Part 44 (1/2)

”Frightened?” said Rahtened It would be a terrible fall”

”Oh, I don't know,” said Ra down into the void ”Water's precious deep here Such lots of great conger eels, six foot long, 'bout the holes in the botto enough to pull you out of the boat

Dessay, if you went down, you'd coood swie where I saw you and that man land”

”No, you couldn't,” said Raet round there with a boat You do have to pull That's where the race is, and it would carry you out to--oh?”

The boy was looking down between his legs as he spoke; and the midshi+pman just had time to dart forward his hand, catch hione off the rock

Ram lurched over sidewise, his sun-browned face , as his head dropped slowly over on to the ood tenhi heavily, with his eyes half-closed

It was a terrible position; and a cold, damp perspiration bedewed the midshi+pman's face, as he felt how near they both were to a terrible end

The deep water after that awful fall, the fierce current which would carry hireat, long, serpent-like congers, of whose doings horrible stories were current areat relief, Ra at his companion

”I've felt like that before,” he said ”Coiddy, like you do if you lean down too one over, shouldn't I, if you hadn't ketched me?”

”Don't talk about it”

”Oh, very well; it was hitting h, you never thought you could get away down here, did you?”

”Meant to try,” said Archy laconically

”Yah! What was the good, I knowed you wouldn't; but I meant to fetch you back Me and Jes, before father had the place up there quite blocked up It used to be a hole just big enough to creep through Jemmy stopped up on that patch where you andno farther than this”

”Not with a rope?”

”Well, with a very long one you ood, without there was a boat waiting? You hadn't got the boat, and you didn't bring no rope No use to try to get away”

The words seemed more and more the words of truth as the midshi+pman listened, and he was compelled to own in his own mind that he had failed in his attempt; but a question seemed to leap from his lips next etting down, but any one ht, or a beedle,” said the boy, laughing ”Why, a rabbit couldn't, and I've seen the up the rocks where they've been straight up like a wall Why, it coht; place is safe enough froo back”

”You can go,” said Archy coldly ”I' to stop here”

”That you won't,” said Ra up withobstinate? We don't want to have another fight Don't you see you can't get away?”

”I will get away,” said Archy sternly

”Well, you won't get off this way, till your wings grow,” said Raet back”

Archy hesitated, but was obliged to come to the conclusion that he was beaten this time, and he turned slowly to his companion and said,--