The next moment a leg was flung over the branch and Amy took her place on the precarious perch beside Jessie. The two chums looked at each other and laughed.
“Nell is making heavy weather of it,” remarked Amy. She moved closer to Jessie, who was already busy with the wire. “I passed her on the way up, and she was wedged tight between two branches. She said there was one good thing about it, anyway. There was no possible danger of her falling. But I could tell by her face that she wasn’t exactly enjoying herself. Now what first, Jess?”
“Help me fasten this thing,” returned Jessie. “I have to hold on with one hand which leaves me only one to work with and I have need of at least six.”
“I suppose my one wouldn’t do you any good then,” said Amy, giggling. “But such as it is it is at your service.”
At that moment Nell called to them, and they looked around to find her peering at them from below.
“Any room on that perch?” she asked. “Looks kind of precarious to me.”
“Climb up on the other side, can’t you?” suggested Jessie. “You will do more good there. And, Nell dear, please hurry. We need an extra hand badly.”
At last it was done. One end of the wire was fastened neatly and securely to the tree while the other dangled earthward, ready for attachment to the roof of the lodge.
They started downward cautiously, aware that the descent was more difficult and perilous than the upward climb. Slipping, scrambling, clinging when the footing failed them, inch by inch, foot by foot, they made their way downward.
Suddenly something happened. Jessie cried out sharply. Her foot had slipped. Her hand, flung frantically out, grasped nothing. A sea of green leaves and waving branches flew up to meet her. She struck upon something heavily, clutched it, hung there gasping, eyes closed——