"Never mind, we can get it again," said Billie Bushytail. "You oughtn't to kick so strong, Jacko."
"I s'pose I ought not to," agreed the monkey boy, sort of sad-like. "But I will go down and get the ball. Then we can play another game."
And all this while Jumpo was watching the boys from out of the window. And his tooth didn't ache quite so badly when he saw what fun they were having. He wished he was with them.
"What's the matter?" Jumpo asked, when he saw the ball bounce out of sight over the hill.
"It's fallen down in a big hole, and I'm going after it," said Jacko.
So the red monkey and his friends went to the edge of the hill and looked over. Oh! it was a very steep, dark place, and when Jacko saw how far down he'd have to go he was a bit afraid.
"I don't believe I can go down there," he said, wriggling his tail. "But I will try, because it was my fault that the ball went over. I'll climb down."
"No, don't do that," spoke Sammie Littletail. "You might fall and be hurt. See, here is a long wild grapevine. The vine is just like a rope. We can tie one end around you while we hold on the other end. Then we can lower you down into the hole, just like on an elevator, and you can get the football. Then we'll pull you up again."
Every one thought that was a good plan, so they took a long piece of grapevine and tied it around Jacko.
"Careful now!" called Jacko, as they began lowering him over the edge of the hill, down into the hole where the football was. "Don't let me fall!"