human
Help! Help!
gpt
Don't jump! Don't! yelled the crowd.
human
You'll be killed!
gpt
He might just as well be killed by the fall as burned to death, remarked one man grimly.
human
In fact I'd prefer it.
gpt
Can't someone do something?
human
Oh, if we only had an airship, we could rescue him!
gpt
By Jove! exclaimed Joe.
human
I have an idea. If I could only get a rope up to him he could slide down it, if we held the outer end away from the fire--a slanting cable you know.
gpt
That's it!
human
How are you going to get a rope up to him? asked Luke Fodick, who was standing beside our hero.
gpt
No one could throw a rope up there.
human
No, perhaps not a rope, admitted Joe,
gpt
But you can't even throw a string up there,
human
Of course not! added Hiram, who had joined his crony.
gpt
Nobody could.
human
Yes they can--I can! cried Joe.
gpt
I'll throw up this ball of cord. It will unwind on the way up if I keep hold of one end of it, and he pulled from his pocket a ball of light but strong cord. Joe used it to wind around split bats.
human
I'm going to throw this, cried the young pitcher.
gpt
Hey there! he yelled to the man on the tower.
human
Catch this as it comes, and pull up the rope we're going to fasten on!
gpt
Where you going to get the rope?
human
Off the fire apparatus, of course. It's long and strong. Tom, you go get the rope off; I've got to make the man hear and understand before I can throw the cord.
gpt
That's the stuff! The rope from the engine! cried the man near Joe.
human
That's the idea, young fellow!