Mrs. Hampton stopped at the entrance of the mine and silently motioned to the prostrate boy.
"Why, it's Eben Tobin!" John almost shouted the words, so great was his surprise. "How in the world did he get here?"
"He came in the boat, and saved us just in the nick of time," Mrs.
Hampton explained. "But for him we would not be here now."
"But what is wrong with him?"
"He is so terribly burned that he is unconscious. He leaped right through the fire at the landing, pushed off the boat, and came to our rescue. We were so excited that we did not know he was so badly burned until a short time ago. He never said a word to us about it. But we must get him home at once. How can we do it?"
John dropped upon his knees by Eben's side and examined his burns. He could tell at once how serious they were, and that something must be done immediately. And as he knelt there, the boy moaned and his body trembled. Then his eyes opened, his lips moved, and he muttered words which the anxious watchers could not understand.
"We must get him home before he recovers consciousness," John declared, springing to his feet. "He does not realise his sufferings in his present condition. But should he come to out here it will be fearful, for we can do nothing to relieve his pain."
He turned and looked toward the remains of the boat, and then off into the forest.
"You stay here out of the rain," he told the women. "I want to see what can be done. I must build a raft of some kind to take us across to the landing, as it is impossible to carry Eben around the lake."
"Oh, let me help you," Jess pleaded. "Make some use of me."