Nan ran out under the tree and stood with her dress held up, as she used to do when her father picked apples and dropped them down to her. Nan may have thought Bert could drop down and she would catch him, as a man jumps into a circus net from the top of the tent. But, again, perhaps Nan was so excited that she really did not know what she was doing.
However, daddy and mother came hurrying to the window, attracted by the cries of the children, and Mr. Bobbsey, seeing just what was needed, said to his wife:
“Run and tell Sam to come here with the ladder. It stands back of the chicken house.”
“I will,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. So, instead of running out after Mr. Bobbsey to see poor Bert dangling in the tree, she hurried to the rear door and called to Sam, who was working over Mr. Bobbsey’s automobile.
“Sam! Sam! Bring the ladder out in front, quick!” cried Mrs. Bobbsey.
“Ladder! De ladder?” repeated the colored husband of fat Dinah. “Am dey a fire some place?”
“No fire!” answered Mrs. Bobbsey. “But Bert is up a tree and he is falling! Mr. Bobbsey wants the ladder to get him down! Hurry!”
“Oh!” answered Sam. Then he hurried to the chicken house, got the ladder, and hurried around to the front of the house with it.
“Can you hold on a little longer, Bert?” asked his father anxiously, as Sam began to raise the ladder up into the tree.
“I—I guess so,” was the answer. “Is Snoop all right?”