people. I'll engage to strike the horses at the bottom of the gulley."
"Mr. Frank Hallett knows the way," said Elsie. "He is coo-eeing to us to wait for him."
"I don't want to wait for Mr. Frank Hallett. I would rather show you the way myself. Will you let me be your guide?"
"If you like," she answered.
"Come, then." He held back an overhanging withe of a creeper, for her to pass through into the denser bush beyond the little plateau. The ground sloped downward. There was a faint track, but it was difficult to tell whether it was a cattle track, or made by the passage of man. On each side, and all down the hill, were cairns of grey volcanic stone, covered with a yellow- white lichen, that gave them a strange and hoary appearance. The white gums had something of the same eldritch look on account of the withes of greenish-grey moss which hung from their branches. Through their straight lanky stems could be seen glimpses of the grey precipice of Mount Luya. A few jagged grass-trees, some melancholy wattles, and stunted cinchona shrubs added to the wildness of the scene. As they got down into the gulley, the rocks became more steep and slippery, and the way more difficult. Blake held out his hand to help Elsie over the stones. She slipped and fell into his arms, but quickly recovered herself, and poised with the lightness of a fawn on a jutting rock. "You don't seem to like taking my hand," said Blake, resentfully.
"I am a very good climber," she answered. " And besides, Mr. Blake, did you really mean what you said? Is everything that you or I do or say to be counted as a move in the game?"
"Most certainly, since we have determined to play the game. But you need not be so proud about accepting help over the stones. It will be I who run a risk, not you."
"I don't understand you." As she spoke, she put out her hand to balance herself, for she had slipped again. He
