" declared Frank,
somewhat surprised.

"Then it's all right; I'm satisfied," said Jerry, resignedly.

The others came forward, and as Frank had said they bore between them a
long, slender tree upon which many slats had been nailed by the boys.
This formed a rude but effective ladder, upon which one might ascend
and descend when desirous of seeing what the interior of the abandoned
shaft was like.

"I came across Andy down the trail. Only for him I guess I'd never have
lit on the ladder, for they'd carried it some distance off, and hid it,"
cried Will.

Andy looked Frank straight in the face, and the latter explained:

"It's mighty funny, but you see I remembered about this here trap the
boys had set, hopin' some of your crowd would take a tumble. I told 'em I
wouldn't stand for it after what had happened; so a bunch o' us was on
the way out here to put back the planks, when we heard shouts, and
guessed somebody had fallen in. The rest dodged into the bushes, but I
commenced to run this way. Then I met Will, here."

"And we got the ladder. He was only too willing to help," went on Will,
plainly fully believing in the change of heart on the town bully's part.

"Say, that's all mighty interesting, but talk to me about it after you
get a fellow out of this black hole. I thought I felt a snake right then.
We used to kill 'em in here, too. Poke the ladder down, boys, please."

"That's a fact. As the drowning boy said: 'Save me first and scold me
afterward.' Let me give you a hand, boys," remarked Frank.

"Hey! be careful there about getting too close to the edge. The whole
bunch of you will be in on top of me if you don't look out. I had a crack
on the head from a rock right then. And be careful how you poke that
ladder down, or you may stick it through me like a lady's hatpin. Now
I've got hold of the end, lower away, all."

So under the directions of the boy who was in the hole, and in a position
to see how things lay, the single-pole ladder was placed in position.

"I'm coming up now, fellows; don't let the dirt crumble in on me,"
called Jerry.

"It does beat all how the adventures crowd you, old man. Here the rest of
us just go along in an average way, and nothing happens to anybody to
stir the blood. Hang it, I say it's hardly fair," remarked Frank, in
pretended chagrin.

Jerry began to appear in view, clinging to the ladder, for it was a
rather rickety affair, and threatening constantly to turn around, so