"Don't take any notice of the workus boy, Court. Go on down, if you
dare."
"I dare," he said, laughing.
"I tell you it isn't safe," I cried.
"Do you want a punch on the head?" said Philip menacingly.
"Yes, but you daren't give it me," I cried fiercely.
"Never mind him," said Courtenay. "Look here, I'm only going to the
bottom of the ladder. I'm not going to slide down the pipe to the
water."
As he spoke he sat down on the edge with his legs dangling over the
side.
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Philip, seating himself opposite to him and
kicking at his brother's feet. "You daren't go."
"You say I daren't go again I'll take you by the scruff of the neck and
make you go down instead. I say, let's send the pauper down to swallow
the foul air."
"There, I knew you daren't go," cried Philip.
"I dare."
"You daren't."
"He shall not go," I cried; and I caught the lad by the collar.
He gave himself a twist, and as he freed himself he struck me a savage
blow with his elbow right in the lower part of the chest.
The blow took away my breath and made me stagger back in agony, and
gasping, while by the time I had recovered myself he had stepped on to
the ladder, gone down several rounds, and his head disappeared.
"There, coward, what do you think of that?" cried Philip.
I ran to the side with my heart throbbing painfully, and I felt as if my
eyes were wild and staring as I saw the lad go down about a dozen feet
and stop.
"I say, Phil," he cried, with his voice echoing and sounding hollow,
"come down. It is so jolly and cool."
"I'll go down when you've come up," said his brother. "That isn't far
enough. I don't call that anything."
"Wait a bit. Don't be in a wax."
"Come up, sir, pray come up," I cried. "There's foul air lower down.
The candle wouldn't burn."
"Pitch him down if he don't hold his tongue, Phil," cried Courtenay.
"Here goes for a slide."
He grasped the sides of the ladder, took his feet off the round on which
he stood, and throwing his legs round he began to slide slowly down.
"I say, it's as cool as eating ices, Phil," he cried. "Come on down."
Philip made no answer, but glanced at me, and I suppose my blanched and
horrified countenance startled him, for he too suddenly turned white and
exclaimed: "There, you've won, Court. I give in. Come back now."
Too late! Courtenay slid slowly on for a few moments, then faster, and
then we saw his arms relax and he fell over backwards, while as I stood
on the brink gazing down I felt as if I had suddenly been turned to
stone.