Ah! he caught the sharp edge, after groping for a few seconds.

Leaning over, he reached out as far as possible and found the projection extended indefinitely.
"It will do!" he muttered, with a thrill, and, without pausing to reflect upon the fearful risk of the thing, he swung himself along, sustained for an instant by his single hand; but the other was immediately alongside of it, and it was easy to hold himself like a pendulum swaying over the frightful abyss.

But there was nothing upon which to rest his feet.

He did not wish anything, and, swinging sideways, threw one leg over the ledge beside his hands, and, half-rolling over, raised himself securely for the time on his perch.
"Gracious!" he exclaimed, pausing from the effort; "if I had stopped to think, I shouldn't have dared to try it.

If this ledge had been smaller I shouldn't have found room for my body, and there is no way of getting back to the stone on which I was standing.