So they both endeavoured to float it in the desired direction, and at length Alfy thought he might venture to throw the rope. He did so, and with some good effect, for it fell over a branch, and, though it did not wind tightly round and had no firm hold, he could just give the tub a bias in that direction.
After plying his paddles with fairly good result for a little time, he drew in the rope, and again launched it forth at the tree top. Again he was, to some extent, successful, and in a few minutes he was able to float the tub in among the branches.
"Here we are!" he cried, "quite like the baby in the nursery rhyme—'Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree top,' you know, eh, Mansy dear? Now we will tie the tub firmly to the branches, so that there will be no fear of floating away!"
"You have managed well, Master Alfy," said Mansy, admiringly.
"Oh, but it was your idea; and look, we are not so very far from the house!"
"I wish we were there!" sighed Mansy.
"So do I," said Alfy, "but, Mansy dear, I really am very hungry, and you said you had something to eat in those packages!"
"And so I have," replied his old nurse. "Dear boy, you must be hungry. I suppose the girls have something left?"
"Oh yes, quite enough for another meal, I should think! I wish we could let them know we are safe, and not so very far away."
"Burn a light; I have some matches and a little spirit lamp. I bought it with some other things yesterday, thinking it might be handy in the summer, when the kitchen fire was out, to boil a little water."