for a moment, and stared at them. Then as he began again Alan fired once
more, and this time by good fortune the bullet struck the man somewhere
in the body. He fell, and as he fell grasped the nearly separated rope
and hung to it.

"Get hold of the other rope and come on," yelled Alan, and once more
they bounded forward.

"My God! it's going," he yelled again. "Hold fast, Jeekie, hold fast!"

Next instant the rope parted and the man vanished. The bridge tipped
over, and supported by the remaining rope, hung edgeways up. To this
rope the three of them clung desperately, resting their feet upon the
edge of the swaying plank. For a few seconds they remained thus, afraid
to stir, then Jeekie called out:

"Climb on, Major, climb on like one monkey. 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: