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as nothing for it but to risk all on a jump。 I drew the rope out of the hitch； twined the slack round my waist； and leaped for the spike。
It was like throwing oneself on a line of spears。 The solid wall of water hurled me back and down； but as I fell my arms closed on the spike。 There I hung while my feet were towed outwards by the volume of the stream as if they had been dead leaves。 I was half…stunned by the shock of the drip on my head； but I kept my wits； and presently got my face outside the falling sheet and breathed。
To get to my feet and stand on the spike while all the fury of water was plucking at me was the hardest physical effort I have ever made。 It had to be done very circumspectly； for a slip would send me into the abyss。 If I moved an arm or leg an inch too near the terrible dropping wall I knew I should be plucked from my hold。 I got my knees on the outer face of the spike； so that all my body was removed as far as possible from the impact of the water。 Then I began to pull myself slowly up。
I could not do it。 If I got my feet on the rock the effort would bring me too far into the water； and that meant destruction。 I saw this clearly in a second while my wrists were cracking with the strain。 But if I had a wall behind me I could reach back with one hand and get what we call in Scotland a 'stelf。' I knew there was a wall； but how far I could not judge。 The perpetual hammering of the stream had confused my wits。
It was a horrible moment； but I had to risk it。 I knew that if the wall was too far back I should fall； for I had to let my weight go till my hand fell on it。 Delay would do no good； so with a prayer I flung my right hand back； while my left hand clutched the spike。
I found the wall … it was only a foot or two beyond my reach。 With a heave I had my foot on the spike； and turning； had both hands on the opposite wall。 There I stood； straddling like a Colossus over a waste of white waters； with the cave floor far below me in the gloom； and my discarded axe lying close to a splash of Laputa's blood。
The spectacle made me giddy； and I had to move on or fall。 The wall was not quite perpendicular； but as far as I could see a slope of about sixty degrees。 It was ribbed and terraced pretty fully； but I could see no ledge within reach which offered standing room。 Once more I tried the moral support of the rope； and as well as I could dropped a noose on the spike which might hold me if I fell。 Then I boldly embarked on a hand traverse； pulling myself along a little ledge till I was right in the angle of the fall。 Here； happily； the water was shallower and less violent； and with my legs up to the knees in foam I managed to scramble into a kind of corner。 Now at last I was on the wall of the gully； and above the cave。 I had achieved by amazing luck one of the most difficult of all mountaineering operations。 I had got out of a cave to the wall above。
My troubles were by no means over； for I found the cliff most difficult to climb。 The great rush of the stream dizzied my brain； the spray made the rock damp； and the slope steepened as I advanced。 At one overhang my shoulder was almost in the water again。 All this time I was climbing doggedly； with terror somewhere in my soul； and hope lighting but a feeble lamp。 I was very distrustful of my body； for I knew that at any moment my weakness might return。 The fever of three days of peril and stress is not allayed by one night's rest。
By this time I was high enough to see that the river came out of the ground about fifty feet short of the lip of the gully； and some ten feet beyond where I stood。 Above the hole whence the waters issued was a loose slope of slabs and screes。 It looked an ugly place； but there I must go； for the rock…wall I was on was getting unclimbable。
I turned the corner a foot or two above the water； and stood on a slope of about fifty degrees； running from the parapet of stone to a line beyond which blue sky appeared。 The first step I took the place began to move。 A boulder crashed into the fall； and tore down into the abyss with a shattering thunder。 I lay flat and clutched desperately at every hold； but I had loosened an avalanche of earth； and not till my feet were sprayed by the water did I get a grip of firm rock and check my descent。 All this frightened me horribly； with the kind of despairing angry fear which I had suffered at Bruderstroom； when I dreamed that the treasure was lost。 I could not bear the notion of death when I had won so far。
After that I advanced； not by steps； but by inches。 I felt more poised and pinnacled in the void than when I had stood on the spike of rock； for I had a substantial hold neither for foot nor hand。 It seemed weeks before I made any progress away from the lip of the waterhole。 I dared not look down； but kept my eyes on the slope before me； searching for any patch of ground which promised stability。 Once I found a scrog of juniper with firm roots； and this gave me a great lift。 A little further； however； I lit on a bank of screes which slipped with me to the right； and I lost most of the ground the bush had gained me。 My whole being； I remember； was filled with a devouring passion to be quit of this gully and all that was in it。
Then； not suddenly as in romances； but after hard striving and hope long deferred； I found myself on a firm outcrop of weathered stone。 In three strides I was on the edge of the plateau。 Then I began to run； and at the same time to lose the power of running。 I cast one look behind me； and saw a deep cleft of darkness out of which I had climbed。 Down in the cave it had seemed light enough； but in the clear sunshine of the top the gorge looked a very pit of shade。 For the first and last time in my life I had vertigo。 Fear of falling back； and a mad craze to do it； made me acutely sick。 I managed to stumble a few steps forward on the mountain turf； and then flung myself on my face。
When I raised my head I was amazed to find it still early morning。 The dew was yet on the grass； and the sun was not far up the sky。 I had thought that my entry into the cave； my time in it； and my escape had taken many hours； whereas at the most they had occupied two。 It was little more than dawn； such a dawn as walks only on the hilltops。 Before me was the shallow vale with its bracken and sweet grass； and farther on the shining links of the stream； and the loch still grey in the shadow of the beleaguering hills。 Here was a fresh； clean land； a land for homesteads and orchards and children。 All of a sudden I realized that at last I had come out of savagery。 The burden of the past days slipped from my shoulders。 I felt young again； and cheerful and brave。 Behind me was the black night； and the horrid secrets of darkness。 Before me was my own country； for that loch and that bracken might have been on a Scotch moor。 The fresh scent of the air and the whole morning mystery put song into my blood。 I remembered that I was not yet twenty。 My first care was to kneel there among the bracken and give thanks to my Maker； who in very truth had shown me 'His goodness in the land of the living。'
After a little I went back to the edge of the cliff。 There where the road came out of the bush was the body of Henriques； lying sprawled on the sand； with two dismounted riders looking hard at it。 I gave a great shout； for in the men I recognized Aitken and the schoolmaster Wardlaw。
CHAPTER XXII A GREAT PERIL AND A GREAT SALVATION
I must now take up some of the ragged ends which I have left behind me。 It is not my task； as I have said； to write the history of the great Rising。 That has been done by abler men； who were at the centre of the business； and had some knowledge of strategy and tactics； whereas I was only a raw lad who was privileged by fate to see the start。 If I could； I would fain make an epic of it； and show how the Plains found at all points the Plateau guarded； how wits overcame numbers； and at every pass which the natives tried the great guns spoke and the tide rolled back。 Yet I fear it would be an epic without a hero。 There was no leader left when Laputa had gone。 There were months of guerrilla fighting； and then months of reprisals； when chief after chief was hunted down and brought to trial。 Then the amnesty came and a clean sheet； and white Africa drew breath again with certain grave reflections left in her head。 On the whole I am not sorry that the history is no business of mine。 Romance died with 'the heir of John；' and the crusade became a sorry mutiny。 I can fancy how differently Laputa would have managed it all had he lived； how swift and sudden his plans would have been； how under him the fighting would not have been in the mountain glens； but far in the high…veld among the dorps and townships。 With the Inkulu alive we warred against odds； with the Inkulu dead the balance sank heavily in our favour。 I leave to others the marches and strategy of the thing； and hasten to clear up the obscure parts in my own fortunes。
Arcoll received my message from Umvelos' by Colin； or rather Wardlaw received it and sent it on to the post on the Berg where the leader had gone。 Close on its heels came the message f