"It's a dreadful pity you're not a boy," was all he said.
CHAPTER XI
A NARROW ESCAPE
After the mid-day meal people agreed to separate and go their several ways. A goodly number proposed to climb up to the second and third falls, an impossible feat until lately, when the touring club had provided upright fixed ladders to scale the most inaccessible places, but the ladders were steep and slippery with damp, and it was only the younger and more venturesome of the party who proffered for the excursion.
"I shall want to take a few snapshots. They tell me the falls, viewed from the top, are simply magnificent," said Tom, slinging his camera across his shoulders. "Jack, you shall come with us. I'll answer for your safety," with a kindly hand laid on the boy's shoulder.
"I can't unless Eva is going too. I've promised to be with her this afternoon, as it's her day, you know."
"Eva!" laughed Eva's mother. "Eva won't go, will you, pussy? She's the most arrant little coward in the world, but, encouraged by Betty, I mean to venture, Tom, and it will take all your time to look after me. Betty can look after herself."
"I should think so," said Betty, with fine scorn. "I should be ashamed of myself if I needed help to climb a few ladders."
It was with eyes of longing regret that Jack watched the party start off through the aisle of tree ferns and heard their merry voices gradually dying away in the distance, but Eva's hand tugged at his.
"It was just splendid of you, Jack, to stay with me instead of going with them, and now, as mother and Aunt Betty are gone, we need ask no one's leave to go off by ourselves."