Next morning we went on in good spirits for a while, though our way was slow and difficult, by reason of the steep and rocky nature of the ground and the thickness of the forest; but at last a dull despondency crept into the men’s faces and it was apparent that not only they, but even the guides, were now convinced that we were lost.  The fact that we still met no tourists was a circumstance that was but too significant.  Another thing seemed to suggest that we were not only lost, but very badly lost; for there must surely be searching-parties on the road before this time, yet we had seen no sign of them.

Demoralization was spreading; something must be done, and done quickly, too.  Fortunately, I am not unfertile in expedients.  I contrived one now which commended itself to all, for it promised well.  I took three-quarters of a mile of rope and fastened one end of it around the waist of a guide, and told him to go find the road, while the caravan waited.  I instructed him to guide himself back by the rope, in case of failure; in case of success, he was to give the rope a series of violent jerks, whereupon the Expedition would go to him at once.  He departed, and in two minutes had disappeared among the trees.  I payed out the rope myself, while everybody watched the crawling thing with eager eyes.  The rope crept away quite slowly, at times, at other times with some briskness.  Twice or thrice we seemed to get the signal, and a shout was just ready to break from the men’s lips when they perceived it was a false alarm.  But at last, when over half a mile of rope had slidden away, it stopped gliding and stood absolutely still—­one minute—­two minutes—­three—­while we held our breath and watched.

Was the guide resting?  Was he scanning the country from some high point?  Was he inquiring of a chance mountaineer?  Stop,—­had he fainted from excess of fatigue and anxiety?

This thought gave us a shock.  I was in the very first act of detailing an Expedition to succor him, when the cord was assailed with a series of such frantic jerks that I could hardly keep hold of it.  The huzza that went up, then, was good to hear.  “Saved! saved!” was the word that rang out, all down the long rank of the caravan.

We rose up and started at once.  We found the route to be good enough for a while, but it began to grow difficult, by and by, and this feature steadily increased.  When we judged we had gone half a mile, we momently expected to see the guide; but no, he was not visible anywhere; neither was he waiting, for the rope was still moving, consequently he was doing the same.  This argued that he had not found the road, yet, but was marching to it with some peasant.  There was nothing for us to do but plod along—­and this we did.  At the end of three hours we were still plodding.  This was not only mysterious, but exasperating.  And very fatiguing, too; for we had tried hard, along at first, to catch up with the guide, but had only fagged ourselves, in vain; for although he was traveling slowly he was yet able to go faster than the hampered caravan over such ground.