"Let's see if we can't get some of the eggs off the cliff now,"
suggested Bobby, when they were through. "I know I can climb down
there."
"I've tried it plenty of times," said Jimmy, "and I don't believe it can
be done. You can't get in from this end, and the top hangs over so you
can't get in from the top."
"Let's go up on top and try to get down, anyhow," insisted Bobby. "I
know what! There's a harpoon line in the skiff. Father always keeps it
stuffed in under the seat aft. We can tie an end of it under my arms and
you can let me down, and then pull me back."
And so without loss of time the young adventurers secured the harpoon
line, and climbing out of the gully followed the top of the cliff to a
place where birds were numerous.
Jimmy tied a bowline knot at the proper distance from one end of the
line, passed the line around Bobby's body under the arms, ran the end of
the line through the loop, and secured it. With this arrangement the
line could not tighten and pinch, and still was tight enough to hold
Bobby securely.
"Now," said Jimmy, indicating a high bowlder, "I'll bring the line
around this rock, so I'll have a purchase on it and it can't slip away
from me, and let it out as you climb down. You holler when you want to
stop and holler when you want to come up."
The plan worked admirably for a while. Very slowly Bobby descended,
calling out now and again for Jimmy to "hold" while he picked eggs from
nests on shelving rocks.
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