He stooped over her. "Put your arm round my neck! That'll be a help. Mrs.
Denys, can you steady her foot while I get up?"
Avery bent to do so. He moved with infinite care; but even so the strain upon the foot was inevitable. Jeanie gave a sharp cry, and sank helpless in his arms.
He began to speak encouragingly but broke off in the middle, feeling the child's head lie limp upon his shoulder.
"Afraid it's serious," he said to Avery. "We will get her down to the lodge and send for a doctor."
"By Jove! She's fainted!" remarked Julian. "It's a jolly bad sprain."
"It's not a sprain at all," said Olive loftily.
And much as she would have liked to disagree, Avery knew that she was right.
CHAPTER VII
A FRIEND IN NEED
Mrs. Marshall at the lodge was a hard-featured old woman whose god was cleanliness. Perhaps it was hardly to be expected of her that she should throw open her door to the whole party. Piers, with his limp burden, and Avery she had to admit, but after the latter's entrance she sternly blocked the way.