Once, I felt the trunk settle slightly, and I almost decided to go back; but finally I went on and, reaching the hole, grasped a strong, green limb of the hemlock to steady myself.

Then I inserted the plug, which fitted pretty well, and drove it in with the heel of my boot.
Perhaps it was the jar of the blow, perhaps it was my added weight, but almost instantly I felt the trunk slip again--and then down into the gully it went with a crash! Luckily I still had hold of the hemlock limb and clung to it instinctively.

For a moment I dangled there; then with a few convulsive efforts I succeeded in drawing myself to the trunk of the hemlock and getting my feet on a limb.

Breathless, I now glanced downward and was terrified to see that in falling the basswood had carried away the lower branches of the hemlock and left no means of climbing down.

If the trunk of the hemlock had been smaller I could have clasped my arms about it and slid down; but it was far too big round for that.