Part 10 (1/2)
”Judging from the experiences of our friends, it wouldn't do us much harm,” laughed Ned. ”There's Tad Butler down there. Goodness knows how far he fell, and Chunky got a b.u.mp that would have knocked the breath out of almost anyone. Hooray, T-a-d!” roared Ned in answer to his companion's signal. ”Are you all right?”
The tiny piece of cloth waved more emphatically.
”What's the matter, can't you talk?”
The handkerchief fluttered more rapidly.
Ned interpreted this as meaning that the boy could not make himself heard.
”I am afraid he is hurt.”
”Can't be very seriously or he would be unable to stand up and swing that rag,” suggested Walter.
”Looks to me as if he were trying to climb up the rocks,” announced Chunky.
As they gazed down intently they discovered Tad emerging from the bushes, slowly making his way upward.
”He never can make it,” breathed the Professor, anxiously. ”He will be killed if he tries it.”
”Trust Tad. He knows what he is about. He won't try to climb up here,” returned Ned.
”You'll see what he's up to in a minute.”
The lad's object in scaling the steep wall as far as he could was to get away from the roar of the water that was hurling itself furiously through the gorge, so he could talk with his companions.
After ascending as far as the formation of the rocks would allow, Tad perched himself behind a point of limestone and swung his hand gayly to those above.
”You can't kill a Pony Rider,” glowed Ned.
”Yes, judging from what we have been through, you young gentlemen seem to be immune to almost everything. Of course there is liable to be a first time. We don't want that to happen. But we have a serious difficulty on hand at the present moment. Call to Master Tad. See if he is all right.”
Ned did so.
”I got a pretty fair shaking up,” answered Tad, in a voice that they could catch only by the most careful attention.
”How far did you fall?” shouted Walter.
”I didn't have time to measure the distance,” answered the voice from below.
The boys uttered a shout of laughter.
”Neither did Chunky.”
”What happened to him?”
”He fell over in trying to catch the rope and save you.”
”Good boy! Hurt him any?”