she was almost perched safely astride the limb to which the rope of the
swing was tied. As she felt herself slipping she had clung with all her
might, one hand and part of her arm over the branch, another hand
grasping the rope, one leg partly up over the limb, and the other leg
tangled in the rope.

This was what had caused the trouble--the leg getting caught and tangled
in a loop of the rope. But for that, Nan could have swung this leg up
over the limb and so have perched there in safety.

"Come on down!" cried Harry.

"Don't fall!" begged Bert. "Oh, Nan, be careful! Mother'll think I
oughtn't to have let you climb up there!"

"You didn't--you didn't let--me!" panted Nan. "I did it myself!"

"Well, come on down!" begged Harry again.

"I--I can't!" half sobbed Nan, with a catch in her voice. "I--I'm stuck!
Go get a ladder--get something to help me. I can't hold on much longer!"

"Shall we get the tennis net and let you fall into that?" asked Bert,
starting toward the swing with half an idea that he could climb up the
rope and loosen Nan.

"No, I don't want to fall!" cried his sister. "Get a ladder so I can
climb down. Call daddy!"

"I'll call my father!" offered Harry. "He's got a long ladder!"