“Thank you; you did that rather well,” she said.  “It looks as if I were heavier than you thought.”

While he had been occupied Festing imagined he had heard a splash, and now looking down saw Helen standing on a boulder in the stream.  She gave him an approving nod before she sprang to the next stone, and he felt a thrill of pleasure.  She knew his task was difficult and was satisfied with him.

When they came to the scar where the floods had torn away the bank he hesitated.  It was some distance to the water, and there was no hold upon the wall of soil, which was studded with small round stones.

“Helen slid,” his companion remarked.  “I imagine she chose her time; the sitting glissade isn’t elegant.  But if you’ll go first and wait—­”

Festing leaned back with his shoulders against the bank and pushed off.  He alighted in the water, and Miss Jardine, coming down, kicked his arm.  He saved her from a plunge into the stream, but thought she looked something the worse for wear as they made their way from stone to stone.  The other bank was easier, and for a time they had not much trouble in going down hill, but the mist was very thick, and presently the steep slope broke off close in front.  Helen stopped and beckoned Festing.

Looking down, he saw the wet face of a crag drop into the rolling vapor.  For eight or nine feet it was perpendicular, and afterwards ran down at a very steep slant, but immediately below there was a gully with a foot or two of level gravel at its top.

“This is not the regular track,” Helen said.  “However, I think I know the gully.”

Festing pondered.  The rock looked daunting, but one might get down to the patch of gravel.  The trouble was that one could not see what lay below, and it might be difficult to climb back, if this was needful.

“I could get as far as the edge yonder,” he suggested.

“No,” said Helen.  “You don’t know the gully, and if I’m mistaken about it, you could help me up.”

“That’s true.  Still I’d sooner go.”

Helen shook her head, and although she did not speak, he felt there was something delightful in her consulting him.  They had come to know each other on the misty hillside in a way that would not have been possible in conventional surroundings.  He had seen a possibility of the girl, so to speak, shutting him out in self-defense because he had had some part in her humiliation, but he thought that risk had gone.

“Well,” he resumed, “what do you propose?”

“I’m going to see if this is the place I think.  You can steady me.”

Festing lay down with his head over the edge and found a grip for his toes and knees.  There were a few cracks in the rock and Helen had got half way down before she took his hands.  He felt the strain and braced himself, determined that he would be pulled over before he let her fall.

“Loose me now,” she said.