Adventure of a Kite | Page 2

allowing it to slip through his fingers as the Kite rose. The
breeze caught the Kite, and up it went in fine style. It continued to rise
rapidly, and we ran to and fro underneath, shouting all the time, "O,
well done, James White, and well done, Kite!"
By the excellent management of James, the Kite rose and rose, till we
all said, "O, how high! how wonderful!" And then James White said he
was satisfied.
Now you are all to recollect that this Kite was very large. In the story I

told you in summer, where the making of this Kite was described, you
remember that it was said to be as tall as James White himself, and of
course very much broader. The consequence was, that this Kite was
extremely strong. So we all sat down on the grass to hold the string,
which James White said was necessary, as the Kite struggled and
pulled so hard. It was now up quite as high as the string would allow it
to go. But the wind seemed to be increasing, and James White said he
began to be rather afraid that he must draw the Kite downwards, for
fear it should have a quarrel with the wind up in the clouds, and then
some accident might happen. We accordingly began to draw down the
Kite slowly, winding the string upon the stick as it gradually descended.
But notwithstanding all this care, an accident did happen after all.
Before the Kite was half-way down, a strong wind suddenly caught it
sideways, and the Kite made a long sweep downwards, like a swallow,
rising up again at some distance, swinging its tail about in a most
alarming manner. "Bless my heart!" said James White.
Up we all jumped from the grass. "Help me to hold her!" cried James
White; "how she struggles!" Again came the wind, again the Kite made
a sweep down and rose up again, as if indignant--then shook her tail
and wings as if threatening to do some mischief--then made a quick
motion to the right and a dance to the left--then made a very graceful
courtesy deep down, as though she was very politely saluting the wind,
but suddenly rose up with a sharp jerk, as though she had spitefully
altered her mind--and the next moment made a dart first to the right and
then to the left, and continued to do this till James White said he was
sure something must happen.
We all held the string as fast as we could, and tried to pull down the
Kite; but it was impossible, for instead of bringing her down, we were
all three dragged along down the meadow slope, crying out,
"Somebody come and help us! somebody come and help us!" But
nobody else was near. In this manner the Kite was pulling us along, the
string cutting our hands, and running through our fingers like fire, till at
last I was obliged to let go, and being unable to get out of the way, was
knocked down, and being also unable to roll myself out of the way, my

brother fell over me. James White was thus left alone with the Kite, and
was dragged struggling and hallooing down the meadow slope.
He was determined, however, not to let go; nothing could make him
loose the string; he was determined not to be conquered; but before he
had got to the bottom of the slope, the string of the Kite broke about
half-way down, and up sprang the Kite again towards the sky, taking its
course over the meadow towards the great field beyond. We all three
followed of course, as fast as we could, staring up, and panting, and not
knowing what to do. The Kite continued to fly in rather an irregular
manner over the first great field. It then made a pitch downwards, and
several tosses upwards, and flew straight over the second great field, in
the direction of the high trees. "O, those trees!" cried James White, "it
is flying towards the trees!"
He was right, the Kite did fly directly towards the trees, as James White
said it would. Just as it arrived nearly over those trees, it made a great
pitch downwards, right into the top of the largest tree, and completely
knocked over one of the rooks' nests that was built there. We came
running up as soon as we could, and then we saw that it was the very
tree, at the foot of which was the stall of our dear old woman, who sold
apples and gingerbread-nuts.
"Make haste!" cried she;--"the Kite is safe among the boughs; I can see
its long tail hanging down. But do look here! the Kite has made us a
present of five