“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 that he had to fasten both knees and hands to the pole as he mounted.

“Keep her straight, Andy; you understand how hard it is to hustle up this old beam.  I’m getting there all right, and don’t you forget it,” he kept saying, with a broad grin on his happy-go-lucky face as it came into plain view.

“Oh!  Jerry, please hang there for just twenty seconds!  You don’t know what a splendid picture you make.  I’d give almost anything to snatch it off.  Oblige me like a good fellow, won’t you, please?” shouted Will, waving his hands entreatingly.

“Talk to me about nerve!  You beat all creation.  I’m holding on by the skin of my teeth, and you want me to wait till you get your measly old camera adjusted, and snap me off in this ignoble position.  Well, I’m waiting, but it’s to get my second wind, and not to oblige a crank,” gasped Jerry.

“Oh! thank you, Jerry, thank you.  It will only take a few seconds, I’m sure, and the result will be a constant source of delight to every member of the club.”

“Yes, I’ve no doubt they’ll go into spasms of laughter every time they look at the human ape hanging to his limb.  Hurry up, plague take it; I’m getting weary of posing to suit your convenience.  Why don’t he, come back and finish?  I declare if I can stand this any longer.  I tell you I’m coming up, Will—­picture or no picture.”

“Here he comes; just hang on a bit longer,” said Frank, soothingly.

Will came dashing up, showing the most intense excitement.  His eyes fairly bulged from his head, and he was quivering all over.

“What ails you, man; are you sick?” demanded Frank, in real alarm.