“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 can not 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.”