'Come out of that, lad; if you look over them rocks any longer they'll kinder draw you down after him.'
CHAPTER XXII
AT THE END OF THE ROPE
'I guess our young 'uns will be feeling as if the old birds had deserted,' said Dick after a time. 'How do you reckon to get them up, Snap?'
'Well, I've just been looking over the top of that other point,' said Snap, indicating one of the other points of the peak, 'and I find we can get down pretty easily to within about 150 feet of them, but from there down it's like ice, the rock is so smooth.'
'Let's see if we can pull this balloon in,' said Dick; 'may be, there is a rope in the car;' and as he spoke he and Snap got hold of the rope which held the captive balloon, and hauled on it. To their surprise it came in easily, though now and then it gave a tug which threatened to jerk them off their feet. When they had got it so close that they could see into the car Snap was on the point of getting in.
'Steady, boy, hold on! If you let go I may not be able to keep her down, and then there you'll be hung up like a bird in a cage,' roared Dick.
'Well, what are we going to do?' panted Snap.
'Just pay out the rope again steadily, pard; don't let it go with a jerk, whatever you do,' replied Wharton.
'And now?' asked Snap when the balloon was once more at the end of its tether.