“Where?” and now Harry came up quickly.
“He’s down below.”
Harry bent over the dark opening.
“Joe, are you badly hurt?” he questioned.
“I—I guess not. But my—my wind is g-g-gone!”
“We’ll soon have you up.”
“We can’t do it without a rope,” said old Runnell. “Better go back to the lodge for one.”
Harry caught Fred just coming away with the lighted lantern. The rope was quickly procured, and both sped back to the gully. Then Harry was lowered, taking the light with him.
He found Joe sitting on a ledge of rocks, his feet in the snow. One hand was scratched and bleeding, and there was blood on one of his cheeks.
“It was a nasty fall, I can tell you that,” said Joe, when he felt able to talk. “When I came down I thought it was all up with me.”