“I’ve got it,” said a low, weak voice in Alan’s ear. “Get a new hold. I’ve got it,” and Buck Stewart came once more to the rescue.
With Buck’s help the line came in slowly, hand over hand, until, suddenly, the opening was darkened by Ned’s body. Another heave to bring the silent form close to the trap and Alan, panting with exertion and his arms trembling, whispered:
“Make fast, Bob! Hold her, Buck.”
When he felt that the line was secure he released his hold and without a word to Ned, who seemed only partly conscious, Alan slipped a double thickness of the other line about his chum’s body. Almost with the same motion, he caught the short cable on the end of the crane used to hold it in place. There was a heavy belaying cleat just outside the opening, attached to the bottom of the car and on this, with a few swift turns, he made fast the crane cable. All this time Alan had been gripping Ned’s coat as well as he could with his disengaged hand. Then he realized that the prisoner in the V had spoken no word.
“Both of you on the line,” the fear stricken Alan shouted as, with both hands now free, he threw his arms about Ned’s body. Almost lying on the lower arm of the pick-up contrivance and tightly grasping the upper arm, as Alan attempted to lift him, Ned gave no sound save a groan. His leg yet held in the viselike narrowing arms. Driven to desperation Alan thrust his own legs through the trap opening and, catching the rope ladder with his feet, wriggled his body past the inert form of the boy just below. Releasing his hold on Ned only long enough to get an arm between two ladder rungs, he anchored himself on the slender support and with both arms again caught helpless Ned about the waist.
“Keep the line tight,” he cried. “Don’t let it give.”
Buck and Bob knew well enough what this would mean. They saw at once that Alan was about to pull Ned’s body backward from the clutches of the steel arms. If he freed the boy and Ned should drop only a few inches, the fall might tear the line from their grasp. If not that, the shock might easily hurl Alan from the ladder. The boys in the cabin drew on the line until the victim at its other end groaned again.
“Now!” muttered the rescuer on the ladder. One pull and Ned shrieked with pain. But the anguish that this carried to those above and below him did not lessen the grip of Buck and Bob or deter Alan.
“Again!” came from Alan as he threw himself backward, Ned’s waist in his arms. The body of the suffering boy slid forward on the steel arm, only an inch or so, but so quickly that Alan had to cling to it to keep from falling. The leg released at last, Ned’s body turned sideways. The almost unconscious boy grabbed mechanically at the steel arm below him but Buck and Bob, with all the muscle in them, acted as quickly. The middle of Ned’s body rose upward as Alan released it and caught in turn the steel arm himself. With one pull the almost helpless Ned was drawn to the door and while he hung there, Alan sprang up the ladder. But, before he could give further assistance, the strong grip of the boys in the cabin had drawn their commander to safety. The same hands also caught Alan as his head reached the opening, and the fight was over.
On the floor, with his eyes closed, lay Ned. While Bob slammed fast the trap door, Alan sprang to the tube, breathing hard and supporting himself with the deck upright.