"Steady on, we'll get you." Of all hardships, this brief delay was least bearable.

Then a bight of rope fell across Rudolph's back.

He seized it, hauled taut, and planting his feet against the wall, went up like a fish, to land gasping on a row of sand-bags.
"Ho, you wandering German!" His invisible friend clapped him on the shoulder.

"By Jove, I'm glad.

No time to burble now, though.