Davis did so, and was sensible enough to understand, though very much surprised, that it would be best to postpone his inquiries till the boy was rescued.
"Give me hold of the rope!" he said. "Now, you boy down there, can you give a good, firm grip?"
"Try me and see."
"If you let it slip through your fingers you will fall back and hurt yourself."
"I won't let it slip. Keep firm hold yourself."
It was not altogether an easy task, and Robert was rubbed unpleasantly against the sides of the well; but at length victory crowned the efforts of the three, and our hero, his clothes looking none the better for his immersion in the water, and his contact with the sides of the well gave him a decided tramp-like appearance.
"Well, here you are!" said Mr. Davis. "How did you get into the well? Did you fall in?"
"I was pushed in," answered Robert.
"Pushed in!" repeated Fred and his brother-in-law in concert.
"Yes."