In Barracks and Wigwam — page 188: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

FO 7 On Perilous Cthab. pe si ; “All right, ee cco Reily. “I’m too old a climber to look any other way. We’ve made out well so far. Why, we're half way to the top already. But there’s another thing we must guard against, sir, and that’s dis- lodging any good-sized stones. These little bits of — gravel and clay that go rattling down don’t count for | much, but a big noise will tell the Sioux what we’re up to, _ and then we’ll likely find some of them waiting for us at the top.” : — “That's true,” assented Linn. “We must be mighty — careful, Reily. If we try every root and bit of rock © | there’s not much danger of dislodging anything large.” iy With one or the other alternately taking the lead, the ; young officer and his companion steadily ascended _higher and higher up the dizzy face of the precipice, veer- _ing off to right or left at times, turning awkward corners, and taking advantage of every hold that offered. | The upper portion of the cliff was by far the most ~ perilous and difficult, and the final fifty feet taxed their nerves and courage to the utmost. Bits of stone and © dirt rattled down at intervals from under foot, but by — incessant caution nothing large enough to attract the at- — tention of the Sioux was dislodged. The plucky ~ climbers had several narrow shaves that nearly took their © breath away, and once they actually crawled up eight 4 feet of overhanging rock by clinging to projections and ~ crevices. | Meanwhile the horizon line of timber overhead was — drawing steadily nearer, and at last the surface of the — precipice terminated at a gentle and grassy slope. Up this Linn and Reily crawled on hands and knees, and — sank down panting and exhausted in the dark shelter of the pine trees on top of the ridge. The first and worst t ay oor of their journey was safely accomplished, — Fe . Mass gS Testing ae jong enough to Tecoves. | nic oth than ee f: edn Sy rae ‘ en co we * ‘ - a i 5 Gs Lea aN, ee pe ats IF “6% ag? ee or Bea: Rabie i a She « Ne ig apy She, os, 4 Sw An ems fend det eas