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?"
"No. It hurt us more in getting him out."
"Ask him if he found the provisions ruined?" suggested the Professor.
Tad informed them that nothing save some of the cooking utensils had
been damaged.
All had been too securely packed and wrapped with canvas to insure
them against exactly the kind of an accident that had happened.
"Think you can get the stuff up here?" asked Ned.
"I'd like to know how? The rope is all down here. I can't very well
throw the things up to the top of the mountain," replied Tad.
"That's so. We had forgotten that," muttered the Professor. "And
young gentlemen, will you tell me how Master Tad himself is going to
get back? Don't you see my judgment was right when I said it was a
dangerous undertaking?"
"It seems so," answered Ned ruefully.
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