The bird was a true eagle, strong of wing and muscle like all of his tribe, and one of the strongest of the genus.

Like an arrow, he could fly straight up towards the sky.

In a few minutes--ay, in a few seconds--he could easily shoot up to the summits of the snowy mountains that towered above them.
"What is to hinder him ?" asked Karl, pointing to the bird, "to carry--" "To carry what ?" said Caspar, interrupting the interrogation of his brother, who spoke in a hesitating and doubtful manner.

"Not us, Karl ?" continued he, with a slight touch of jocularity in his manner--"you don't mean that, I suppose ?" "Not us," gravely repeated Karl, "but _a rope_ that may carry _us_." "Ha!" exclaimed Caspar, a gleam of joy overspreading his face as he spoke.

"There's something in that." Ossaroo, equally interested in the dialogue, at the same moment gave utterance to a joyous ejaculation.
"What do _you_ think of it, shikaree ?" inquired Karl, speaking in a serious tone.
The reply of Ossaroo did not bespeak any very sanguine hope on his part.
Still he was ready to counsel a trial of the scheme.