Page:Nid and Nod (IA nidnod00barb).pdf/172

 had very carefully and rather fearfully unclasped his numb fingers from their rocky hold and clutched them about the tree there remained a few inches of the butt end above the level of the ground. Taking a firm hold with both hands at arm's length as he lay facedown, Bob smiled his satisfaction.

"She'll hold you, Nod, even if the shelf you're standing on gives way! Polly can sit on my legs if she has to, and after that I'm good for all day."

"Gee, that's a lot better," said Laurie. "Wow, that arm was almost out at the socket! Can you see this fault, as you call it from where you are?"

"Yes."

"Look it over, will you? Does it go right to the bottom?"

"N—no, not quite, I guess. I can't just see the end of it. There's a three-cornered hunk of ledge sticking out down there. I guess it stops about a dozen feet from the bottom, Nod."

"All right. Tell you what I'm figuring on. You check me up, you two. Suppose I have that rope that Ned's gone for. It wouldn't be any