I am coming down." He did not like to be left there all alone, in the gloomy and solitary forest.

So he made all the haste possible in descending.

There are a great many accidents which may befall a boy in coming down a tree.

The one which Phonny was fated to incur in this instance, was to catch his trowsers near the knee, in a small sharp twig which projected from a branch, and tear them.
When he reached the ground he looked at the rent in dismay.

He was generally nice and particular about his clothes, and he was very unwilling to go to Mary Erskine's, and let her and Bella see him in such a plight.