Shortly after this, suddenly, without the slightest previous warning,
the great red knife of light came stabbing the darkness through and
through--struck the swaying stone on which we were, and rested its sharp
point upon the spur opposite.
"Now for it," said Leo, "now or never."
We rose and stretched ourselves, and looked at the cloud-wreaths stained
the colour of blood by that red ray as they tore through the sickening
depths beneath, and then at the empty space between the swaying stone
and the quivering rock, and, in our hearts, despaired, and prepared for
death. Surely we could not clear it--desperate though we were.
"Who is to go first?" said I.
"Do you, old fellow," answered Leo. "I will sit upon the other side of
the stone to steady it. You must take as much run as you can, and jump
high; and God have mercy on us, say I."
I acquiesced with a nod, and then I did a thing I had never done since
Leo was a little boy. I turned and put my arm round him, and kissed him
on the forehead.
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