e!" he exclaimed, in dismay, as the float sank
down out of sight. "But keep on, Harry; perhaps it will come up again."

Harry kept on till he was about twenty feet away from the trunk of the
tree, and about three feet from the surface of the water, and then sat
watching where Philip threw a stone at the place where the float
disappeared. He could see some distance down into the black-looking
water, which report said was here ten feet deep; there were weeds and
dead branches sticking up here and there, but no float, and no fish.

"It's of no use; do come back," said Fred, "or I know you will fall."

"Whoof!" said Harry, giving himself a kind of jump, so that the bough
swung up and down, and his feet dipped the water, while his head nearly
rose to the branch above him. "Here's such a jolly ride; come and have
a turn, boys."

"Pray don't," said Fred, "I know you'll fall." And then--but not in
obedience to Fred's request--Harry became motionless; for just beneath
his feet he saw, rising from the depth of the pond, the white top of his
float. Fred gave a half shriek at what he saw, for to him it seemed a
feat of unsurpassed daring, as Harry clasped the bough with his legs,
and swinging himself head downwards, he plunged his hands into the water
and grasped his truant line.

There was a moment's struggle, for the fish was still at the end, but it
was beaten: and the effort of keeping the cork-float down so long, and
its previous struggles, made it an easy prey. Tightly twisting the line
round his finger, Harry swung himself up again, and began carefully to
make the retrograde journey after the manner of a sloth, with his back
downwards, and arms and legs clasping the bough. The small twigs and
branches made this no easy task, but, to the great delight and
admiration of Fred, he soon reached the tree, where he passed the line
to Philip, who was elevated in his turn by Fred, till he could reach
Harry's extended hand.

"Now you won't pull him out till I come down," said Harry.

"Oh, no," said Philip.

"Honour bright," said Harry.

"Honour bright," said Philip.

Then, and only then, did the climber loose his hold of the line and
proceed to make his descent. He contrived to get into the fork of the
tree, and then let himself down until he hung by his hands, and tried to
clasp the trunk with his legs, but somehow or other the tree seemed to
keep gliding away from him, and the more he tried the more tired he
grew