“Herbert,” said Cox, “your cap won’t be much improved by that muddy water.”
“We can wash it in the river afterwards,” replied King. “Come and lend me a hand, and we will soon get these pieces of rope off and tied together.”
“I wonder how much water there is at the bottom!” said Cox, looking down at the dark muddy water.
“Only a few inches. I know the depth of the pit when it is dry, and I can see there isn’t much difference in it. You had better go down, but I will if you are afraid. I don’t think you are strong enough to help me up again, are you?”
“I don’t know,” replied Cox, looking very doubtfully at the water.
“Don’t be in such a funk,” exclaimed King, “or I shall tie the rope round one of these posts and let myself down.”
“I am not in a funk,” said Cox. “I will go down when we get these pieces tied together. This rope is a bit rotten, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s all right. It has borne my weight, and so I am sure it will yours.”
Cox did not seem at all in a hurry to commence the descent, which was perhaps some thirty or forty feet.
“There goes young sneak,” he exclaimed, as he saw Alfred running across the other side of the field. “Stop him.”