He
was afraid of striking the one who must be clinging to the rope below,
undoubtedly chilled to the bone, and sick with fear.

Even at that moment the boy was filled with amazement, and could not
imagine how a girl could have gotten into such a strange situation. But
his first duty was to get her out.

Ten seconds later and he could feel her beside him.

"Don't be afraid, we'll get you on dry land in a jiffy," he said, as
cheerfully as possible. "Can you hold on to the rope if my friend turns
the windlass? I'll do all I can to help you. If only the bucket could be
used for you to stand on! It's the only way to work it, I guess."

"Yes, yes, anything you say, I'll do, mister. Oh! what if they have hurt
him, and me such a coward as to run away like I did and hide. But pop
made me, he just said I must. He'll tell you that same, mister, if so be
he's alive yet."

The girl said this in broken sentences. She was almost in a state of
complete collapse, and Fred knew that unless he hurried to get her up
where she could obtain warmth, she would be a dead weight on his hands.

"Hello! Bristles!" he called out.

"Yes; what d'ye want, Fred? Shall I begin to wind up?" came from above,
accompanied by the musical clank of the iron brake falling over the cogs
that were intended to hold it firmly, and prevent a slip, should the one
at the handle let go suddenly.

"Go slow, Bristles, and stop when you hear me shout!"

"O. K. Fred; slow she is! Are you coming now?"

Fred had felt the rope slip through his hands inch by inch. He was
feeling with his dangling feet for the bucket, and presently discovered
it.

"Hold on till I tilt the bucket, and empty out the water; we have to use
it to stand on as you pull us up!" he shouted.

With more or less difficulty he managed to accomplish this task. It
would relieve Bristles considerably; and even as it was, the straining
boy up there would have a tremendous task ahead of him, raising two
persons at a time.

Fred threw his arm around the girl, whom he could just dimly make out.
She clung wildly to him, as though realizing that all her hopes of
getting out of this strange prison rested in the boy who had come down
the rope so daringly.

"Now once again, old fellow, and do your level best!" Fred sang out.

So they went up, foot by foot. He held the girl in a tight clasp, and
kept hoping the rope would not break, or any other accident happen.
Bristles was tugging wildly away at th