"Be careful, Toby, and don't take too many risks!" Elmer called out to him, making use of the birch bark megaphone, so as to impress his words more positively on the other.
"Oh! look there what's running up ahead of Toby, would you?" cried George. "As sure as you live it's a 'coon, with its striped tail, and scared half to death because a critter with two legs has clumb his private tree. He must have popped out of that hole you c'n see where Toby is. And say, if the little fool hasn't gone and run out on that very limb where Toby's planned to jump from."
"Keep back, everybody!" warned Elmer; "give Toby and the 'coon all the room they need, because our chum is attaching the parachute to his body right now!"
CHAPTER VI
LOOKING AROUND
"Here goes, fellows; now watch me make the jump!"
Toby had adjusted the big parachute to his satisfaction, before he called this out; and it seemed to have been attached to his back by means of some device of his own. When open it resembled a large umbrella, only the ribs were made much more solid than the usual ones.
"It's lucky the ground's pretty soft down here, Toby!" called George; "because you're apt to get a swift knock when you land. Be sure and keep that tongue of yours well inside your mouth, or you might bite it off."