She made the effort and winced. "It's too tight."
The red-headed boy frowned. "You're wearing thick, outdoor shoes," he said. "If I just unlace this one, you can wiggle your foot out as easy as pie."
While she remained standing on the bar, balancing herself by the tree, the boy straddled the pole and began switching the shoe lace out of the stops.
"It was my kitten I wanted to get," she said slowly. "That's how it happened. And he's up there yet."
The red head looked up. Two feet out of the girl's reach, clinging to a tiny limb, hung a black and white kitten. From time to time, it opened its mouth and let out a whimpering cry that sounded like "Me-e-e!"
"How did it get up there?"
"The Claxton's dog pretty nearly scared it to death; it started climbing and was afraid to stop."
"I see," nodded the boy. "Well, you jerk your foot out of that shoe, and we'll get the kitten easy enough. Are you all ready? Now!"
Molly made the effort to free herself.
"I can't!"