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slid at least part of the way, since the ledge slanted off instead of dropping straight down. He looked at the rope, then at Bluedog. Darn! He hadn’t been thinking ahead. He couldn’t tie the rope around the dog and expect it to stay while Hermie and Eddie lifted her to the top. Bluedog would slip right out of a loop.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Hermie shouted down, wondering what was taking Marc so long.
    â€œI need your shirt, Hermie,” Marc shouted back. “To make a sling for Bluedog.”
    â€œWhy mine? Take yours off.”
    â€œI’m already freezing down here.” Marc shivered. Even if they did have time today, he’d never last in the cave for long. He was sweaty and wet from the stream and the bushes he’d crawled through, and he hadn’t brought enough warm clothing or anything dry to change into.
    Hermie’s shirt, smelling sweaty, hit him in the face. Marc laughed. He had been half teasing Hermie, hardly hoping he could talk him out of his favorite T-shirt. Quickly he tied the rope to the bunched-up top of the shirt, hoping it would hold.
    After slipping the shirt onto Bluedog and centering it around her middle, Marc tested the sling. The T-shirt would probably stretch a lot, but he thought it would hold. He hoped Blue wouldn’t wiggle and jump around, or she still might fall out.
    Bluedog didn’t know why Marc was doing such a funny thing to her, but she went along with it, licking him in the eye.
    â€œI know, you’re glad I’m here, Blue. I know. Stop telling me. Okay, pull her up!” Marc called to Hermie and Eddie. “Slowly. Stay, Bluedog, stay.”
    The swinging motion frightened Bluedog, and she was no more than four feet off the ground when she started to wiggle and bark. She yipped, stretched, and slid right out of the shirt. Ker-plunk, right at Marc’s feet she landed. She leaped and jumped, thinking she’d done something smart.
    â€œNo, girl. No.” Marc felt defeated. But if she’d stay still, it would work. It had to.
    â€œShe didn’t like it.” Hermie stated the obvious.
    â€œShe doesn’t like wearing your sweaty shirt,” Eddie called, teasing.
    Marc put the T-shirt around Blue’s belly again, keeping it as wide as he could, stretching it from her front legs to her back.
    â€œTake it up just a little at a time,” Marc called. “I’ll talk her through it.”
    Hermie started to reel in the rope again. Again Bluedog rose from the floor. Marc steadied her. “Good girl, Blue. Now, stay, stay—please.” Hermie pulled again. Marc talked some more. “Easy, girl, easy. It’s okay.”
    â€œCome up with her,” Eddie suggested.
    â€œToo much weight. I think she’s okay this time. “Stay, girl, stay. Elevator going up. Freedom at the top. Stay.”
    She was more patient this time. Maybe she sensed this was not a game. Marc sent her messages, all the way up, both out loud and in his mind. Steady, girl, steady .
    At the top, Hermie helped Bluedog back through the hole and then retrieved his shirt. “My shirt will never be the same.”
    â€œUgh, doggie B.O.,” Eddie teased. His voice echoed as it reached Marc.
    â€œIf you want to know the truth, Hermie, Bluedog didn’t want to put it on. I wasn’t going to say anything,” Marc yelled.
    â€œAre you coming back up?” Eddie called. “Or should I come down?”
    Marc hesitated, wanting to take off through the cave now that Blue was safe. Even a little way would give him some idea of what they’d found. But he knew it must be nearly five o’clock. It would take them a while to get home. Just one question about where they’d been would be enough to spoil their chances of returning.
    â€œI’m coming up,” Marc decided. “I’m freezing, and it’s too late today to explore.”
    He took the rope that Hermie threw back down, and