"You are sick, Miss Ruth?" exclaimed Jerry.
"Oh, no! Oh, no!" repeated the girl of the Red Mill. "But so—so frightened."
"Nothin' to be frightened over now," he returned, smiling broadly. "But you did miss it close. If that pile of snow hadn't sifted down there yesterday——"
"I know!" burst out Ruth. "It was providential."
"You girls and boys want to be careful climbing around these rocks," said Jerry Sheming, gravely.
At that moment the chorus of shouts from above reached their ears. Ruth turned about and her lips opened. She would have replied, but the backwoods boy leaped across the fire and seized her arm.
"Don't make a sound!" he exclaimed.
"Oh! Jerry——"
"If that constable hears——"
"He isn't with us, I tell you," said Ruth.