In a parallel direction, but at least one hundred feet above his head, Hulda was advancing obliquely in order to reach the traveler more easily; but the position of the latter was such that she could not see his face, that being turned toward the cataract.
Joel, on reaching a spot directly below the unfortunate man paused, and after planting his foot firmly in a small crevice in the rock, called out:
“Hallo, sir!”
The traveler turned his head.
“Don’t move, sir; don’t move an inch, but hold fast!”
“I’ll do that, my friend, never fear,” replied the stranger in a tone that reassured Joel. “If I hadn’t a good grip, I should have gone to the bottom of the Rjukan a quarter of an hour ago.”
“My sister is also coming to help you,” continued Joel. “She will take hold of your hand, but don’t attempt to get upon your feet until I reach you. Don’t even move.”
“No more than a rock,” replied the traveler.
Hulda had already begun to descend the ledge, carefully selecting the less slippery parts of the slope with the clear head of a true daughter of the Telemark.
And she, too, now called out as Joel had done:
“Hold fast, sir.”
“Yes; I am holding fast, and I assure you that I shall continue to do so as long as I can.”
“And above all don’t be afraid!” added Hulda.
“I am not afraid.”
“We’ll save you yet!” cried Joel.
“I hope so, indeed; for by Saint Olaf I shall never succeed in getting out of this scrape myself.”
It was evident that the tourist had lost none of his presence of mind; but his fall had probably disabled him, and all he could do now was to keep himself upon the narrow shelf of rock that separated him from the abyss.
Meanwhile Hulda continued her descent, and in a few minutes reached the traveler; then, bracing her foot against a projecting point in the rock, she caught hold of his hand.
The traveler involuntarily attempted to raise himself a little.
“Don’t move, sir, don’t move,” cried Hulda. “You will be sure to drag me down with you, for I am not strong enough to keep you from falling! You must wait until my brother reaches us. When he gets between us and the fall you can then try to get up.”
“That is more easily said than done I fear.”
“Are you so much hurt, sir? I hope you have broken no bones.”
“No; but one leg is badly cut and scratched.”
Joel was about twenty yards from them, the rounded shape of the brow of the cliff having prevented him from joining them at once. He was now obliged to climb this rounded surface. This was, of course, the most difficult and also the most dangerous part of his task.
“Don’t make the slightest movement, Hulda!” he cried. “If you should both slip while I am not in a position to break your fall you would both be killed.”
“You need not fear that, Joel!” replied Hulda. “Think only of yourself, and may God help you!”
Joel began to crawl slowly up the rock, dragging himself along on his belly like a veritable reptile. Two or three times he narrowly escaped sliding down into the abyss below, but finally he succeeded in reaching the traveler’s side.
The latter proved to be an elderly but still vigorous-looking man, with a handsome face, animated with a very genial and kindly expression.
“You have been guilty of a very imprudent act, sir,” remarked Joel as soon as he recovered his breath.
“Imprudent!” repeated the traveler. “Yes, and as absurd as it was imprudent.”
“You have not only risked your life, but—”
“Made you risk yours.”
“Oh! that is my business,” replied Joel, lightly. Then he added, in an entirely different tone: “The thing to be done now is to regain the brow of the cliff, but the most difficult part of the task is already accomplished.”
“The most difficult?”
“Yes, sir. That was to reach you. Now we have only to ascend a much more gradual slope.”
“Still, you had better not place much dependence upon me, my boy. I have a leg that isn’t of much use to me just now, nor will it be for some time to come I fear.”
“Try to raise yourself a little.”
“I will gladly do so if you will assist me.”
“Then take hold of my sister’s arm. I will steady you and push you from below.”
“Very well, my friends, I will be guided entirely by you; as you have been so kind as to come to my assistance, I cannot do less than yield you implicit obedience.”
Joel’s plan was carried out in the most cautious manner, and though the ascent was not made without considerable difficulty and danger, all three accomplished it more easily and quickly than they had thought possible. Besides, the injury from which the traveler was suffering was neither a sprain nor dislocation, but simply a very bad abrasion of the skin; consequently, he could use his limbs to much better purpose than he had supposed, and ten minutes later he found himself safe on the other side of the Maristien.
Once there, he would have been glad to rest awhile under the pines that border the upper field of the Rjukanfos, but Joel persuaded him to make one more effort. This was to reach a hut hidden among the trees, a short distance from the rock, on which the brother and sister had seated themselves on first arriving at the fall. The traveler yielded to their solicitations, and supported on one side by Hulda, and on the other by Joel, he finally succeeded in reaching the door of the humble dwelling.
“Let us go in, sir,” said Hulda. “You must want to rest a moment.”
“The moment will probably be prolonged to a quarter of an hour.”
“Very well, sir; but afterward you must consent to accompany us to Dal.”
“To Dal? Why, that is the very place I was going to!”
“Can
