When you have secured it about your body let
me know."
"I've got it."
"Have you also got a firm grip on the pole?"
"Yes."
"Then look out. I am going to cut your feet loose.
Are you ready?"
"All ready!"
Phil severed the rope that held Teddy's feet, and the boy did
a half turn in the air, his feet suddenly flopping over until
he found himself in an upright position. But the twist of the
body had given him a fearful wrench, drawing a loud "ouch!"
from Teddy. To add to his troubles Tucker found himself unable
to move.
"I'm tied up in a hard knot," he wailed.
"What's the trouble?"
"I'm all twisted. I can't wiggle a toe."
"Well, you don't have to wiggle your toes, do you?"
Phil found the work of extricating his companion a more difficult
matter than he had expected, and to set Teddy free it was
necessary to cut the rope again.
This time the cutting was followed instantly by a wild yell.
Teddy shot down to the splice in the pole, where he struck the
crosspiece with a jolt that shook the pole from top to bottom;
but, fortunately, his arms were about the pole and the crosspiece
had kept him from plunging to the ground many feet below.
"Are you all right?" called Phil.
"No; I'm killed."
"Lucky you didn't break the pole, at any rate."
"Break the pole? Break the pole?" yelled Teddy, half
in anger, half in pain.
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