"Are you going to drop me?" questioned Tommy in great alarm.

"Yes, but it won't hurt you," answered Harriet.

"I don't want to. I----"

Tommy did not complete the sentence. Instead she finished with a scream as
Harriet unfastened the cord from the stub that had held it and with one
hand lowered Tommy into the arms of her friends. This Harriet did with one
hand, clinging with the other to one of the lower limbs of the tree. As
several of the girls held up their lanterns to aid the others in catching
Grace, there were exclamations of admiration at Harriet's exhibition of
strength.

"Who would think her so strong?" exclaimed a guardian.

"Harriet is as plucky as she is strong," answered Miss Elting.

So Tommy did not fall after all. Harriet had not been certain that the
cord would hold, hence she had requested the guardians to stand ready to
break the smaller girl's fall. After Tommy had been lowered, Harriet
swung herself down and joined the excited group below.

"Miss Burrell, kindly explain what you were doing in the tree?" demanded
the Chief Guardian.

"I went up to assist my companion."

"What was she doing there--how did she chance to be in the tree?"