in truth, so much of the
monkey in him, and was so wiry and tough, that he succeeded in getting
up full twelve or fourteen feet before being utterly exhausted. At that
point, however, he stuck, but instead of slipping down as he had
intended, and again requesting to know whether his brother was
convinced, he uttered a sharp cry, and shouted--

"Oh! I say, Dom, what am I to do?"

"Why, slip down, of course."

"But I can't. The bark seems to be made of needle-joints, all sticking
upwards. If I try to slip, my trousers vill remain behind, and--and--I
can't hold on much longer!"

"Let go then, and drop," said Dominick, stepping close to the tree.

"Oh no, don't!" cried Pauline, with a little shriek; "if you do you'll--
you'll--"

"Bust! Yes, I know I shall," shouted Otto, in despair.

"No fear," cried Dominick, holding out his arms, "let go, I'll cat--"

He was stopped abruptly by receiving a shock from his little brother
which sent him sprawling on his back. He sprang up, however, with a
gasp.

"Why, boy, I had no idea you were so heavy," he exclaimed, laughing.

"Now, don't you go boasting in future, you prime minister, that I can't
knock you down," said Otto, as he gathered himself up. "But I say,
you're not hurt, are you?" he added, with a look of concern, while
Pauline seized one of Dominick's hands and echoed the question.

"Not in the least--only a little wind knocked out of me. Moreover, I'm
not yet convinced that the ascent of that tree is an impossibility."

"You'll have to do it yourself, then," said Otto; "and let me warn you
beforehand that, though I'm very grateful to you, I won't stand under to
catch you."

"Was it not you who said the other night at supper that whatever a
fellow resolved to do he could accomplish, and added that, where there's
a will, there's a way?"

"I rather think it was you, Dom, who gave expression to those boastful
sentiments."

"It may be so. At all events I hold them. Come, now, lend a hand and
help me. The work will take some time, as we have no other implements
than our gully-knives, but we'll manage it somehow."

"Can I not help you?" asked Pauline.

"Of course you can. Sit down on the bank here, and I'll give you
something to do presently."

Dominick went, as he spoke, to a small tree, the bark of which was long,
tough, and stringy. Cutting off a quantity of this, he took it to his
sister, and showed her how to twist some of it into stout cord