The Vast Abyss Part 88

"That was as far as I could reach, too. We must give it up and risk everything."

Tom gave his uncle a droll look, the light from the lantern s.h.i.+ning dimly on his face.

"We can't give it up, uncle. I'll try again when the wind is not so strong."

"But you could not reach, boy, and I dare not loose my hold even for a minute."

"'Tis awkward," shouted Tom; "but we must do something. Stop a minute: I know. Rope."

"Yes, of course, the new strong rope in the bottom of the tool-chest."

Tom took the lantern, and as his uncle held up the trap-door, the boy went down, to return in two or three minutes with a small coil of thin, thoroughly trustworthy new rope, and a hammer and some strong nails; and as soon as the lantern and trap-door were secured, he began to knot the rope round his waist.

"I don't like letting you go, Tom," said Uncle Richard, with his lips to the boy's ear.

"And I don't like to go, uncle; but this knot can't slip, and you won't loose me."

"No; you may depend upon that, my lad."

"Very well, then: look here. I've brought the hammer and some nails.

We can't fasten the shutter safely here, it would only break away again."

"Then it is of no use, boy; we must let the place take its chance."

"We won't, uncle," screamed Tom, to make himself heard. "Look here: I know. Where I touched the nearest corner of the shutter it's broken-away, so I shall get out in the gallery, turn it over into its place, and nail it down from outside."

"Are you mad?" cried Uncle Richard. "How are you going to get in?"

"Shan't get in. You'll let me down outside."

"Absurd, boy! The rope would be shut in the door, even if I would harbour such a wild scheme for a moment."

"No, it wouldn't," shouted Tom; "the rope would run through the broken-away corner."

"Nonsense, it is impossible. The place must go."

_Whoo_! came the wind again; and once more it seemed as if the roof was to be lifted off like a gigantic umbrella, and carried far away by the storm.

"I must go and do it," cried Tom.

"_No_, _no_, _no_!" shouted Uncle Richard. "Let's go down--we may be hurt."

"Uncle, the telescope!--all our work! Oh, I can't come away."

"But it is risking your life, boy."

"'Tisn't, uncle," cried Tom desperately. "You can hold me tightly with the rope. I should put some nails in my pocket--so, and stick the hammer handle down inside my jacket--so, and then climb out quickly while you held tightly by the rope, and--Just like this, uncle."

And before he could be checked, Tom stepped to the opening, and with the rapidity born of habit lifted himself out, and then holding on by the sill, lowered his legs into the little gallery.

Uncle Richard darted forward to seize him, but another terrific blast struck the mill, pinning Tom against the woodwork, and literally driving his uncle back from the opening, while the telescope swung round upon its pivot, and various objects were blown to the far side.

For the full s.p.a.ce of a minute it seemed as if the dome-like roof must be torn off, while, to add to the confusion and horror, the lantern was blown over and went out, leaving them in utter darkness.

At last, when the strength of the squall was partly spent, Uncle Richard, as he held on by the rope, shouted to Tom to come back; but in his excitement the boy heard nothing. He gave a fierce drag at the rope, crept sidewise beneath the shutter, and exerting all his strength tried to turn it over upon its hinges. But each effort was in vain, for the wind pressed it down.

"I can't do it--I can't do it," he panted, as, pressing his feet against the rail of the gallery, he heaved and heaved with all his might, but only succeeded in getting his arms underneath a little.

Then the rope was dragged fiercely, and his uncle's voice came through the opening overhead and to his left, but only in a confused murmur, though he felt what must be said; and in despair he was dragging out his hands, for the wind roared louder than ever, pressing him down against the structure with tremendous force. But all at once his hands were set free, for the slight raising of the shutter had been sufficient for the wind to get beneath, and with a rush it was swept by his face, just grazing his chin. There was a tremendous clap, and it was closed, while the boy thought of nothing but holding on as the wind once again pressed him against the building.

And now for a few moments he lost nerve, and clung desperately, feeling as if he must be plucked from his feeble hold and dashed down into the yard. Hammer and nails were forgotten, and he pressed his forehead against the woodwork, while the confusion caused by the roaring of the wind seemed to increase.

Then it was as if a great nerve communicating with safety had been touched, for he felt the rope jerked along sidewise, till it was in the jagged opening at the bottom left-hand corner of the broken shutter.

The feeling was electric, and sent a thrill through the boy.

"I'm all right, I can't fall," he muttered; and dragging out the hammer by its head, he felt for the first nail, then ran his hand up the side of the shutter for some distance, judged what would be a fair position for the nail, tapped it in a little way, and then began to drive with vigorous strokes, sometimes missing in the darkness, but nearly always getting good blows on the nail-head, and at last feeling that it was well home.

All this while he felt himself held tightly to the woodwork by the strain upon the cord, and the pressure of the wind:

Getting out another nail, he drove that in a foot lower, close to his chest; another minute, and a third nail was driven home, the exertion and excitement of doing something effectual driving away all thought of danger.

Then jerking the rope a little so as to get more freedom he stood well up, reached as high as possible, and drove in several more nails, and reached over to the other edge of the shutter, where he drove in a couple between the hinges, in case they should be wrenched.

"That must be safe now," he said to himself, as he lowered himself down to a kneeling position in the gallery, the rope being tightened as he did so, yielding at first, but drawing as if it were made of indiarubber instead of the best hemp.

And now once more Tom felt a sensation of shrinking, for the time had come for his descent, which seemed very easy to talk about in the observatory, but very difficult to perform with the wind blowing a hurricane, and all around him a darkness so thick that it was like that of old--a darkness to be felt.

"But the telescope's right," thought Tom, "and the roofs safe;" and getting his lips to the broken opening, he yelled out, doubtful whether his words would be heard in the midst of that bewildering noise--"All right, uncle; lower away!"

He had thrust the hammer back inside his jacket, and now gave the rope a s.n.a.t.c.h, feeling it yield gently and steadily, as he rose and tried the knot with both hands, but had to thrust them out again to save himself from being dashed against the building, so fierce a squall once more struck him from behind.

The next instant he was once more pinned against the place, and held by the rope as well. This gave him renewed confidence.

"Uncle is on the look-out," he muttered; and as soon as the worst pressure of the wind was over, he once more shouted through the opening, and losing no time, laid hold of the rail with both hands, resting his chest upon it, raised his legs horizontally, allowed them to drop down, and hung by his arms and the cord; then, as the rope gave, by his hands, and the next minute by the rope, which glided over the rail slowly, and then stopped short, leaving him swinging with his face level with the flooring, and swinging to and fro.

_Whoosh_! came the wind again, making him lose his hold of the rope and catch at the floor of the gallery, into which he drove his finger-nails for a moment, but only to have them wrenched away, as the wind shrieked and yelled in his ears, and turned him right round and round rapidly like an over-roasted joint.

"Lower away, uncle, lower away!" he shouted; but he might just as well have spared his voice, for not a word could by any possibility have been heard in the observatory, the wind sweeping breath and sound away, and nearly strangling him when he faced it.

Twice over he got a grip of the edge of the gallery, but only to be s.n.a.t.c.hed away again and swung to and fro.

"Why don't you lower away? Quick! quick!" he shrieked out; and as if in response, he descended three or four feet, and then a couple more in little painful jerks. Then the rope stopped; the wind dashed at him, and he was swung to and fro and round and round like a feather. Now his feet touched the bricks of the mill, then he was far away again, for the rail over which the rope pa.s.sed projected fully four feet from the top.

He was more and more bewildered; the rope cut into his chest, in spite of his seizing it and holding it with both hands, but only to let go again to stretch them out in the darkness, as he was swung about by the gale, for he was seized now by a dread that he would be dashed heavily against the wall.

Once more he was in motion in jerks, but only for a foot or two, and then the horror of being dashed against the wall grew worse, for the greater length of rope gave the wind more power to swing him violently to and fro.

"Why doesn't he let me down?" thought Tom, with a fierce feeling of anger rising against his uncle; but that was only momentary, for a fresh dread a.s.sailed Tom--he was certain that he had felt the knot of the rope crawling as it were upon his breast, which he knew must mean its giving way, and with a frantic dash he flung up his hands to grasp the cord high up once more.