Chapter XXVIII.
THE ACCIDENT EXPLAINED.
How to get down into the pit was now the great question. Guided by thelight of the fire, steadily eating its way into the butt of the log inspite of the storm, they cut down a small tree and lopped off itsbranches in such a way as to make a rude ladder. Though they were inso great a hurry, this was slow work with their dull hatchet. Loweringit carefully into the pit until its end rested firmly, Jim held thetop, while Tug went down, took the lantern, and approached themotionless form, whose face Rex was licking. The instant the lightfell upon the face he saw that it was the Captain's.
"It _is_ Aleck!" he called out. "Come down."
"Is he dead?" asked Jim, as he scrambled down the break-neck ladder.
"No," said Tug, who was kneeling by the lad's side. "His face is warm,and I can feel his heart beat. He's only stunned. Where's that brandyKaty sent?"
"It's in my overcoat pocket up on the ground--I'll get it." And Jimscrambled up the hemlock trunk, fearless of a tumble.
"Now pour a few drops between his lips," said Tug, when the boy hadgot back, at the same time lifting Aleck's head upon his knee. "Oh, ifonly we had some water! Get out!"
This last was addressed to Rex, who was in the way; but it alsoanswered the boy's prayer, for, in starting back, the dog stepped intoa pool of water that lay upon the bottom of the cave. So crystal clearand quiet was this little pool in the lone and silent chamber of rock,that even when they knew it was there, and were dipping the water upwith their hats, they could not tell by lantern-light where its edgewas, or how near were their hands to the surface before they felt itsicy chill against their knuckles.
The dashing of this cold, pure water upon his face, and a few drops ofthe spirits, served to awaken Aleck very speedily, though at first hisideas were much confused.
"Where am I?" was his first utterance, as it has been that ofthousands of others in like case; and several minutes passed before hewas able to sit up and talk to them.
"I suppose--you fellows--" he began to say, presently, in a stammeringsort of way, "would like--to know--what I'm doing--down here."
"Well, Captain," said Tug, who would have liked to dance a jig, butwas afraid to, and could only hug the dog to express his joy--"well,Captain, we don't want to be impertinent, Jim and me, nor what youmight call _inquisitive_, in regard to what ain't none o' ourbusiness; and we hope we're not intrudin' on you here; but if you arewilling to explain one or two matters, we'd be glad to listen."
"'IS HE DEAD?' ASKED JIM."]
"Why, I--got so tired--tramping round in the storm--that when I got tothat brush-heap--and rocks--out there, I thought--I thought--I'd go upin the woods--and camp. So I came up along that big log, and steppedoff--and that's the last I remember. But I know I've a frightfulheadache, and I wish I was home."
Home! Where? In Monore? That roof was sheltering other heads. InCleveland? That seemed farther away than ever. The fisherman'scottage? Ah, Katy would make _that_ a home to the wounded lad, if onlythey could get him there!
"Do you think you could walk?" Tug asked, anxiously.
"Yes, if I was out of this, and could get warm."
"Well, there is a fire up there, and this ladder is not long. Drinkthe rest of this brandy: I know you hate it, but it's only a trifle,and it will give you strength for your climb; and then you can rest abit, while we get the dog out. Here, Rex!"
To do this, Tug went half-way up the ladder, and Jim handed up theirshaggy companion, after which Tug lifted him to where he couldscramble out.
Then Aleck, by slow stages and with much help, reached the top, andwas wrapped in overcoats, while he sat by the fire until hischilliness was gone, and he had eaten some of the food Katy had sent.This done, he felt able to begin his journey homeward. Meanwhile, Tugwent into the pit to bring out Aleck's gun and the lantern. Standingon the brink of the black water, he tossed a pebble, but failed tostrike the opposite wall. Then he hurled another with all hisstrength, and, after a time, heard it splash in the water. How faraway lay the other end of the cave, or to what depths underneath thiscavern-lake the cave-floor descended, he never knew. He realized hownarrow had been the escape of all, and the strange coincidence bywhich they had been led to this spot, and had discovered the hiddenmouth of the pit; and he thanked God, who had preserved their lives.
The dull gray of the dawn was lighting up the driving rain, the slushysnow, and the drenched and dripping trees, when the weary boys,supporting their almost worn-out leader, crept down the rough hill,and approached the little cottage. Katy had seen them coming, andstood waiting in the door, looking herself as though she had not sleptmuch that sad night.
"Oh, Aleck!" was all she could say, as she threw her arms around herbrother's neck, "must you always be the one to get hurt for us?"
"I hope not, sis," he said, with a smile, and sank, exhausted, into abunk.
Then with quiet swiftness the girl heated water, washed the wounds inAleck's head, and hastened to boil the corn-meal mush and the coffee,which formed the best breakfast she was able to give. Meanwhile shetold how she had passed the night, making her story so bright, andbustling about so cheerily, that she did more to restore the tiredboys than, in her absence, all their pulling off of soaked boots andstretching upon soft mattresses of springy boughs would have done.
"After waiting a long, long time--it must have been until aftermidnight," Katy began the story of her night, "I had dropped asleep inmy chair before the fire, when I was waked up by something scratchingat the door. I knew in a minute it was those dreadful dogs, and I wasawfully scared."
"After we beat them off they must have come directly here," Tugremarked. "Were there more than two?"
"No, but two were quite enough," Katy replied; and then continued hernarrative:
"I should have liked to have got under the bed, only there wasn't anybed, and so I--what do you suppose?--I got the butcher-knife and a bigstick, and climbed up into the top berth. They growled and grumbledaround the door, and scratched and butted at it, and every littlewhile one or both of them would stand upon their hind-legs and look inat the window with their horrible green eyes. Ugh! I don't want to gothrough another such a night!"
"Nor I!" exclaimed all three of her listeners, in chorus, eachthinking of his own separate experience.
"Passed unanimously!" cried Katy. "Now come to breakfast."