naged to scramble
higher, clinging with arms and legs, till he occupied a hazardous
position astride of the sailor's shoulder, holding on with his left hand
and reaching up with his right, snatching for a few moments at nothing.

"Where are you, my lad?" came from above.

"Here! Here!" panted Rodd, and then, "Ah, it's of no use!"

As he spoke he felt himself going over, but at that moment his fingers
touched the sleeve of a soft clinging jersey, a set of fingers gripped
hard at his arm, and in a supreme effort he loosened his other hand,
made a snatch, and then began swinging gently to and fro till another
hand from above closed upon his jacket and lightened the strain.

"Got you, my lad!" came from overhead. "Now look here; I'm not going to
hyste you up, 'cause I can't, but I am going to swing you back'ards and
for'ards like a pendulo till you can touch this 'ere bough where I am
hanging, and then go on till you can get your legs round it and hold
fast. Understand?"

"Yes," panted Rodd.

"Now then. Belay, and when you get hold you shout."

It was the work of an acrobat, such as he would have achieved in doubt
and despair.

The sailor began swinging the boy to and fro, to and fro, with more and
more force, till Rodd felt his legs go crashing in amongst the thick
twigs of the great bough that was drawn down by the weight of the two
upon it a good deal below the horizontal.

"Harder!" he cried, as he swung back, and then as his legs went well in
again he felt that a thick portion was passing between his knees, and
thrusting forward his feet with all his might he forced them upwards and
directly afterwards passed them one across the other in a desperate grip
which left him dragging on the sailor's hands.

"Fast, my lad?"

"Yes."

"Can you hold on?"

"Yes."

"Then good luck to you!" cried the sailor, as, relieved of the boy's
weight, he too swung head downwards for a moment or two, then with a
quick effort wrenched himself upwards, got hold of the branch with both
hands, and after hanging like a sloth for a few moments, succeeded in
dragging himself upon the bough, which all the while was swaying heavily
up and down and threatening to shake Rodd from where he hung, but at the
same time inciting him so to fresh desperate action, that with all a
boy's activity he too had succeeded in perching himself astride of the
branch.

"All right, my lad?" cried Briggs.

"Ye-es!" came gaspingly.

"Then you wai