“I’m coming down, Ned,” Jerry called, a little later. Clearly it was a problem for more than one head to solve.
“You fellows go back to the cabin, and get some ropes and one of the cot beds,” Jerry directed Bob and Andy. “You’ll find the rope in the corner of the living room. Bring all there is. We’ll have to haul him up. We can’t carry him up this slope.”
Jerry had already sketched out, in his mind, a plan of rescue.
“Lively now!” he called to Bob and Andy, as they set off along the back trail.
Then Jerry joined Ned at the bottom of the gulch. It was no easy task, and once Jerry slipped and almost plunged down the steep slope, but saved himself by clutching at some bushes.
Together, as gently as they could, Ned and Jerry straightened out the form of the professor. He had fallen in a heap, but no limbs appeared to be broken. There was a cut on his head, and this had bled considerably, but the blood had coagulated. That seemed to be the most serious injury, and the one that had made the scientist unconscious.
It appeared that he had not been rendered senseless at once, for it was evident that he had both eaten and drunk after falling down, since his water flask lay empty beside him, and there was an empty basket of food, with crumbs scattered about, showing that he had been able to help himself after receiving his hurts.
“How we going to get him up?” asked Ned.
“Put him on a cot, tie ropes to each end, and hoist him up—that’s the only way I see,” announced Jerry.
“I guess you’re right. He must have had a bad fall.”