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: 

“Holdfast, 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.”