Brave and True | Page 4

animated creatures, it could not fly alone, for it went off before the wind, falling and falling most pitifully, with Ned going at full speed after the flying string which trailed over the grass. He caught up to it at last, but too late, for it was just as the kite plunged into the top of one of the highest trees by the river, and there it stuck.
Tizzy came crying up, while Ned jerked and tugged at the string till he knew that if he pulled harder the kite would be torn; but there it stuck, and Tizzy wept.
"Oh," she cried, "and such a beautiful kite as it was!"
"Don't you cry," said Ned, caressing her. "I'll soon get it again."
"Oh, but you can't, Teddy!"
"Can't I?" he cried, setting his teeth. "I'll soon show you. Hold this string."
As his sister caught the string the boy dashed to the tree.
"Oh, Teddy, don't; you'll fall--you'll fall!" cried Tizzy.
"That I won't," he said stoutly. "I've climbed larger trees than this at school."
And, taking advantage of the rough places of the bark, the boy swarmed up to where the branches made the climbing less laborious, and then he went on up and up, higher and higher, till the tree began to quiver and bend, and he shouted to his sister, breathlessly watching him, her little heart beating fast the while.
She was not the only watcher, for another barge was coming along the river, and, as it drew nearer, the boy on the horse stopped his steed and the man steering lay back to look up. And higher and higher went Ned, till the tree began to bend with his weight, and he laughingly gave it an impetus to make it swing him when he was about six feet from where the kite hung upside down by its tangled tail, but happily untorn. "Look out, Tiz!" shouted Ned.
"Yes, yes, dear; but do take care."
"All right," he cried. "I'm going to cut off his tail, and I shall say when. Then you pull the string and it will come down. Wo-ho!" he cried, as he tugged out his knife, for the tree bent and bent like a fishing-rod, the spiny centre on which he was being now very thin. Then, steadying himself, he climbed the last six feet and hung over backwards, holding up his legs and one hand, as he used his knife and divided the string tail. "Pull, Tiz, pull!" he shouted, "Run!"
Tizzy obeyed and the kite followed her.
"Hoo-ray," shouted Ned, taking off his cap to give it a wave, when, crick! crack! the tree snapped twenty feet below him, and the next moment poor Ned was describing a curve in the air, for the wood and bark held the lower part like a huge hinge, while Ned clung tightly for some moments before he was flung outwards, to fall with a tremendous splash.
Poor Tizzy heard the sharp snap of the tree and turned, to gaze in horror at her brother's fall, uttering a wild shriek as she saw him disappear in the sparkling water; and then in her childlike dread she closed her eyes tightly, stopped her ears, and ran blindly across the meadow, shrieking with all her little might and keeping her eyes fast closed, till she found herself caught up and a shower of questions were put.
They were in vain at first, for the poor child was utterly dazed, hardly recognising the friendly arms which had caught her up, till those arms gave her a good shake.
"Master Ned!--why don't you speak, child?--where's your brother?"
"Oh," shrieked Tizzy, "the water--the water! Tumbled in."
"Oh, my poor darling bairn!" cried Cook, hugging Tizzy to her, as she ran towards, the river. "I knew it--I knew it! I was always sure my own dear boy would be drowned."
There was no ill-temper now, for Cook was sobbing hysterically as she ran, with the tears streaming down her cheeks, till she saw something taking place on the river which seemed to take all the strength out of her legs, for she dropped upon her knees now with her lips moving fast, but not a sound was heard.
The next minute she was hurrying again to the river-bank, towards which a man was thrusting the stern of the long narrow barge which had been passing with the heavy long boathook, which had been used to draw poor Ned out of the water as soon as he had risen to the surface.
Cook reached the bank with the child in her arms just at the same moment as the man, who leaped off the barge, carrying Ned, whose eyes were closed and head drooping over the man's shoulder.
"Oh, my poor darling boy!" wailed Cook. "He's dead--he's dead!"
"Not he, missus," cried the bargeman. "I hooked him out too sharp. Here, hold up, young master.