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"But tell me," I said; "hoas it? I don't remember"

"Well, it were like this, you see," said Ike "I were holding the rope

tightly and watching of you, and I see you slip on the noose, and

tightened it, and then all at once I shouted to the others, `Hook on,' I

says, `it's got him' "I was on the watch for it, you see, and ready, and hauled at once

Thank goodness, I a in the arm if I ain't in the head So I

hauled, and they hauled, and so had you both up a few feet directly, one

at each end of the rope, and you two couldn't be civil to each other

even then, but ! Nonsense, Ike! I was insensible, and so was he"

"I don't care; you was quarrelling and got yourselves tangled up

together, and the rope twissen round and round under one of theoes acrost"

"Yes, I know," I said excitedly, for the thought made me shudder

"Well, there you was; and the hter you was,

just below the bottom of the ladder"

"And what did you do, Ike?"

"Well, I was going down, and was about handing the ropes to Old