"That's right," he said encouragingly. "When you get your basket nearly
full, bring it down and empty it very gently in one of the sieves--
gently, mind."
I promised, and he went away, leaving me as busy as could be in the warm
sunshine, thoroughly enjoying my task, picking away carefully at the
apples, beginning low down, and then getting higher and higher till I
felt the ladder bend and the branch give, and I had to hold on tightly
by one hand.
I had to go down three times to empty my basket, pouring out the apples
very gently so as not to bruise them, and at last I had picked all the
pippins I could reach from the ladder.
I got down and proceeded to move it, so as to get to another part of the
tree.
It was easy enough, after I had got it free of the twigs, to pull the
ladder upright, and this done I looked at the place where I meant to put
it next, and getting hold of it tightly, began to lift it by the spokes
just as I had seen Ike manage it.
The fact did not occur to me that I was a mere boy and he a muscular
man, for I'm afraid I had plenty of conceit, and, drawing in a long
breath, I lifted the ladder straight up easily enough, took a couple of
steps in the right direction, and then felt to my horror that the
strength of my arms was as nothing as soon as the balance ceased to be
preserved, for in spite of my efforts the top of the ladder began to go
over slowly, then faster and faster, then there was a sharp whishing
crash as the bough of a pear-tree was literally cut off and a bump and a
sharp crack.
The top of the ladder had struck the ground, breaking several feet right
off, and I was clinging to the bottom.
One minute I was happy and in the highest of spirits; now I was plunged
into a state of hopeless despair as I wondered what Old Brownsmith would
say, and how much it would cost to repair that ladder.
I was so prostrated by my accident that for a minute or so I stood
holding on to the broken ladder, ruefully gazing at my work, and once I
actually found myself looking towards the wall where the trained
plum-trees formed a ladder easy of ascent for Shock, and just as easy
for me to get over and run for it--anywhere so as not to have to meet
Old Brownsmith after destroying his property.
"Well, you've been and gone and done it now, young 'un, and no mistake,"
said a gruff voice; and I found that Ike had come softly up behind me.
"I thought it was you tumbling and breaking of yourself again; but the
ladder. Oh my!"