Phyllis and Janet were tugging frantically at the strings above them. Finally, when they had about decided there was nothing for them to do but prepare to land with hope for as little injury as possible, Phyllis’ parachute came free and straightened out with a jerk. Thereafter they floated down to the ground easily, with the lightness of birds.
Phyllis braced her legs to meet the ground rushing up at her. In another minute she was flat on her back and the parachute covering her like a giant blanket. Friendly hands came to her rescue and soon she was upright, stepping from the harness of the parachute.
“All right, Janet?” Phyllis called anxiously, running to where her friend’s parachute covered a squirming, wriggling figure.
“I’ll be all right if somebody will take this thing off me,” Janet cried fretfully. “Never,” she declared solemnly as she trudged along beside Phyllis back to the hangar where they divested themselves of their suits, “never will I try that again. Never!”
“Wasn’t it thrilling?” Phyllis asked eagerly. “I was never so thrilled in my whole life!”
“I don’t care to experience it again,” Janet said flatly. “When I stepped from the plane out into nothing and went tumbling down toward the ground——I hope I haven’t shortened my life by ten years,” she added.
“Of all the crazy stunts!” Carol greeted them when they were all together again.
“I know, I know,” Janet said with a wave of the hand, “you don’t have to say a word.”
“Whatever possessed you to do it?” Madge demanded.
“I wondered that myself when I was up there,” Janet murmured. “Just suppose the parachute hadn’t opened!”