the suspense was painful; not a whisper was exchanged, and the ear was strained to catch the sounds which they dreaded, and yet which seemed certain to come.
even the youngest of the party could not understand why it was some of the senecas could be so near, and fail to detect them.
mr. brainerd leaned forward, and peering down into the dense shadow, fancied he saw the crouching figure going lower and lower, until the end of his support was reached.
the father was holding the vine, as if to steady it, when it suddenly jarred in his hand, and seemed to draw up as though relieved of a heavy weight.
such was the fact; just the faintest possible thump reaching his ear at that moment: manifestly, it was caused by the feet of fred godfrey as he dropped lightly to the bottom.
a soft and barely audible "st, st!" followed, and told the truth that one of the little company at least had made the descent in safety.
the understanding was that mr. brainerd should be the next. he had already secured his gun to his back, so as to leave his arms free, and he now wrapped his legs about the sinuous support and gripped it tightly with his hands, saying not a word to his friends as he began sinking out of sight.
his descent was a different matter from that of his predecessor. he was not so strong and active, while his body was more bulky; in fact, fred godfrey, as he looked anxiously upward through the shadows, was oppressed by the misgiving that the vine would give way under the additional weight, and bring woful disaster.
but his father did better than was anticipated, even by himself. he blistered his fingers, and wrenched his muscles, but he went downward steadily, and without any break or noise, until he found the end of the vine in his grasp.
"it's only a short distance," whispered fred, who was able to touch his hand; "let go."
the elder did as directed, and the next second stood erect beside his son, only slightly jarred by his leap.
"i'm relieved beyond expression," said fred; "i knew the hardest task would be for you to get down."
"i don't know why you should think so," said mr. brainerd, half jocularly, "when you knew my strength and activity."
"but you are the heaviest, and i feared your weight would break the vine."
"and having sustained me it is good for the rest."
"undoubtedly it is; st, st!"
the signal was understood by aunt peggy, who, a minute later, came down the vine with very little effort.
eva was next, and but for the danger, it would have been rare sport to slide down such a frail support in that fashion, and, under similar conditions, maggie would have found it equally jolly.
as it was, mr. brainerd and his family let themselves to the bottom of the ravine with much less difficulty and trouble than was feared.
only habakkuk mcewen remained above.
"there's no use waiting for him," said aunt peggy, in an undertone; "he's no help to us."
"it would be cruel to leave him there," interposed maggie.
"of course you'd object," snapped the vinegary aunt peggy; "he is as worthless as jake golcher himself."
"keep quiet," interposed mr. brainerd; "there's too much talking here."
"you are correct," added fred; "all this is out of order—there comes the fellow now."
the words spoken had been in whispers, but they were not needed, and nothing now was heard but the scraping of habakkuk's legs against the vine which he was descending.
the attenuated limbs were becoming dimly visible, when the new englander seemed to become tired, for he uttered an aspiration now and then as though seeking to hold his breath.
fred shuddered, for a listening indian can hear such a noise a long way on a still night.
"keep quiet," commanded fred, forced to speak dangerously loud; "hold your breath."
mcewen tried to obey, but the explosion, when it came, was worse than before.
"he is either a fool, or is seeking to betray us into the hands of the indians," muttered the indignant youth, speaking hot words, that meant more than he intended.
the next minute habakkuk reached the limit of the vine, and let go, with the purpose of dropping to the ground; but, as if fate was determined to interfere, he caught his trousers, and was instantly inverted, his head hanging downward, while his feet pointed toward the stars.
