220

On landing, she was commanded to sit with closed
eyes while Harvey’s preparations were made; but

anING,

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arti, “SN
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“BUT I DON’T WANT TO GET DOWN,” SAID SHE.

she listened with suspended breath and rapturous
suspicions, while he climbed the tree by the notches
cut here and there for steps in the rugged bark,

BOBETTE.

When she was bidden to open her eyes, behold a
rope ladder reached from the ground to the top of
the tree! ,

“Should you like to come up?” asked Harvey,
trying to speak in an indifferent tone. “ All you’ve
to do is to climb that ladder! Are you sure you
dare?”

“ Sure,” Bobette replied.

“T’ll hold it steady — but you’ll have to take off
that long skirt.”

For this, Bobette was willing to relinquish her
silken trail. A deft bit of fingering, a funny little
squirm and kick, and it lay on the sand. Bobette
began the ascent bravely. It was by no means easy, as
the ladder swayed in the wind, and one round of
rope gave way and nearly let her fall; but the sturdy
little arms held on tight, and a merry scream of
laughter soon proclaimed she had reached the eyrie.
Harvey gave himself up to the enjoyment of her
childish delight in the fun. He hurried up and down
the swaying rounds in true sailor fashion —now for
the provisions, in the shape of cookies and nuts, now
for a supply of pebbles for missiles in case of sudden
attack, and again for a flask of water to use during
the siege. But the ladder was unfortunately an old
one which had been washed ashore during a storm.
There was more than one unheeded warning as a
strand gave way here and there; then, suddenly, the
ropes parted altogether in mid air!

Harvey picked himself up quickly. He looked up
at Bobette, who laughed merrily, thinking it an
intentional part of the fun. He grew grave as he
began to realize the state of the case. Evidently, the
ladder had given out once for all, and how was
little Bobette to get down?

“ What is it?’? she asked quickly; “did you hurt
you?” ‘

“Not a bit. Ill be up there in a minute.
thinking how you’d get down.”

“But I don’t wish to get down!
she cried cheerfully.

“ But the ladder’s broke!”

“ Never mind; let’s stay up here all night.”

“ Bobette, I’ll have to go and get somebody to
help us. This rope’s as rotten as sand. I’m awfully
sorry I took you up there !”

“I’m not! I like it better’n I thought I should.
I can see— Harvey, don’t go—are you going?”
The little face under the widow’s cap was very grave
and anxious.

I was

I’ve just got up,”