ner you takes it, the sooner it's down. Here goes! Say, Mas' Don,
do you ketch hold o' the tree with your hands, or your arms and legs?"

"All of them. Aim straight at the stem, and leap out boldly."

"Oh, yes," grumbled Jem; "it's all very well, but I was never 'prenticed
to this sort o' fun.--Below!"

"A good bold jump, Jem. I'm out of the way."

"Below then," said Jem again.

"Yes, jump away. Quick!"

But Jem did not jump. He distrusted the ability of the tree to bear his
weight.

"Why don't you jump?"

"'Cause it seems like breaking my neck, which is white, to save those of
them people in the village, which is black, Mas' Don."

"But you will not break your neck if you are careful."

"Oh, yes! I'll be careful, Mas' Don; don't you be 'fraid of that."

"Well, come along. You're not nervous, are you, Jem?"

"Yes, Mas' Don, reg'lar scared; but, below, once more. Here goes!
Don't tell my Sally I was afraid if I do get broke."

Possibly Jem would have hesitated longer, but the stump of the bush upon
which he stood gave such plain intimation of coming out by the roots,
that he thought it better to leap than fall, and gathering himself up,
he plunged right into the second kauri pine, and went headlong down with
a tremendous crash.

For he had been right in his doubts. The pine was not so able to bear
his weight as its fellow had been to carry Don. He caught it tightly,
and the tree bent right down, carrying him nearly to the earth, where he
would have done well to have let go; but he clung to it fast, and the
tree sprang up again, bent once more, and broke short off, Jem falling
at least twenty feet into the bushes below.

"Hurt, Jem?" cried Don, forcing his way to his side.

"Hurt? Now is it likely, Mas' Don? Hurt? No. I feel just like a
babby that's been lifted gently down and laid on a feather cushion.
That's 'bout how I feel. Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Here, give's a hand.
Gently, dear lad; I'm like a skin full o' broken bones. Help me out o'
this tangle, and let's see how much of me's good, and how much 'll have
to be throwed away. Eggs and bacon! What a state I'm in!"

Don helped him as tenderly as he could out into an open space, and
softly assisted him to lie down, which Jem did, groaning, and was
perfectly still for a few moments flat there on his back.

"Are you in much pain, Jem?" said Don, anxiously.

"Horrid, lad, horrid. I think you'd better go on and warn 'em, and come
an