Part 8 (2/2)

”Now let go and drop!” roared Mr Sparling

They heard Phil laugh from his lofty perch

”Jump, I say!”

”What, and let the tent down on you all?”

By this time the lad had curled his feet up over his head, and they saw that he was bracing his feet against the iron ring, literally holding the tent up with his oerful muscles

Of course, as a ht of the tent, but as it was, the strain was terrific

Hanging head down, his face flushed until it see there as calmly as if he were not in ier to those below him If the tent should collapse some of them would be killed, for there were no quarter poles in place to break the fall of the heavy canvas

”I say, down there!” he cried, finallytoto drop?” shouted Mr Sparling

”No; do you want et out there'll be fewer hurt in case I have to let go”

”That boy!” groaned the showman

”Toss me a line and be quick about it,” called Phil shrilly

”What can you do with a line?” demanded the showman, now more excited than he had ever been in his life

”Toss it!”

”Give hi one,” warned Phil, his voice not nearly as far reaching as it had been

”A line!” bellowed Mr Sparling ”He knohat he wants it for, and he's got more sense than the whole bunch of us”

A coil of rope shot up But it missed Phil by about six feet

Another one was forthco snatched it from the hands of the shoho hadtheas it went This tirasped it with his free hand, which he had liberated for the purpose

”Now, be careful,” warned Mr Sparling ”I don't knohat you think you're going to do; but whatever you start you're sure to finish”

To this Philtoo weak to talk, and his tired body tre loop had been formed, this after the tent was up, was slipped over a cleat to prevent a possibility of the rope slipping its fastenings and letting the tent down

Phil had discovered the loop when it finally slipped up so his one hand was pressed against the knot

Every second the weight on his feet--on his whole body, in fact, was getting heavier

”If I can hold on ain short, quick gasps