“Mew! Mew!” dismally cried the cat.
“I’m coming to get you,” said Bert, kindly. “Wait a minute, Snoop!”
From the ground Flossie, Freddie and Nan watched Bert make his way out on a limb toward Snoop. And then, all of a sudden, there was a cracking, breaking sound and Bert cried:
“Oh, I’m falling! I’m going to fall!”
CHAPTER V—CHRISTMAS TREES
Several things happened all in a moment. The cracking limb, Bert’s cries, and the swaying of the bough as it bent toward the ground with the weight of the Bobbsey boy frightened Snoop, the cat. All this did just what was needed, for it so frightened Snoop that down he scrambled out of the tree, not caring whether or not he fell.
Bert, as soon as he felt the tree branch giving way with him, reached out his arms and grasped whatever came first to his hands. This happened to be another branch over his head, so that there he was, his feet on one limb that was slowly bending beneath his weight, and his hands grasping a branch above him.
And, to add to the excitement, Flossie and Freddie, who saw what danger Bert was in, set up a dismal crying.
“Oh, Bert’s going to fall! Bert’s going to fall!” yelled Freddie.
“Daddy! Mother! Dinah! Somebody! Come quick!” exclaimed Flossie. “Catch Bert before he falls!”