AND DUDGEON SMILED 173 



Dudgeon and I had a discussion as to whether it 

 meant bears or female tourists, Dudgeon holding 

 to the latter view. In the meanwhile, the Banker 

 had plunged down and we followed. At the very 

 edge we found a tiny chasm down w^hich trickles, 

 at times, a little stream, just enough to till the 

 cleft with moisture and to make it slippery. The 

 bed was loose float-rock and gravel that slid and 

 slipped under our feet. 



''The wicked stand in slippery places." I 

 always fall and I did so, promptly. If I had been 

 in the lead, I should have abandoned the expe- 

 dition right there; but Dudgeon and the Banker 

 had gone and I was ashamed not to follow. At 

 the bottom of the cleft there was a sheer descent. 

 Along its precipitous wall, however, were little 

 juts and a place where, sometime, some one had 

 ventured down. I shall not describe the descent; 

 it was not so bad: 

 ''Come with me, and it please ye; 

 "The down hill path is easy. 

 "We shall avoid the uphill by never turning 

 back.'' 



12 



