There was something in this sudden shock so dreadful and so startling, that it broke through even the drowsiness and heavy stupor of Bob, and penetrated to his slumbering faculties, and in an instant roused them all. With a wild yell he flung his arms round Uncle Moses. Uncle Moses, fell backward, and all the others were flung upon him. They all lay thus heaped upon the side of the coach, a straggling mass of humanity.
Frank was the first to come to himself, and regain his presence of mind.
"All right," said he, in a cheerful voice. "We haven't gone over quite. The horses have stopped. All right."
A groan came from below the pile of humanity.
"Get off, get off!" exclaimed Bob's voice. "You're smothering Uncle Moses." Frank, who was uppermost, disengaged himself, and helped off the others; and finally Bob scrambled away, giving every indication by this time that he was at last perfectly wide awake.
This restored Uncle Moses. He was able to take a long breath.
By this time Frank had torn open the carriage door, and jumped down. The others followed.
He saw the driver holding the horses. The carriage was tilted over.
One of the hind wheels lay underneath, a shattered wreck.
Now all was bustle and confusion.
The driver proceeded to put into execution a plan by which they could go forward, at least far enough to traverse the marshes. The boys all helped, and their efforts drove away the last vestige of drowsiness.