Gradually she began to remember. First of all, that reverberating6 crash, as though a cannon7 had been fired off within a few feet of her. And before that? Now it was all coming back to her. She had gone to look for Blanche. Then she had seen the opening in the rocks. She had stepped into it, and found Blanche hiding there. She had tried to make Blanche come away. Then something terrible had happened. But where was Blanche now? How her head ached!
Still too greatly bewildered to reason out what had befallen her, Ruth passed her uninjured hand across her forehead. It encountered a good-sized lump near her right temple. The mere8 touching9 of it made her wince10. Next she felt gingerly of her left wrist. Pluckily11 continuing to examine it, despite the pain it gave her, she decided12 that it was sprained13 but not broken. She thought that she must have landed heavily upon it when she fell forward. This much clear, her mind again reverted14 to Blanche. They had been facing each other when that dreadful thundering roar had begun. Now it seemed she was alone in the darkness unless—
In the grip of a new fear, Ruth dropped to her knees. Feeling her way with her sound hand she crawled slowly about in a little circle, widening it as she went. She knew now that she was still in the cave; that she was not blind. It was the light of outdoors, not her own eyesight which had been mysteriously blotted15 out in a moment’s time. The entrance to the cave was undoubtedly16 blocked by some huge object, hence the impenetrable blackness.
A low sigh of horror welled to her lips as her investigating fingers clutched a fold of wiry cloth. An instant and they had traveled upward to an arm and on up to a face. She had found Blanche. With a little sob17, Ruth drew herself close to the motionless form and laid an ear against Blanche’s heart. It was still beating. Groping for one of her companion’s limp hands, she chafed18 it gently, calling out over and over again, “Blanche! Blanche! It’s Ruth! Oh, you must come to yourself soon!”
Hampered19 by her injured left hand, Ruth worked desperately20 over the unconscious girl with her right, now rubbing first one wrist then the other, now shaking her by the shoulders. A dash of cold water in her face, or a whiff of pungent21 smelling salts would have easily restored Blanche to consciousness. Ruth, however, had no remedy save that one willing hand, coupled with desperate determination.
After what seemed hours, in reality minutes, a long, shuddering22 sigh issued from Blanche’s lips. Ruth’s own heart almost skipped a beat when a faint voice mumbled23, “Wh-at—oh-h—” and trailed off into silence. Creeping to Blanche’s head, Ruth raised it with difficulty, bracing24 it against her right shoulder. “It’s Ruth, Blanche. Don’t you know me?” she entreated25.
“Y-es, Ruth.” Blanche’s voice was somewhat thick. Consciousness now rapidly returning, she asked faintly: “What’s the matter? I can’t see. It’s—so—dark. It’s night, isn’t it?”
“It’s night in here,” was the grim response. “It must be night outside, too. You—I—well, we are in the cave that we found. Do you remember about it?”
“What cave? No; I don’t remember it. There was something else; something terrible. I can’t think. The back of my head hurts.” Unsteadily, Blanche’s arm went up in a vain effort to locate her head.
“Lie still,” came the gentle command. “Don’t try to move or talk until you feel a little better.” Ruth had decided that, for the present, she would not try to inform Blanche of what had occurred. Time enough for that later on.
Crouching26 there in the darkness, the full gravity of their situation was borne upon her. Her brain now perfectly27 clear, she was of the conviction that some natural disturbance28 of the rocky ledge29 above was responsible for their imprisonment30. For they were prisoners beyond a doubt. For how long? Ruth shuddered31. Only too plainly one woeful fact confronted her. Both she and Blanche had slipped away from their friends without a word. In all probability, no one had seen them go. They alone had discovered the cave, and to their sorrow. She knew that long since, Miss Drexal must have started a hunt for them. Undoubtedly, the terrific rumble32 of falling rocks must have reached their ears. Yet how could they possibly guess that the two missing girls were prisoned behind them?
Ruth’s confidence in the Guardian33 was such that she knew Miss Drexal would insist on having every foot of the island explored in an effort to find them. And there was Blue Wolf, too. Recollection of the intrepid34 old Indian roused her to new hope. Had not the guide said that he knew the island. “You get lost, me find,” rang like a clarion35 in her ears. Perhaps he knew of the existence of the cave. Surely he must know.
Mere meditating36 on that one possible source of rescue consoled her not a little. It went far to alleviate37 the physical misery38 she was patiently enduring. Her head still ached dully, and the throbbing39 pain in her sprained wrist never stopped for an instant. Her whole body ached, too, from sitting so still, while Blanche’s head was a heavy weight against her shoulder. The latter had taken her advice, in that she had neither moved nor spoken since Ruth had last addressed her.
Alarmed by the thought that Blanche might have again relapsed into unconsciousness, Ruth was about to speak softly to her when a faint far-off sound set her aquiver. Was she dreaming or had she really heard it? Again it came, the distant ring of voices hallooing her name. Shifting her burden to the floor of the cave, Ruth stumbled to her feet and, moving quickly toward the blocked entrance, began to shout an answer at the top of her lungs.
“What are you doing?” was the querulous question. “What is it? Stop screaming. You hurt my head.”
Ruth paid no attention. Again and again, she repeated her frantic40 cries, Blanche expostulating with every shout. Though she listened desperately between calls, the welcome halloo she had just heard sounded only twice more, each time more faintly. It told her that her own voice had not been strong enough to penetrate41 the barrier that shut them in, and thus reach the ears of the faithful searchers. Overcome by the bitterness of her disappointment, Ruth dropped limply to the floor and sobbed42 aloud.
Her wild burst of tears did more toward bracing up Blanche than had all her previous ministrations.
“What is it, Ruth? Please tell me everything. I’m all right now.” Pulling herself together, Blanche crawled to where the other girl lay huddled43, guided by the sound of her sobs44. One of her hands strayed until it touched Ruth’s brown braids and rested there. “I know what’s happened to us. We’ve been caught in the cave. It didn’t come to me until you began to cry. Then I understood why you had shouted. Did you hear someone call, or were you just trying to get help?”
“I heard the girls. I know I heard them.” Ruth stopped crying and sat up. “I’m glad you are all right again, Blanche. It makes it easier for me to tell you how things are with us. You remember the way the rocks jutted45 out above this cave? Well, I think they just suddenly gave way. Maybe for years they’ve been gradually getting ready to fall. You’ve read about such things. You know I was walking around near that ledge when I found the arrow-head. That might have started the whole thing, though I don’t see how it could. Maybe Jane and Frances helped it along. You see, they started for the ledge before you and I left the crowd. I don’t believe anyone but myself saw you go. I’m afraid nobody saw me follow you. I didn’t say anything when I went.” Not intending this as a reproach, she continued hurriedly. “Those shouts we heard prove that they are hunting us. I can’t believe that we’ll have to stay here long. Surely Blue Wolf will find us. I’m putting my faith in him.”
“I—I—hope—so,” came the quavering response. For the first time in her selfish life, Blanche felt the clutch of remorse46. She alone was responsible for the misfortune that had befallen them. Always ready to blame others rather than herself, she had been convicted at last by her own conscience. “How—how—you—must hate me, Ruth,—for—bringing—this—on—you.” Her voice died to a sobbing47 whisper.
“I don’t hate you at all,” was the prompt assurance. “I’d rather you wouldn’t talk about—well—some things. Let’s both put our minds to work to try to think what we’d best do. I was wondering when I first saw this cave, if it went on underground and opened at some other place in the woods. Looking in at it, I thought it went back quite a way. It might be the beginning of a secret passage that the Indians used long ago to get away from their enemies. For all we know, it might go clear across the island and come out on the opposite shore of the lake.
“There’s plenty of air here. If the opening we came in at was the only one, blocking it would shut off the air. I’ve felt a little draft ever since I first sat up after the crash. What we must do is to find where it comes from. Let’s stand up back to back and each walk ahead in opposite directions until we touch the walls. We both know from what little we saw of it that the cave’s not large. Then we’ll feel up and down the walls, walking along till we meet. In that way we’ll manage to get around the whole cave, and if there is an opening, we can’t miss it.”
Blanche meekly48 agreeing, the two at once proceeded to follow out Ruth’s plan. To go over every inch of the jagged walls as high as they could reach was a tiresome49 labor50, particularly to Ruth, who was obliged to work single-handed. On entering the cave, she had judged it to be about ten by eight feet, though she had not been able to see back into the shadows. Now it seemed three times that size. Every few seconds she would call out hopefully. “Have you found it?” only to be answered by a discouraged “No.”
Gradually approaching each other, Ruth’s investigating hand suddenly slid from rock to space. She felt air blowing strongly upon it, and cried out sharply as she extended her well arm to its full length into unmistakable vacancy51. Sweeping52 it from right to left, she touched rock on the right side. Another powerful swing and she had touched it on the left. Next she took a bold step forward, prudently53 ducking her head. Very slowly she raised her arm. A trifle above her head it collided with something solid—a hard, rather smooth surface that had the moist, cool feel of earth.
Hearing that cry, Blanche had stumbled toward it, calling as she came. She bumped smartly into Ruth, who had stepped back again. “What—have you found it?”
“Yes.” Ruth’s tones vibrated with eagerness. “It’s large enough to step into standing54 up. Now the question is, ‘Dare we follow it in the dark?’ I don’t think we need be afraid of snakes. The only things that I see to be afraid of are, if it went down suddenly into a deep hole, or if it should get so narrow we’d be stuck, or so low we’d strike our heads.”
For a long moment Blanche made no reply. She dreaded55 the thought of attempting this fearsome walk in the dark. She lacked the intrepid spirit that urged Ruth on to seek release from their prison. She opened her lips to protest, then in a flash she realized that at last she had been given a chance to prove herself worthy56 to be a Camp Fire Girl.
“I’m not afraid,” she answered bravely. “I’m willing to try it.”
“Good! Then here we go. Get behind me, and take hold of my skirt with your right hand. It’s going to be slow work. One very careful stop and stop, then another and stop and so on. I’ll keep my right hand out and above my head as we go. You feel for the wall on your left side. Then we can tell if it’s getting low or narrow.”
Obediently, Blanche placed herself as Ruth had directed. “I’m ready,” she signalled. “Go ahead.” Then the two forlorn adventurers went cautiously forward on their hazardous57 undertaking58. As Ruth had predicted, it was indeed slow work. It meant constant vigilance of foot and hand, for in the dense59 blackness their eyes were of small use to them. Neither could they form any idea of their progress as to distance or time.
“It must be hours since we started,” Blanche moaned at last. “I’m so tired. Can’t we stop for a minute?”
“I don’t believe it’s even half an hour,” Ruth obligingly halted. She, too, was feeling intense fatigue60. “We are doing well, though. The air seems to be getting fresher. I imagine the passage is about the same height and width all the way.”
While they rested, Ruth forced herself to pretend cheerfulness. Still, she made note of the fact that Blanche was behaving admirably.
“We’d better go on now,” she presently urged. “We are lucky to find the ground under us fairly level,” she continued, as they moved forward again. “If it weren’t—Oh-h-h!”
As Ruth screamed, she shot violently forward. Blanche felt the hand that clutched her companion’s skirt jerking free of its hold. Clinging frantically61 to it, she brought her other hand into lightning play, and pulled Ruth so sharply backward as to lose her own footing and sit down hard on the floor of the passage, dragging her companion with her.
Several seconds passed before either found breath to speak. “You—saved—me—from—falling—into—something! I—don’t—know—what!” gasped62 Ruth. Raising herself from Blanche’s lap, she clumsily got to her feet, careful in spite of the jolt63 to still face the direction in which they had been going. “I was almost over when you jerked me back.”
“I’m—g-g-l-l-ad I—caught—y-o-u!” Blanche’s teeth were clicking with the terror of the narrowly averted64 calamity65. Reaction setting in, she began to cry. “We—can’t—go—on!” she wailed66. “We’ll have to go back. This—is—awful!”
“We will go back, Blanche,” soothed67 Ruth shakily. “Don’t cry. You’ve done something for me that I never can forget. Now get up, dear. As soon as you are on your feet, turn and face the other way. Tell me when you’ve done so, then I’ll turn and take hold of your skirt. You’ll have to lead going back, but it will be all right. We know it’s safe so we can go faster.”
Facing once more the direction in which the cave lay, the dejected adventurers plodded68 sadly back to their starting point. Returned to it at last, they dropped wearily to the floor. In each anguished69 mind brooded the same pertinent70 question, “How would it all end!”
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1
uneven
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| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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4
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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6
reverberating
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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7
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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10
wince
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| n.畏缩，退避，（因痛苦，苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动；v.畏缩，退缩，退避 | |
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pluckily
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| adv.有勇气地，大胆地 | |
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12
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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13
sprained
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| v.&n. 扭伤 | |
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14
reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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15
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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16
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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18
chafed
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| v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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21
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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22
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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23
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bracing
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| adj.令人振奋的 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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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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imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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32
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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clarion
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| n.尖音小号声；尖音小号 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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alleviate
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| v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等) | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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42
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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43
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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44
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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45
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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46
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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47
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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48
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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49
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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50
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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51
vacancy
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| n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺 | |
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52
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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53
prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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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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55
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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56
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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57
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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59
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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62
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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63
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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64
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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65
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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66
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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68
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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69
anguished
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| adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式) | |
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pertinent
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| adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的 | |
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