With immense difficulty this was lowered to the spot which the boys had reached.

One of the sailors had brought down a lantern, and by its light a block was lashed to the end, and a long rope roved through it.

Then a shorter rope was fastened to the end as a guy, and the spar lowered out, till it sloped well over the edge.

The lower edge was wedged in between two rocks, and others piled round it.
"Now," Dick said, "I will go down." "You'll never get down alive, sir," one of the sailor said.

"The wind will dash you against the cliff.