“She’s coming in! She’s coming in, Herr Professor! Here she comes, the Christmas Star! She doesn’t look very big, way down there!”
“No, we usually think of a Christmas star high above us in the heavens, instead of far below us on the water,” said Herr Professor.
“I guess a Christmas star isn’t out of place anywhere, is it?” said Arne. “The Stjerne is sure going to look good to us in that harbor. We won’t need to bring in many more loads now, will we?”
The fire on the cliff blazed high, and the two worked fast to keep it replenished. The ship came closer and closer to port; and at last Herr Engstrand said, “They don’t need our fire any more, Arne. The lights of the town will be enough. Now we’ll get you ready, and down you go!”
Both of them worked fast to get Arne ready for his journey down. Herr Engstrand made sure the rope was safe and strong before he tied the loop in which Arne was to sit. Soon the boy was bundled up in greens, his hands well wrapped. Herr Professor settled him securely in the rope sling.
“I’ll hold as tight as I can at first,” he said. “But once you get going, you’ll have a fast ride. Ready now? Here you go, down the wires to meet the Christmas Star!”
“Ready!” Arne managed to say, but his mouth was dry, and when he tried to swallow it seemed to him his heart was right up in his throat. The lights of Nordheim looked far, far below him.
Then Herr Professor gave him a little push and started him downward. Arne knew his teacher was holding the rope as firmly as possible, but the sling went in jerks along the wires. Probably they were rusty. What if they should break? The rope, too! It had been used all summer long. It might be a little frayed. What if it should break, with all this jerking?
Then he remembered how Gustav had thrown his weight first one way and then another to steady his progress. He tried to do the same now, and he began to go faster and more smoothly.
Once fairly started, it was a swift, breathless ride Arne had down those wires. Fast as he was used to going on skis and sleds, he had never had such a ride as this. The blood pounded in his ears as he rushed through the air toward the foot of the cliff.