Feeling his way in the darkness, Bob finally got hold of his companion. It was not a difficult task for him, strong and athletic as he was, to climb to Rush's shoulders. The difficulty was in staying on the shoulders after he once got there.
Bob didn't stay long. He toppled over backwards with a quick roll of the ship, landing high up on the ore pile, sliding down to the bottom, protesting and growling at the boy who had been the cause of his downfall.
"Do it yourself!" Jarvis shouted after getting to his feet once more.
"Come on, now! You're all right."
After a little urging Jarvis succeeded in reaching his chum's shoulders once more.
"Now, be careful! I will try to hold you," said Steve grasping his companion's ankles.
"I've got hold of it. I've got the platform. It's only a little above my waist. Leggo my legs."
Steve stepped out from under so suddenly that Jarvis was left dangling in the air.
The latter was too busy in trying to pull himself up, to enable him to make any retort. He scrambled to the passageway or platform, out of breath and dizzy. For a few moments Bob lay flat on the support beneath him, groaning.
"Don't be a tenderfoot. What's the matter?" called Steve.