On this inducement Barbara slowly parted with her skipping-rope, and let Alex knot it hastily and insecurely to the newel post on the first landing above the hall.
"Now just get up on to the post, Barbara, and I'll hold the other end of the rope like this, and you'll see—"
"But I can't, I should fall off."
"Don't be such a little muff; I'll hold you on."
"No, no—I'm frightened. Let Cedric do it."
"No," said Cedric. "I'm being a learned pig." He went down the short flight of stairs and sat firmly down upon the tiled floor with the pack of cards out-spread before him.
"Now come on, Barbara," Alex commanded her; "I'll hold you."
Between hoisting and pulling and Barbara's own dread of disobeying her, Alex got her sister into a kneeling position on the broad flat top of the newel post.
"Now stand up, and then I'll hold out the rope. You'll be the famous tight-rope dancer crossing the Falls of Niagara."
"Alex, I'm frightened."