Sappers and Miners Part 29

Gwyn uttered an inarticulate sound, but only wedged his arms out more firmly.

"Ready?" came from above in the Colonel's voice.

"No, nothing like," roared Hardock. "Hold hard. Now, my lad, look alive. Don't think about it, but get hold of the rope, and draw it round his chest. Mind and not tie him to the ladder. Steady, for it's all of a quiver now."

Still Gwyn made no sign.

"Hi! What's come to you?" growled Hardock.

"Are you asleep, below there?" shouted the Colonel. "Hold fast, and I'll send someone down."

"Nay, nay!" yelled Hardock, "the ladder won't bear another. I'll get it done directly. Now, Master Gwyn, pull yourself together, and make this rope fast. D'yer hear?"

"Yes," gasped the boy at last. "Wait a minute and I'll try."

"Wait a minute and you'll try," growled the man. "We shall all be down directly. My word! What is the use o' boys. Hi! hold fast and I'll try and get up above you and tie the rope myself."

"No, no!" cried Gwyn, frantically. "You can't climb over us."

"But I must, lad, I aren't going to get round inside and try it that way. I aren't a boy now."

"No, don't try that," panted Gwyn, breathlessly. "You'd pull us off.

I'm coming round again. I'll try soon, but I don't seem to have any breath."

"Hi! below there! what are you about?" shouted the Colonel. "Make that rope fast."

"Yes, sir; yes, sir; directly," yelled Hardock. "You, must wait."

"Make it fast round Jollivet," shouted the Colonel.

"All right, sir. Now, Master Gwyn, you hear what your guv'nor says?"

"Yes, I hear, Sam," panted the lad; "and I'm trying to do it. I'll begin as soon as ever I can, but I feel that if I let go, Joe would come down on you. He has no strength left in him, and--and I'm not much better."

"And you'll let go, too," growled the man to himself, "and if you do, it's all over with me." Then aloud: "Hold tight, my lad; I'm coming up."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

AN IGNOMINIOUS ASCENT.

"Am I to send someone down?" cried the Colonel, angrily.

"No, father," shouted Gwyn, his father's voice seeming to give him new force. "The ladder won't bear four."

"Then make fast that knot, sir. Quick, at once!"

"Yes, father," said the boy, as a thrill of energy ran through him, and he felt as if he could once more do something toward relieving himself from the strange feeling of inertia which had fettered every sense.

"You get up higher," growled Hardock, "and hold on, my lad."

"No. Keep where you are," cried Gwyn, whose voice now sounded firm.

"If I leave him, he'll go."

"Nay, you go on; I'll take care o' that," said Hardock. "Up with you!"

"Keep down, I say," cried Gwyn, fiercely.

"Are you ready?" shouted the Colonel.

"In another minute, father," cried Gwyn; and, drawing out one arm, he made a s.n.a.t.c.h at the rope, drew it from Hardock's hand, and then hauled it higher by using his teeth as well as his right-hand.

"Better let me come, my lad."

"No," said Gwyn, shortly.

"Ready?" came from above.

"Not quite, father. I'll say when."

That last demand gave the final fillip to the lad's nerves, and, taking tightly hold of the spell above Joe's head with both hands, he raised his own legs till they came level with Joe's loins, and bestriding him as if on horseback, he crooked his legs and ankles round the sides of the ladder, held on by forcing his toes round a spell, and then, with his hands free, he hung back, and quickly knotted the rope about Joe's chest.

"Steady, my lad! Be ready to take hold," said Hardock, whose face was now streaming with perspiration, and his hands wet, as he looked up at the perilous position of Gwyn. Then, obeying a sudden thought, he loosened one hand, s.n.a.t.c.hed off his cap, threw it down, and took three steps up the ladder, raising himself so that he could force his head beneath the lad, with the result that he gave him plenty of support, relieving him of a great deal of the strain on his muscles, for during the next minute he was, as it were, seated upon the mining captain's head.

"That's better," panted Gwyn.

"Make a good knot, lad," growled Hardock; and all was perfectly silent at the edge of the cliff above them, for every movement was being attentively watched.

"Hah!" sighed Gwyn, as he tightened the last knot.

"Quite safe?" asked Hardock.

"Yes, quite."

"What next?"

"Get down!"

"Are you right?"

"Yes."

Hardock yielded very slowly for a while, and then stopped and raised himself again.

"What yer doing?"

"Getting out my knife. He's lashed to the spell."