"Yes I can. But be ready to catch her in case anything goes wrong.
Please don't try to help her down to me, Mr. Grubb, you'll surely throw
me over if you do," warned Harriet. "Miss Elting, you and the girls
hold a blanket to catch her if we should let her fall."
Space was so limited in the tree that everyone up there was laboring
under great difficulties.
"Better let me get down there," suggested Janus.
Harriet shook her head. She was slowly righting the now half
unconscious girl, every muscle trembling under the strain she was
putting upon it.
"Hooray!" cried Crazy Jane.
"I swum, but she is strong," muttered Janus admiringly. "I reckon----"
He did not complete what he had started to say. A warning snap told
him that something was giving way.
Harriet had heard and understood. She shifted her weight to one foot,
but the combined weight of the two was too much for the limb. It broke
from under her with amazing suddenness.
"Catch us!" screamed Harriet.
Jane grabbed frantically for Harriet and her burden as they came
crashing down. But, instead of lending assistance, Jane pulled Harriet
toward her just as the latter was reaching out one hand for a limb by
which to break the fall.
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