As well as he was able, he put out his uninjured arm, and Dave grasped it. Then, holding tight with his legs, the young sergeant succeeded in raising the fellow from his position in the crotch of the branch which had now taken fire. He had to pull with considerable force to get the fellow free from his entanglement.
“Look out, Dave, or you’ll both fall!” warned Phil.
“I’ve got him, but I don’t just see how I’m going to get him down from the tree,” announced our hero.
The smoke was now coming up so thickly that he was almost blinded, and both he and the hurt aviator began coughing.
“Swing him around so that we can get hold of him,” suggested Roger.
As well as he was able, he put out his uninjured arm and Dave grasped it.—Page [66].
With great care Dave shifted his position, and then worked his way backward about a foot along the limb. Here he felt a little more secure, and then swung the hurt man around until Phil and Roger could get hold of him. The German uttered several moans of pain and then collapsed into insensibility.
“Be careful how you handle him, fellows,” said Dave, when he and his chums had the airman safe between them. “He said his arm was broken.”
“He can be thankful he didn’t break his neck with such a tumble as that,” returned Roger.