The opportunity which Hugh had once sighed for had come to him in a most wonderful way.
He succeeded in making his way down in safety, though once he slipped, and had a thrill of alarm pass over him.

Now he found himself alongside Claude.

The boy's face was the color of ashes; Hugh had never looked upon a corpse in all his life, but he could not help comparing Claude's pallid countenance to one.
He was glancing around with the eye of a general who lets nothing, no matter how trivial, escape him.

Just a foot below Claude's dangling toes there was a narrow ledge.

If only both of them could find lodgment upon this; and have some hold above for their hands, they might maintain their position until Hugh's shouts attracted "Just" Smith to the spot, and he could do something to aid them.
"Listen, Claude," he said earnestly.