Their mad dash ended in catastrophe5 for Frances. Close at Jane’s heels, an avenging6 slap in the face from the recoiling7 branch of a stunted8 sapling which Jane’s headlong flight had rudely set in motion, caused Frances to stumble and pitch forward into a heap of brush. Her slam-bang invasion resulted in dislodging a peaceful garter-snake, which wriggled9 indignantly off almost across Jane’s feet, causing her to execute a wild leap. “Ugh, a horrid10 snake!” she shrieked11. “You did that, Frances Bliss12!”
“You snapped that limb in my face and made me fall,” counter-accused Frances. Whereupon both girls burst into laughter.
“Come on. We’re clear past the ledge. If we don’t hurry, we won’t have time to look for arrow-heads.” Jane reached forth13 a helping14 hand to haul the still-chuckling Frances to her feet.
Still hand in hand, the two trotted15 toward the out-cropping rocky ledge. Straight across it lay a fallen tree, scorched16 black and white by lightning, the greater part of its dead length extending into space. Stepping upon it, Frances ran fearlessly along toward the edge of the rocks. At every step the dry, rotten wood gave forth a crunching17 sound, accompanied by an ominous18 quivering of its entire length. Though she could not know it, it was on this very account that Ruth had forborne exploring the ledge.
“Look out!” Simultaneous with Jane’s warning cry, came a rattle19 of stones. Frances made a wild backward spring for safety. Precariously20 balanced, as was the tree across the ledge, Frances’ weight on it had served to dislodge a crumbling21 bit of rock on which it had partially22 rested. Down into the hollow below it catapulted, its brittle23 boughs24, snapping and splintering as it descended25. The terrific thud, with which it landed in the hollow, was echoed by a long, low rumble26, a great quivering of the ledge itself, then a second deafening27 crash.
Well back from the scene of disaster, Jane and Frances clung to each other, speechless with terrified amazement28.
It was Jane who first managed to gasp29: “What—what was it?”
In spite of the fact that she had narrowly escaped accompanying the tree on its downward career, Frances answered with a slightly hysterical30 laugh. “You must have caused an earthquake, Plain Jane.”
“I? You mean you! You started the tree, and I guess the tree did the rest. Something besides that tree certainly dropped. Dare we go over and see just what happened? Come on!”
Very gingerly the two went forward. To all appearance, the ledge of rock was still intact. Securing a thick stick, Frances went cautiously forward, striking the stony31 formation ahead of her with every step she took. Where it jutted32 off into space she halted, and kneeling, peered over. Emulating33 her bold example, Jane was soon kneeling beside her.
“All I can see is a great lot of stones and one big rock,” declared Frances. “Maybe the tree jarred the under part of this rock loose. We’d better move back. The rest of it might go. That second terrible crash must have been caused by that big rock when it fell. The rest of the folks must have heard it. Hark!”
A long shrill34 halloo assailed35 their ears. Again it sounded; this time nearer.
“They heard. They’re calling. We’d better go.” Jane sprang to her feet and set off through the woods, Frances following after.
Halfway36 to the spot where the party had stopped to rest, Jane and Frances dashed into the midst of an excited sextette.
“What caused that frightful37 crash? Were you girls very close to it? Where are Ruth and Blanche?” White-faced and anxious-eyed, Miss Drexal fairly hurled38 her questions at the laggards39.
“Ruth and Blanche?” Frances echoed, staring at the Guardian40. “Why, I don’t know. They weren’t with us!”
“We almost got caught in an earthquake. Frances declares it was one, and that I caused it,” broke in Jane gaily41. “Of course she’d—”
“This is not a time to joke,” interrupted Miss Drexal curtly42. “The question is, where are Ruth and Blanche. They were with us until a few minutes ago. We were all standing43 together looking at a flock of crows. I had been telling the girls about a pet crow I once owned. It was only after I had finished that we noticed they were missing. Then we guessed that they had gone to find you two. Tell me quickly what happened over there.”
“That’s queer!” Jane’s gaiety had vanished. She now looked very solemn. In a subdued44 voice, she recounted what had occurred at the ledge.
“You might both have been killed.” Miss Drexal looked uncompromisingly stern. “I blame myself for allowing you to go. Now we must find the girls. I can’t understand their running off in this strange fashion. It’s not in the least like Ruth.”
“Oh, they can’t have gone far,” encouraged Anne. “Ruth wouldn’t dream of straying away purposely after all you’ve said. Blanche—”
“Make up your mind Blanche is to blame,” asserted the too-candid Jane. “She’s been sulking ever since she tried to upset the canoe this morning and Ruth spoke45 to her about it. I promised Ruth not to mention it, but I think I ought to tell you. They—well—Blanche may have said something horrid to Ruth while you folks were watching those crows, then started off into the woods just to be mean. Ruth is so—so—good. Of course, she’d run after Blanche and try to put her in a good humor. Ruth has stood a lot from her since we came up here. I don’t know why Blanche is so down on her. I only know she is. I haven’t been blind,” was Jane’s energetic conclusion.
“I must have been,” was the Guardian’s dry comment. “I had no idea such a state of affairs existed. Later on, Jane, I shall ask you to tell me all about what happened in the canoe. Just now we must devote ourselves to finding the girls. We must cover the ground around here in all directions, shouting their names together. As neither you nor Frances saw them, we will first try an opposite direction from the ledge. It is now almost four o’clock. We must work thoroughly47 but speedily. We can’t risk being caught in this wilderness48 after dark. But I am sure they will hear us and answer.” It seemed impossible to the Guardian that sturdy, capable Ruth would remain long lost. She was competent to pilot both herself and Blanche.
The search begun, for over an hour the anxious seekers tramped sturdily over the portion of the island they sought to cover, stopping frequently to send forth long, shrill halloos. As is usually the case in going it blind, they expended49 their greatest effort in a wrong direction. By the time they had returned to the spot from which they had started, the shadows had commenced to thicken in the woods. The day had dawned with a lavish50 display of sunshine, but by mid-afternoon considerable of its glory had been obscured by banks of grayish clouds in the west. Though no rain had fallen, the glimpses of sky which the foresters caught between the trees were not encouraging. In them they read an early twilight51, followed possibly by storm. To go back to Wohelo Wigwam without Ruth and Blanche was hardly to be considered. Neither was the prospect52 of spending a night on the island, unsheltered, particularly pleasant.
“What shall we do? Where can they be?” quavered Anne, when at a quarter past five the searchers halted, despair written on every face.
“I think we’d do well to go straight to the lake shore before it gets darker,” proposed Marian. “Blue Wolf will be there. He can find them. I know he can. Don’t you remember, he said if any of us got lost he’d find us? The sooner we see him and tell him, the sooner he’ll start to hunt for them. We can’t do any good just staying here after dark.”
“It’s dreadful to think of leaving them behind to—” Betty’s voice broke.
“If any harm has come to Ruth, I’ll never forgive Blanche Shirly.” All the pent-up emotion of Emmy’s Latin temperament53 vibrated in her tones. “I don’t care much what happens to her.”
“Neither do I,” flared54 Jane hotly. “I despise her! She—”
“Girls, girls!” Miss Drexal held up her hand. “Remember you belong to the Camp Fire. I cannot allow you to talk so of Blanche. You may live to bitterly regret such harsh words. We can only hope that no harm has come to either Ruth or Blanche. The safety of Blanche is as important as the safety of Ruth. I am ashamed of both of you!”
“I’m sorry for what I said,” apologized Jane contritely55.
Emmy, however, was silent. Love of Ruth made it very hard for her to forgive one who had wronged her idol56. In her own mind, she laid the blame for the whole affair at Blanche’s door. Like Jane, she had not been asleep to the churlish fashion in which Blanche had treated Ruth all along.
“I think, with Marian, that our wisest plan will be to go straight to the shore before dark. We shall hardly make it, at that.” Miss Drexal endeavored to hide her own gloomy apprehensions57. “I am confident that Blue Wolf will succeed where we have failed. Forward march, now, and try to keep up your spirits. We are doing the only sensible thing to be done under the circumstances.”
It was a weary and heart-sick company that stumbled its way through the growing twilight of the forest, finally arriving at the edge of the lake almost a quarter of a mile below where they had landed. Out under the open sky it was still fairly light, yet by the time they had plodded58 sadly along the shore toward the point where the two canoes were moored59, the shadows of evening were closing down upon the island.
Fully1 expecting to see the Indian already there and waiting for them, it was a crushing disappointment to all to come upon only the two canoes. On him was based their one hope of finding the lost girls. He had promised to return before sunset. Now it was almost dark and he, too, was among the missing. Undoubtedly60 something had happened to delay him, Miss Drexal assured. He was not one who would wilfully61 break his word. He was likely to heave in sight at any moment.
At her suggestion, the dispirited party applied62 themselves to gathering63 fuel for a fire while there was still a little light. The Guardian’s patent anxiety that enough be secured to keep the fire going indefinitely, hinted at the dire46 possibility that they might have to remain on the island until late in the evening, perhaps all night. While the fuel was being brought, she and Marian took the pitcher64, which Ruth had carried to the spring that morning, and went for water, guided only by a small flash light which the Guardian carried. The fire having been started in their absence, she went briskly to work to make coffee, insisting, in spite of forlorn pleas of non-hunger, that the remaining food in the packs should be eaten, reserving a portion against the return of the missing girls. All in all, it was a dolorous65 meal they managed to choke down, seated about the glowing Camp Fire. The coffee alone was welcomed. Tired out, as the girls were, it put a little new life into them. Seven, eight, nine o’clock came and went; yet Blue Wolf did not appear. Fortunately for them, their fear of a storm had not been verified. Conversation had long since languished66 among them, gradually dying out almost entirely67. The very sound of their own voices oppressed them.
When at eleven o’clock there was still no sign of the guide, Miss Drexal said quietly: “It looks as though we are in for spending the night here. If Blue Wolf were to come now, we could not paddle back to the camp in the dark, even if we wished to, which, of course, we don’t. As it is, we shall have to keep the fire going, and sit around it until morning. We have no blankets, and it would be unwise to think of lying on the ground. It is too damp.”
An assenting68 murmur69 rose that quickly subsided70 into heavy silence. It was shattered by a stifled71 sob72 from Emmy. “I—can’t—help—it!” she cried out brokenly. “It’s—too—awful! Oh, Ruth, dear, where are—you?”
But only the voice of the night wind in the trees answered with a mournful sigh. Somewhere in the blackness behind them, the unyielding forest was jealously guarding its prey73.
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1
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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avenging
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| adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复 | |
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recoiling
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| v.畏缩( recoil的现在分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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8
stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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precariously
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| adv.不安全地；危险地；碰机会地；不稳定地 | |
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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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brittle
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| adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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26
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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jutted
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| v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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33
emulating
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| v.与…竞争( emulate的现在分词 )；努力赶上；计算机程序等仿真；模仿 | |
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34
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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35
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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36
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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38
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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39
laggards
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| n.落后者( laggard的名词复数 ) | |
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40
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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41
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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42
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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43
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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44
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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45
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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46
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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47
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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48
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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49
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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50
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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51
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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52
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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53
temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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54
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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55
contritely
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56
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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57
apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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58
plodded
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| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
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59
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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60
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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61
wilfully
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| adv.任性固执地；蓄意地 | |
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62
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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63
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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64
pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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65
dolorous
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| adj.悲伤的；忧愁的 | |
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66
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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67
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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68
assenting
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| 同意，赞成( assent的现在分词 ) | |
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69
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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71
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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72
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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73
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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