When he reached the spot where Uncle Bill was working to help Paul, Billy was shocked to recognise the victim.
Fred and Uncle Bill managed to worm the rails out so that Paul slid his arms up over them and this acted as a resistible brace against the suction of the mire. Then, with practised hand the coil of rope was flung and as it fell it formed a loop over Paul’s head.
“Now, work that noose down over your shoulders, and when both arms are over it give the word so I can pull you out,” ordered Uncle Bill.
Once more on terra firma Paul was congratulated at his narrow escape but the pallor of his face was sufficient punishment then, so that Uncle Bill refrained from scolding him.
“The next thing for us to do is to scrape Paul. We ought to get him over to Mose where he can undress and wrap himself in a shawl until this mire is washed from his clothes,” said Uncle Bill.
“We must keep this a secret from the girls, you know,” warned Fred.
“If they smell a rat we’ll say Paul slipped into a pool of mire, which is the truth,” laughed Dudley.
“I think some one ought to set up a danger sign at that awful spot,” said Paul, still shivering at the thought of it.
“Yes, Paul’s right. We’ll go back afterwards and fix up some sort of warning for others,” approved Fred.
“I’ll tell you how! When we go back for the picture of the fish-hawk’s nest this afternoon, we can sneak down and stick up that Turkey red cushion top from the launch. That will mean danger, you know,” suggested Billy.