“Yet you must have something as a lever with which to work.”
“I will use my shoulder, if it so be you can hold me on your back.”
“That I will do, and for so long a time as you wish,” I replied, with but little faith that he might succeed in his purpose.
It was true nothing save the weight of the roof rested upon these uppermost logs; but this was formed of green saplings, which, when taken as a whole, would prove a burden far too heavy for both of us, even though we could come at it handily, so I said to myself.
However, there was no harm in trying; and so much good would come of it that even in the failure we should be gaining needed exercise to keep us warm.
Crouching as one does who plays at leap-frog, I rested my hands upon the logs forming the outer side of the pen, to hold myself steady, and Alec stood upon my back.
In this position he was forced to bend nearly double, and I saw at once that could I hold him up when he straightened his body, something must perforce give way.
“Are you ready?” he asked in a whisper, and I, mentally bracing myself for the effort, replied:—
“Do your best; but quickly, lest I fail to hold this position.”
Alec Perry is a slightly built lad, and to look at him one would say his strength was hardly more than that of a woman, yet I soon found that it was far in excess of what his frame indicated.