cision
than she usually showed.

"We'll play we are firemen and climb the ladder," said Sarah, pointing
to the narrow iron ladder that led to the top of the mill.

And she actually helped the confiding Shirley to start the long upward
climb and followed close behind her.

Half way up, the inky darkness--for the narrow windows were few and far
between, frightened Shirley and she begged to go back. Sarah cajoled
and bullied her into continuing and the two children managed to make
the steep climb and reach the platform at the top of the mill. As they
stepped out on the boards a gust of wind caught the big fan-like sails
and the pump began to sound with a loud clanking noise. This and the
sensation of being high among the clouds terrified Shirley and she
clung to Sarah, screaming.

Sarah would have liked to scream too. Her face was quite white under
the tan and she grasped the framework tightly. As she looked far
across the fields and felt the dizzy sensation of floating with the
clouds that seemed near enough for her hand to touch, one awful thought
came to her--"How are we to get back?" She was sure they could never
go down that narrow ladder--it had been hard enough to climb up and
going down would be impossible.

She sat down, close to the frame, and Shirley hid her face on her
shoulder. And there Rosemary found them--having heard from Mrs.
Hildreth that they had been seen going down to the brook. The quickest
way to reach the brook was past the windmill.

Rosemary called as she came through the field and Sarah heard her. She
stood up and shouted and, because the wind had died down and it was
very quiet and still, Rosemary, too, heard. Kneeling down, Sarah could
see her sister through a knot hole in the platform.

Rosemary's first impulse was to run and get help--someone to bring the
girls down, but Sarah implored her "not to tell."

"Everyone will scold and tell Hugh," said Sarah, shouting her plea.
"You come get us, Rosemary--please don't tell."

Both she and Shirley were confident that Rosemary could rescue them
alone and unaided. As the older, Rosemary was accustomed to helping
Sarah out of tight places and, it must be confessed, shielding her from
the consequences of her own wrong-doing. She promised not to tell
"this time."

Setting her teeth, Rosemary began the climb and accomplished it with
fair ease. Her nerves were steady and she was strong and vigorous.
But when it came to getting Sh