Look bad, but quite safe
really."
As there was nothing else to be done Alan began to climb, shifting his
feet along the plank edge and his hands along the rope, which creaked
and stretched beneath their threefold weight.
It was a horrible journey, and in his imagination took at least an hour.
Yet they accomplished it, for at last they found themselves huddled
together but safe upon the further bank. The sweat pouring down from
his head almost blinded Alan; a deadly nausea worked within him, sickly
tremors shot up and down his spine; his brain swam. Yet he could hear
Jeekie, in whom excitement always took the form of speech, saying
loudly:
"Think that man no liar what say our great papas was monkeys. Never look
down on monkey no more. Wake up, Major, those priests monkey-men too,
for we all brothers, you know. Wait a bit, I stop their little game,"
and springing up with three or four cuts of the big curved knife, he
severed the remaining rope just as their pursuers reached the further
side of the chasm.
They shouted with rage as the long bridge swung back against the rock,
the cut end of it falling into the torrent, and waved their spears
threateningly.
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