, but it's the fortune of war."
She stood in front of me, a tall, splendid figure, the moonlight silvering the piled masses of hair and giving one the impression that her head was surrounded by a shining halo. Suddenly she put out her hand and took mine. "I accept your offer gladly," she said softly. "You are very, very kind, Mr. Verslun.
Leith's voice roared an order. "Put out the light!" Soma immediately crashed the lantern upon the ground, and I heard Holman groan. "I missed him!" he whispered. "Move along a little, Verslun; they've got a line on our position." We didn't move a minute too soon.
"He's only an overgrown child, and he has set his mind on it." "But, Verslun, I know she wouldn't do that!" protested the lover. "Barbara sent me this as " "Oh, I know," I cried, "but we want fighters now, and Maru is a pretty athletic person." "Me damn good fighter!" cried the Raretongan. "Me plentee good fighter if me get ring."
If I fall, Verslun, I want you to lend me a hand. Promise to help me, will you? She Miss Barbara, you know, old man. She is everything to me. Give me a hand if I tumble down." "I promise," I answered, and he wrung my hand as we started off through the clawing, scratching vines that tripped us up as we tried to fight our way forward.
I thought that I was an hour descending that tree, but I could not have been more than three minutes if my skinned legs could be relied upon as evidence of speed. I found Holman in a thorny tangle, and as I dragged him into the open he groaned loudly and endeavoured to get upon his feet. "Are you hurt?" I questioned. "No, no!" he cried. "I'm not hurt, Verslun. Get me on my feet, man. Quick!
Thorns of a strange fishhook variety drove their barbed points into us, and each yard of the tortuous path that we cut through the devilish vines was marked by a scrap of our clothing, which the tormenting thorns seemed to wave aloft as an emblem of victory. "He'll beat us!" gasped Holman. "I'm all in, Verslun; that fall has finished me." "Keep at it!" I said. "We must be near the camp by now."
Holman's actions did not help me as I struggled beneath him. He kicked like a madman when he understood what I intended to do, but I held him in spite of his protests. "Leave me here!" he screamed. "Go ahead by yourself, Verslun! What's the use of taking me?" "You're coming, so you can stop kicking," I muttered. "Take your fingers out of my eyes."
"Verslun!" breathed the strained voice of the youngster. "Are you there?" "Well?" I asked. "H'sh!" he murmured. "We are right near the spot, Verslun. If Kaipi climbs up on your shoulders to this place I think the two of us could pull you up. Are you willing?" "Come on, Kaipi," I whispered, and the Fijian climbed nimbly upon me and moved up into the void above. "Now, Verslun," muttered Holman.
His short-sightedness prevented him from noticing the frown which passed over the face of his partner, but the sour look fled immediately the two girls expressed a desire to keep me in the party. "Oh, please let Mr. Verslun come," cried Miss Barbara. "It will make it ever so much more pleasant."
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