t gear, and then he dived
in out of sight.

"What's he gone for?" said Bob.

"Dunno," I said lazily as I turned over on my chest and kicked the loose
slates with my toes. "Yes, I do."

"No, you don't," said Bob sourly.

"Yes, I do; he's gone to get a bit of rope. Don't you remember when we
climbed up last year we didn't get quite to the top, and you said that
if we'd had a bit of rope to throw over the big stone, one of us might
have held the end while the other climbed up?"

"No, I don't remember, and don't believe I ever said so."

"Why, that you did, Bob. What's the good of contradicting?"

"What's that to you, Sep Duncan?" he retorted. "You arn't everybody. I
shall contradict if I like."

"But you did say so."

"I didn't."

"You did. Now, just you wait till old Big comes and see if he don't say
so too."

"Yah! He'd say anything. What does he know about it?"

"Well, here he comes," I said.

"Let him come; I don't care."

"And he has got a coil of rope over his shoulder."

"Well, what do I care? Any fool might get a ring of rope over his
shoulder."

"Yes, but what for?"

"Oh, I dunno; don't bother!" said Bob surlily.

Meanwhile Bigley Uggleston was coming along at a lumbering trot, and as
soon as he was within hearing I shouted to him:

"What are you going to do with that rope?" And now for the first time I
noticed that he was carrying a long iron bar balanced in his right hand.

Big did not answer, but came panting on.

"There, I told you so!" cried Bob; "didn't I say so?"

"I don't care if you did," I retorted; and just then our companion
panted up to us and threw himself down, breathless with his exertions.

"What did you fetch the rope for?" I cried eagerly.

"To"--puff--"throw it over"--puff--"the big stone"--puff--"up atop,
same"--puff--"as Bob Chowne said"--puff--"last year."

"There!" I cried triumphantly, turning on Bob.

I was sorry I had spoken directly after, for Bob tightened his lips and
half shut his eyes as he rose slowly to his feet, thrust his hands in
his pockets, and began to move off.

"Here, what are you going to do?" I cried.

"Going home."

"What for?"

"What for? Where's the use o' stopping? You keep on trying to pick a
quarrel with a fellow."

"Why, I don't, Bob. I say, don't go. We're just going to have no end
of fun."

"Yes," cried Big; "and I've brought one of my father's net bars to drive
in the rock and fasten the rope to, and