“Stand by up there,” Ned yelled again. “All take a turn on the rope—she’s comin’.”
With another violent jerk the package came loose, slid forward on the crane and struck Ned’s legs. The hanging ladder flew forward while Ned caught himself with hands and legs and the bundle dropped free, swinging wildly back and forth. Twice, the human, swaying target was struck by the plunging package while Ned hooked his legs and arms desperately around the ladder, and then those in the engine room managed to draw the whirling parcel up to the trap door. Quick hands grasped and dragged it into the car.
The precious packet safe, Roy turned to assist Ned in mounting the ladder and re-entering the cabin. One glance and a frightened cry came from him. There was no one on the rope ladder. Ned had disappeared.
CHAPTER XV
IN WHICH NED’S LIFE IS SAVED
While Roy’s wild cry of alarm yet filled the engine room, other words broke on the ears of the dazed boys.
“What’s the matter with Ned!” came in a shriek through the pilot room tube.
Bob was already at Roy’s side, crowding the trap opening in gasping alarm. Nearly 2,000 feet below them the haze of Brooklyn thickened into a cloud. Sweeping backward in the rush of flight the empty rope ladder told of their companion’s fate. The “sky sick” Buck seemed desperate. Weak and trembling as he was, the tragedy that seemed to paralyze Roy and Bob galvanized him into action. Forgetting the illness that was on him, he pushed Roy and Bob aside and forced his head through the door.
“All right, old man; you’re all right!” heard the boys in the car. “We’ll get you in a second; you’re safe; keep your head. He’s all right,” shouted Buck drawing his head into the car. “He’s in the crane; he’s all right; it’s safe; it’ll hold him: Get a line,” he went on, breathless but cool and determined now. “Get a line—quick!”
“Hurry up here,” came a second agonizing cry from Alan in the pilot house, “some one! What’s the matter? Quick.”