“Hi! What’s come to you?” growled Hardock.
“Are you asleep, below there?” shouted the Colonel. “Hold fast, and I’ll send someone down.”
“Nay, nay!” yelled Hardock, “the ladder won’t bear another. I’ll get it done directly. Now, Master Gwyn, pull yourself together, and make this rope fast. D’yer hear?”
“Yes,” gasped the boy at last. “Wait a minute and I’ll try.”
“Wait a minute and you’ll try,” growled the man. “We shall all be down directly. My word! What is the use o’ boys. Hi! hold fast and I’ll try and get up above you and tie the rope myself.”
“No, no!” cried Gwyn, frantically. “You can’t climb over us.”
“But I must, lad, I aren’t going to get round inside and try it that way. I aren’t a boy now.”
“No, don’t try that,” panted Gwyn, breathlessly. “You’d pull us off. I’m coming round again. I’ll try soon, but I don’t seem to have any breath.”
“Hi! below there! what are you about?” shouted the Colonel. “Make that rope fast.”
“Yes, sir; yes, sir; directly,” yelled Hardock. “You, must wait.”