d Grant. "I guess he knows his business."

"But Fred'll fall."

"I guess not. That sailor can see how firm a hold that rope has on his
ankles. He won't take any chances."

"He called for a rope," exclaimed John Clemens. "See, that sailor who
went up with Fred is letting one down."

"And he's making the other one fast to the yard," added Grant.

"They're going to haul him up, I guess," said Pop.

"That's right," exclaimed Grant. "See, he's tying the other end around
Fred's chest. They'll have him fixed all right in a minute."

"If he doesn't fall before," String reminded them.

"You're certainly a pessimist, String," exclaimed Pop. "Don't you ever
have a cheerful thought?"

"Of course I do, but I'm worried."

"So am I. I try to be cheerful now and then, though."

"He's all right now," exclaimed Grant as the sailor finished tying the
rope around Fred's body. "He couldn't fall now to save his life."

The sailor scrambled quickly up the mast until he stood alongside
Petersen. Then the two men bent low, and hauling in hand over hand, soon
pulled Fred up to the yard on which they stood. They did not untie the
rope from around his waist, however, but rather made the loose end of it
fast around the mast so that the accident could not be repeated. A great
cheer from those who had assembled below greeted the result of this
work.

"I guess Fred's awfully dizzy just now," remarked Grant. "I don't
believe it's much fun hanging by your heels way up there."

"And now how are they going to get him down?" demanded Pop. "He
certainly can't do it by himself. He'd be sure to fall."

At this moment Captain Dodge joined the three boys. "A pretty close call
for our sailor friend," he remarked grimly.

"Yes," agreed Grant, "it certainly was. I don't suppose he'll want to do
much climbing for quite a while now."

"I hope not," said the captain heartily.

"How are you going to get him down?" asked Pop.

"That's easy," said the captain, smiling. "We'll take a very long rope,
one that will reach all the way from the deck up to where he is and back
again. We'll tie one end around your friend and we'll hang on to the
other down here on the deck. The rope will go over the yard and he will
be on one end and we will be on the other. Then we'll lower away slowly
and the first thing you know he'll be right down here with us again."

"And mighty glad to get here, I guess," exclaimed Grant.

"I'll send a man up with the rope now,"