" They saw that in some
inconceivable way he intended crossing where they stood. The gorge
was much too wide for the most vigorous leap, so Elsie exclaimed
eagerly:
"Oh, please don't take any risk! What is a little moss?"
"I say, Stanhope," remonstrated George, seriously, "it would be no
laughing matter if you should fall in there."
But Stanhope only smiled, threw off his overcoat, and buttoned his
undercoat closely around him. George groaned to himself, "This
will be worse than the kissing scrape," and was about to lay a
restraining grasp upon his friend. But he slipped away, and
lightly went up hand-over-hand a tall, slender sapling on the edge
of the bank, the whole party gathering round in breathless
expectation. Having reached its slender, swaying top, he threw
himself out on the land side. The tree bent at once to the ground
with his weight, but without snapping, showing that it was tough
and fibrous. Holding firmly to the top, he gave a strong spring,
which, with the spring of the bent sapling, sent him well over the
gorge on the firm ground beyond.
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