Using my elbow as an anchor, I swung into the air. William’s arms were flailing around. I tried to snatch his hand but he was panicking too much.

‘Calm down,’ I hissed. ‘Stop jerking around and I will catch you.’

‘I’m going to die,’ he muttered. ‘I’m going to die! I’m going to die!’

‘You are not going to die.’ I gave another swing and slapped him hard across his cheek.

He stared at me in shock. ‘Stay calm,’ I repeated. ‘If you get hysterical, this is going to take much longer. I will pull you up.’ I looked him in the eyes. ‘William, I will get you. Got that?’

He nodded mutely and relief rushed through me. ‘Can you lift your arms up? I need to get your wrists. If I grab your hands, they’ll be too sweaty and you’ll slip. Understand?’

He nodded again and stretched upwards. Shite. I still wasn’t close enough.

‘My leg,’ he whispered. ‘It’s not going to make it.’

I looked up. He was right. He was hanging on now by his ankle. Cursing to myself, I pulled up and looped the less taut section of rope round my right ankle. It would give me the length I required but it wouldn’t hold for long. I had to do this quickly.

Ignoring the shouts from the others, I swung down once more. With a burst of adrenalin, I stretched out my arms and curled my hands round William’s wrists. He gasped in relief.

‘You know you really reek of garlic,’ I told him. ‘Remember that when you want to give me a grateful kiss later on.’

He managed a shaky smile but, feeling tremors ripping through his flesh, I wasted no more time. ‘We’re going to swing back upwards, William. On a count of three, you’ll go right, I’ll go left and then we’ll meet in the middle. Got that?’

He gulped for air. ‘Yes.’

‘When we’re close enough, be prepared for me to release your left wrist. Then I’ll grab the rope and get both of us back up.’

‘Don’t drop me.’

‘I won’t. I told you, I’ve got this. Ready? One, two, three!’

I pushed upwards. William’s frame wasn’t exactly slight and his fear made it hard for him to find the energy to gain sufficient momentum. From somewhere deep within himself, however, he managed. With my hands half a metre away, I dropped his wrist and swung harder, only just managing to snatch hold of the rope and heave William’s body up.

I freed my foot from the loop and got back to my feet, yanking him to me as I did so. The moment his feet touched the rope, he almost collapsed in relief. I was forced to steady him again before he fell once more.