II
1.At length the young man reached a crevice where a bunch of samphire grew.Finding a foot-hold on the rock，he gathered the plant，untied the rope from about his waist，and fastening the samphire to it，gave the signal to pull up.Then he waited until the rope again descended within his reach.When he had gathered all that was to be found at that spot，he was at last drawn up himself，carrying a great bunch of the plant under his arm.
2.“Perhaps you would like to try it now，youngmaster，”he said to Harold with a slight sneerthe blood from a long scratch on his wrist.
“I will try it，”Harold replied；and greatly to the other’s surprise he began to tie the rope round his body.
3.The old man tried to dissuade him was determined，and with much grumbling on the part of the fisherman，he let himself down over the brink of the cliff.Slowly and steadily，inch by inch，the ropewas paid out by the old man and his son，who felt not a little uneasy at the risk they were allowing the young stranger to run.
4.A hundred feet down the rock he found some samphire at a spot where he could secure a good footing.With great care he unfastened the rope from his waist，and gathering all that he could reach，he sent it up to the summit of the cliff.When the rope came down again，he swung himself still further down the cliff.This time he did not take the trouble to tie the rope round him，but trusted to his strong arms.
5.Down，down he went，until he caught sight of arecessin the face of the cliff，which was hidden fromthose above by an overhanging rock.Here，on a broad ledge，grew a great quantity of samphire，and this Harold made up his mind he would gather.But it was not an easy thing to do，for he was hanging in the air fully eight feet away from the ledge.
6.He began to swing himself backwards and for-wards，gently at first，then a little more strongly，coming nearer and nearer the rock at each swing.Another swing，and his toes touched the rock；yet another，then a jump，and he found himself safely landed on the ledge.The samphire was soon gathered，and Haroldturned to seize the rope again.A frightened cry burst from his lips.The rope swung gently in the breeze before him，but the overhanging rock above kept it far out beyond his reach.He was imprisoned between sea and sky！
7.His first thought was to leap out towards the rope，but the risk was too great.If he missed it，or allowed it to slip through his hands，nothing could save him from a terrible death on the rocks below.He had therefore to think of some other way of reaching it.
8.At last he hit on a good plan.Drawing his watch from his pocket，he let it swing from his hand by its strong ribbon.No；the ribbon was not long enough.He then tore up his strong silk handkerchief，and tying the strips together，he fastened to the watch ribbon one end of this silken line.
9.Swinging the watch about his head，he threw it.towards the rope.It just touched，and then swung back，striking a sharp blow upon the rock.
“Ah！that‘s bad for the watch，”exclaimed Harold，noticing the dentmade in one side of it.
He cast it once more toward the rope，with no better result.Time after time the throw was repeated，till at length the watch and a portion of the ribboncaught against the rope，and were wound tightly around it.Harold drew it carefully toward him.Breathlesslyhe stretched out his hand and clutchedrope.He was safe！
10.With trembling hands he fastened it securely about his waist，and seizing the bunch of samphire which he had gathered，gave the signal to be drawn up.A few moments later，he stood upon the summit of the cliff.
“Will you try it again，young master？”asked the young fisherman.
“No，sir！There is not enough money in the Bank ofEngland to tempt me，”replied Harold emphatically .
11.He kept his adventure secret from the old man and his son，but he told it afterwards to his father；and even to this day Captain Harold Fitzmaurice carries a gold watch that bears upon its case several very ugly-looking dents，the cause of which he has frequently to explain.
