“How about that old house?”
“We’re nowhere near it,” was the discouraging answer as Ted kept on going.
They were frantically seeking a shelter, for there was no thought in their minds that they could ever make camp with safety. They could see the fires in the camp below, now rapidly being put out by the storm. The rain had increased in violence and it gave every appearance of being a violent summer storm.
The glass on one of the lanterns cracked and broke and the wind promptly snatched out the dancing flame. But their chief help in their flight from the storm was the lightning which flashed with great brilliance. Although it created illusions it served as a guide and kept them from running on dangerous ground.
There was a severe crack of thunder, a dazzling flash of electrical fire hard on its heels, and a big tree near them seemed outlined for an instant in quivering fire. The monarch of the forest split in two, and one portion came down with a rush and a roar that bewildered them.
“That was close!” yelled Drummer, as they came to an abrupt halt.
“We have got to get under some kind of a cover,” cried Ted, peering around him. “If we don’t we may have a tree down on top of us!”
“Let’s try that rock over there,” Buck pointed out, and they dashed in the direction of the somewhat vague rock which loomed off to their left. When they reached it they were grateful to find that it afforded a slight shelter at least from falling trees, though as a covering for rain it was a total failure.
The rock was small at the base and towered above their heads, mushrooming out as it went up, until the top was a flat surface which would hold all five of them without crowding, had they been in any mood to sit on the top of the big rock. But they crouched at the base of the big stone and there prepared to make the best of it, striving to keep the two good lanterns going, for in their present predicament even a little light was welcome.
“This is better than nothing at all!” declared Bob, pushing his back up as close to the rock as it would go.