say, sorrowfully.

"I like it;" and Dan would tramp away, stifling a sigh sometimes, for he
was lonely.

Passing through the birch grove one day, he came up on several of the
boys, who were amusing themselves by climbing up the trees and swinging
down again, as they slender elastic stems bent till their tops touched
the ground. Dan paused a minute to watch the fun, without offering
to join in it, and as he stood there Jack took his turn. He had
unfortunately chosen too large a tree; for when he swung off, it only
bent a little way, and left him hanging at a dangerous height.

"Go back; you can't do it!" called Ned from below.

Jack tried, but the twigs slipped from his hands, and he could not get
his legs round the trunk. He kicked, and squirmed, and clutched in vain,
then gave it up, and hung breathless, saying helplessly,

"Catch me! help me! I must drop!"

"You'll be killed if you do," cried Ned, frightened out of his wits.

"Hold on!" shouted Dan; and up the tree he went, crashing his way along
till he nearly reached Jack, whose face looked up at him, full of fear
and hope.

"You'll both come down," said Ned, dancing with excitement on the slope
underneath, while Nat held out his arms, in the wild hope of breaking
the fall.

"That's what I want; stand from under," answered Dan, coolly; and, as he
spoke, his added weight bent the tree many feet nearer the earth.

Jack dropped safely; but the birch, lightened of half its load, flew up
again so suddenly, that Dan, in the act of swinging round to drop feet
foremost, lost his hold and fell heavily.

"I'm not hurt, all right in a minute," he said, sitting up, a little
pale and dizzy, as the boys gathered round him, full of admiration and
alarm.

"You're a trump, Dan, and I'm ever so much obliged to you," cried Jack,
gratefully.

"It wasn't any thing," muttered Dan, rising slowly.

"I say it was, and I'll shake hands with you, though you are," Ned
checked the unlucky word on his tongue, and held out his hand, feeling
that it was a handsome thing on his part.

"But I won't shake hands with a sneak;" and Dan turned his back with a
look of scorn, that caused Ned to remember the brook, and retire with
undignified haste.

"Come home, old chap; I'll give you a lift;" and Nat walked away with
him leaving the others to talk over the feat together, to wonder when
Dan would "come round," and to wish one and all that Tommy's "confounded
money had been in Jericho