The guide at length came to a halt, and said:

"You stand here and I'll get my bridge."

He proceeded along alone, but soon returned with two saplings, which he
had strung together, and of which he had made a rope ladder.

Desmond was greatly interested, and watched the guide as he threw his
ladder across the intervening abyss, and then he said:

"It will take a little nerve to crawl over, but once over we are all
safe, and I've got a storehouse over there. I prepared this place with a
great deal of patience and labor. We can spend two or three days here. I
know you will enjoy it, and we can take a good long rest. I will go over
first and then hold the light so you two can follow."

Desmond glanced at Brooks, and asked:

"Will you risk it?"

"Yes, I will, lad; I am not the fellow I was about six months ago; I can
climb a steeple now."

The guide went over, creeping across. The saplings bent under his weight
and made a downward curve, so that when he attempted so ascend on the
opposite side it was a climb up, but with the ropes made of woven
prairie grass and sticks and boughs he easily ascended. He had carried
his lantern with him, and he flashed its light across his bridge and
asked, "Who will come next?"