t he wouldn't wish us to starve, whether he drowns or not.
Come, get up, lad!" said he, stirring Oliver with his foot.

"Don't lie there, Oliver; do get up!" begged Mildred.

Oliver rose, and did all that Roger bade him.

"You say there is a long rope somewhere about the house," said Roger.
"Where is it?"

"There is one in the cow-shed, I know."

"And if I cannot get there, is there one in the house?"

"In the lumber-room," said Mildred. "The spare bed is tied round and
round with a long rope--I don't know how long."

"I wish we had set about it an hour ago," muttered Roger, "instead of
waiting for dark. A pretty set of fools we have been to lose the
daylight! I say, lad, can you think of anyway of making a fire? Here
are sticks enough, if one could set them alight."

"To cook a supper?" asked Mildred.

"No; I mean to sup within doors; only we must do some work first."

Oliver had a steel knife; but it was too dark to look for a flint, if
any other plan than a fire would do.

"Well, don't plague any more about a fire," said Roger, "but listen to
me. Can you climb a tree? I'll be bound you can't: and now you'll die
if you can't."

"I can," said Oliver; "but what is Mildred to do?"

"We'll see that afterwards. Which of these trees stands nearest to the
nearest of yon upper windows?"

Oliver and Mildred pointed out a young ash, which now quite bent over
the water.

"That is not strong enough," said Roger, shaking the tree, and finding
it loosened at the roots. "Show me a stouter one."

A well-grown beech was the next nearest. Roger pulled Oliver by the
arm, and made him stand directly under the tree, with his sister beside
him. He desired them not to move from where they were, and to give a
loud halloo together, or a shriek (or anything that might be heard
furthest)--about once in a minute for an hour to come, unless they
should hear a rope fall into the tree, or anywhere near them. They were
to watch for this rope, and use all their endeavours to catch it. There
would be a weight at the end, which would make it easier to catch.
Oliver must tie this rope to the trunk of the tree, stretching it tight,
with all his strength, and then tying it so securely that no weight
would unfasten it.

"Mind you that," said Roger. "If you don't, you will be drowned, that's
all. Do as I tell you, and you'll see what you will see."

Roger then whistled for his dog, snatched Oliver's black ribbon from
abo