for the small youth was all but exhausted by his struggles.

The others began a steady and strong pull, and inch by inch Giant
came up out of the sticky mud. To make his hold firmer he twined his
arms around the slender branches of the sapling.

"He's coming!" cried Snap. "Now then, one more haul and we'll have
him out!"

"Or broken in two," panted Whopper.

The final pull was given, and with a sucking sound and a splash the
small member of the club came to the top of the water. He fell on
the sapling and the others dragged him to a spot where it was
comparatively safe. Then he got up and looked at himself ruefully.
He was plastered with mud from his waist down.

"Never mind---be thankful that you're out," said Shep.

"I---I am thankful," was Giant's answer. "Bu---but I don't want any
o---of S. Hooper's mud. He ca---can have it all himself!" And this
was said so dolefully that all the others had to roar.

When they got back to the camp Giant told how he had chanced to get
into the mud. He was thankful that Shep had come along just in the
nick of time, and thankful that the others had come also. Luckily
he had a change of garments with him, and he lost no time, when he
was rested, in putting on clean clothes and in washing out those
which were soiled.