Tad hunched the rope under his arms.
"Can you hold me?"
"Yes, I've got a hitch around a limb," answered Ned.
The boy half way up the tree rested more of his weight on the rope. A moment of this and he began to climb, Ned assisting by hauling up on the rope with all his strength. Butler was soon resting beside him.
"Thank you," said Tad. "You aren't much of a shot, but you helped me up."
"Yes. I could shoot better than that with a pop-gun," jeered Stacy from an adjoining tree.
"You keep still. I don't see that you have been doing much, for a brave man, except to get us into more trouble," retorted Ned.
The Professor had become very much excited, and nearly fell out of the tree while suddenly shifting his position.
"Charlie, why don't you do something?" shouted the Professor.
Charlie hunched his shoulders.