“Well, of all the things I ever heared! Now I wonder whether I should have done like that if you and me had been twisted round; I mean, if you had gone down first and been caught.”
“Of course you would, Jem.”
“Well, that’s what I don’t know, Mas’ Don. I’m afraid I should have waited till they’d got off with you, and slipped down and run off.”
“I don’t think you’d have left me, Jem.”
“I dunno, my lad. I should have said to myself, I can bring them as ’ud help get Mas’ Don out; and gone.”
Don thought of his own feelings, and remained silent.
“I say, Mas’ Don, though, it’s a bad job being caught; but the rope was made strong enough, warn’t it?”
“Yes, but it was labour in vain.”
“Well, p’r’aps it was, sir; but I’m proud of that rope all the same. Oh!”
Jem uttered a dismal groan.