ore and more it was
forced upon him that Joe was now insensible from fear and despair, his
nerve completely gone.

What could he do? There seemed to be nothing but to hold on till Joe
fell, and then for his father's sake, he must try and save himself.

"Oh, if I only had a piece of rope," he muttered; but he had not so much
as a piece of string. There was his silk neckerchief; that was
something, and Joe was wearing one, too, exactly like it; for the boys
had a habit of dressing the same.

It was something to do--something to occupy his thoughts for a few
moments, and, setting one hand free, he passed it round the side of the
ladder, leaned toward it, as he forced it toward his neck; his fingers
seized the knot--a sailor's slip-knot--and the next minute the
handkerchief was loose in his hands.

A few more long moments, and he had taken his companion's from his neck.
Then came the knotting together, a task which needed the service of
both hands, and for a time he hesitated about setting the second free.

Free he could not make it, but by clinging round the sides of the ladder
with both arms, he brought his hands together, and with the skill taught
him by the Cornish fishermen, he soon, without the help of his eyes, had
the two handkerchiefs securely joined in a knot that would not slip, and
was now possessed with a twisted silken cord about five feet long.

But how slight! Still it was of silk, and it was his only chance unless
help came; and of that there seemed to be not the slightest hope.

He twisted the silk round and round in his hands for some seconds after
the fashion that he and Joe had observed when making a snood for their
fishing lines, and then passing one end round the spell that was on a
level with Joe's throat, he drew till both ends were of a length, and
then tied the silken cord tightly to the piece of stout, strong oak,
letting the ends hang down.

Joe's hands were grasping the sides of the ladder--how feebly Gwyn did
not know till he tried to move the left, when it gave way at once, and
would have fallen to his side but for his own strong grasp. Holding it
firmly, he passed it round the left side of the ladder, placing it along
the spell, and then passing one of the silken ends round the wrist, he
drew it tight to the spell and kept it there, while he loosened the
boy's right-hand, passed that round the other side, so that wrist rested
upon wrist, and the next minute the handkerchief was s