Chapter XV: Leaving the Trail in a Hurry

Janus was pulled from his feet. He pitched sideways, saving himself by grasping a projection with one hand; then, in his struggles to get up, both feet became entangled in the rope litter, and there he lay kicking and shouting to the girls to go after the unfortunate Hazel.

Jane McCarthy already had got into action. Without an instant's hesitation she clambered down the rocks and made her way to the base of the mountain tree.

"She isn't here," shouted Crazy Jane. "What do you suppose has happened to her?"

"Wait! I'll be right with you," answered Harriet.

"She must be in the tree still," cried Miss Elting. "I hope she isn't hurt."

"If she were not we should hear her." Harriet was down the rocks, reaching the bottom not more than a minute behind Jane McCarthy who was just climbing the tree. It was not possible to see far up into the tree on account of the dense foliage. Harriet waited at the foot while her companion climbed it rapidly.

"I've got her," Jane called down. "She has fainted. What shall I do?"

"Get her down," urged Miss Elting.

"I can't. She is fast."

"Wait! I will be with you at once," called Harriet. "Will some one bring a rope, please?" Tommy, Margery and the guardian were scrambling down the rocks. Janus, having extricated himself from the litter, had picked it up and was on his way down to where Hazel had fallen by another path.

"Consarn the luck!" he grumbled. "Can't go a mile without something breaking loose. Never saw anything like it in all my born days. Anything wrong there?"

"Yes, seriously wrong," answered Miss Elting.

"Please send the guide up here. We can't get her out without assistance," called down Harriet.

"Janus!" The guide stepped briskly at Miss Elting's incisive command. He shinned up the tree without loss of time.

"Well, I swum!" he muttered.

Hazel's injured ankle had caught in a crotch of the tree. She was lying across one of the thick lower limbs of the tree, unconscious and with blood trickling from her face. Harriet was trying to get under her shoulders in order to lift her up somewhat and relieve the strain. Janus crawled up to Jane, who sat beside the unconscious girl.

"Well, I swum!" he exclaimed.

"Do something!" exploded Jane. "Do you want us to tell you what to do?"

"No, Miss; I know."

"Pardon me. I didn't mean to be rude. Only get Hazel out of the tree. She must have help at once. Go down and help Harriet lift her. I'll try to get her foot out of the crotch of the tree when you lift her off the limb. But be careful and don't lose your hold on her."

"If you will come here and support Hazel's shoulders I think I shall be able to do better by lifting her at the waist," suggested Harriet. "I am afraid you had better remain down there, Miss Elting," she called as the guardian made ready to climb the tree; "there isn't room for all of us. Besides, the tree might break. I don't know how strong these limbs really are. You might have one of the girls bring a blanket. There is one on top of the tree, but we can't get it."

Tommy climbed back to the trail, throwing a blanket down. In the meantime, Jane had got down and was supporting Hazel's head and shoulders. Harriet braced herself, back and feet, against the limbs of the tree, both arms about the waist of the imprisoned, unconscious girl. Janus was working cautiously at the captive foot.

"Raise her a little. Whoa! Hold her there."

It was not an easy task for the two girls to follow orders in that instance, but they did, their faces growing red under the strain. Hazel was moaning.

"Miss Elting; the smelling salts!" called Harriet.

The guardian passed them up, Jane grasping the bottle and placing it under Hazel's nostrils.

"Lift a little more. That's enough." Janus was working the ankle up a little at a time. "Can you hold her?"

"Yes. Tell us when you have freed the foot, please. You will have to steady her. Hold her feet together, if possible. That will make it easier for us. We mustn't drop her."

"One more lift and--whoa! It's free!"

Harriet knew that without his saying so. A sudden weight was thrown on her arms, nearly tipping her over. Harriet's face grew red under the strain. Glancing up, she saw that the injured foot was indeed free.

"Let go, Jane, but watch her head to see that it doesn't get bumped."

"You can't handle her alone, darlin'. Better let me help you," counseled Jane.

"Yes I can. But be ready to catch her in case anything goes wrong. Please don't try to help her down to me, Mr. Grubb, you'll surely throw me over if you do," warned Harriet. "Miss Elting, you and the girls hold a blanket to catch her if we should let her fall."

Space was so limited in the tree that everyone up there was laboring under great difficulties.

"Better let me get down there," suggested Janus.

Harriet shook her head. She was slowly righting the now half unconscious girl, every muscle trembling under the strain she was putting upon it.

"Hooray!" cried Crazy Jane.

"I swum, but she is strong," muttered Janus admiringly. "I reckon----" He did not complete what he had started to say. A warning snap told him that something was giving way.

Harriet had heard and understood. She shifted her weight to one foot, but the combined weight of the two was too much for the limb. It broke from under her with amazing suddenness.

"Catch us!" screamed Harriet.

Jane grabbed frantically for Harriet and her burden as they came crashing down. But, instead of lending assistance, Jane pulled Harriet toward her just as the latter was reaching out one hand for a limb by which to break the fall. She missed the limb of the tree by an inch or so. Jane's effort threw her off her balance also. The three girls went crashing down.

"Hold the blanket hard!" shouted Harriet. Then, with rare presence of mind, she let go of her burden. The object in doing this was that Hazel might land on the upraised blanket and thus break her fall. Harriet reasoned that she and Jane were better able to take care of themselves than was Hazel in her half unconscious condition. Hazel reached the blanket first, but her fall was of such force that the blanket was jerked from the hands of Miss Elting and her two charges. However, the blanket had served to break the fall of the unfortunate mountain climber.

The next instant the other two girls came tumbling down, but they fell feet first.

"Out of the way!" cried Jane.

Harriet threw herself to one side in order not to fall directly on Hazel, whom those below had had no time to get out of the path of the others. The result of Harriet's throwing herself sideways was that she fell heavily on her side. She lay still. Jane came straight down, reaching the rocks on all fours right over Hazel. The shock was a severe one, and, for the moment, Jane feared she had broken both wrists. Miss Elting dragged her aside, then drew Hazel from beneath the tree. This move was made just in time, for at that juncture something else occurred: Janus Grubb lost his footing and came crashing down.

Janus landed in a heap on the gray blanket. The fall stunned him briefly. But no one gave any heed to Janus. Miss Elting, Tommy and Margery were working over Hazel.

"Look after Harriet," directed the guardian sharply.

"Oh, my dear, are you hurt?" begged Margery.

"I--I don't know. My side hurts. Let me lie still a little. I--I guess I shall be all right soon."

"Well, I swum!" grunted the guide, getting unsteadily to his feet. "I swum!"

Jane was sitting on the ground, a little dazed from her fall. She stood up and leaned against the tree; then, observing that Harriet's face was pale, she staggered over and sat down heavily beside her friend.

"Oh, what a mess!" she groaned. "Are you hurt, darlin'?"

"No!" Harriet sat up determinedly, but the effort gave her pain. She winced a little, but made no sound.

"My kingdom for a motor car!" cried Jane.

"Let me help you, Harriet." Harriet attempted to rise, but had to sit down again. Jane slipped an arm about her waist and lifted the girl to her feet. "Hadn't you better not sit down, darlin'?"

"I feel better standing up. Hazel isn't much injured, is she, Miss Elting?"

"I can't find that there is anything very serious. I think she must have bumped her head in falling through the tree. She certainly has not added to the beauty of her face."

Hazel shook her head and essayed a smile.

"Did I fall gracefully?" she asked plaintively.

"Will you listen to her?" laughed Jane. "You did it as gracefully as the lady who dived from the top of a house into a tank full of water at the county fair last year."

"What I can't understand is why Tommy should have missed such an opportunity to distinguish herself," smiled the guardian.

"I thtood athide tho Januth could dithtinguith himthelf," lisped Tommy.

"Well, I swum! I did it, too, didn't I? I'm not fit to guide a plow, but I never found it out till I tried to pilot this outfit over the hills."

"Are thethe the hillth?" questioned Tommy.

"Yes, Miss."

"Then, excuthe me from the mountainth."

"I believe my tumble has cured my sprained ankle," declared Hazel. "I can't feel any pain at all there, except the smart where the skin is broken. Let me put on my boot." Miss Elting slipped it on for her, and assisted Hazel to her feet. "It is all right," cried the girl. "Isn't that strange?"

"Yeth. Thome thingth make thome folkth forget thome other thingth," observed Tommy sagely. "Have you forgotten your troubleth, Harriet?"

"I think so, Tommy. I will race you up to the trail."

"No; I can't rathe you up a hill, though I can fall down the hill fathter than you can, but I will help you up."

"I'll do all the helping," Janus informed them. "Shall I carry Miss Holland?"

Hazel declared that she could walk and she did, with some assistance from Miss Elting. The others were able to take care of themselves, though Harriet's side pained her frightfully with every step. She uttered no complaint, pluckily keeping her distress to herself, but the guardian knew by the expression on the girl's face that she was in pain.

Returning to the party a brief conference was held, at which they decided to proceed and make the "Slide" if possible before dark. There was no possibility of getting beyond that, but on the following day it would be necessary to make all haste, for the provisions would not hold out for more than another day, and even then they would have to go on short rations for the last two meals. It was a used-up party that started for the "Slide" that afternoon. Had they but known it, they were destined to be still more weary before they retired that night. The excitement of the day was not by any means ended. Dusk was upon them before they came out on more level ground and headed for the site chosen for their camp.