The bear gave a terrific, convulsive jerk on the rope and jerked it through Charley's hand. The sudden pull completely unbalanced him and he fell from the limb. But instantly he tightened his clutch on the slipping rope and in a second was dangling in air, frightened but safe. He slid to the ground, and drew the rope taut. Now he had the rope over a limb, as he wanted it, but the limb was on the wrong tree.
"I'll try it, anyway," he said.
He tied the end of the rope about the trunk of the tree in which Lew and the bear rested.
"I'm going to pull her off her perch, Lew," he cried. "If I succeed, she'll swing over toward the other tree. I may be able to pull her up on her hind feet. Anyway, I think I can hold her, and if you come down as quick as you can, the two of us can certainly pull her up. Are you ready?"
Lew came down the tree as far as he dared. "I'll be with you the second she drops," he said. "Pull!"
Charley suddenly threw his entire weight on the rope. The bear, taken by surprise, was jerked clear of the limb. She dropped downward and then swung toward the other tree like an enormous pendulum. Lew slid down the tree like a flash and landed in a heap beside Charley. He was up in an instant, and, grabbing the rope, added his weight to Charley's. The bear was fairly on the ground, but almost straight under the limb over which the rope hung. She was clawing frantically at the noose.
"Let's give a jerk," said Charley. "Together--now!"
They strained suddenly at the rope and the bear rose to her hind feet to ease the strain on her neck. Instantly they pulled in the slack.
"We've got her now," cried Lew. "Pull again!"
Once more they strained at the rope. It tightened about the neck of the bear, shutting off her wind. She rose to her very tiptoes and the boys pulled in a little more slack.