Jean lay moaning and crying for some minutes. The pain subsided a little, so she sat up and dried her tears. She wanted nothing now but to get back to Ticktock and go home. Cautiously she tried standing. The slightest weight on her foot brought a yell of pain. She got back on her knees and tried crawling up the bank. It was too steep, the soft ground caving in and letting her slide back down to the bottom. If she had had the use of both legs, she might have managed to scramble up to the top, but it was impossible in her crippled state. Discouraged and frightened, she gave up and began to cry.
No one could find her, she was certain. Ticktock couldn’t get down to where she was and she couldn’t climb to him. She was tired, dirty, and her ankle hurt. She looked at the injured member, which was swelling rapidly. It was nearly twice as large as her left ankle. The sight frightened her even more. Perhaps it was broken, and she would just have to stay there and slowly starve.
Ticktock looked down solicitously. He knew something was wrong but didn’t quite know what to do about it. He stepped closer to the bank to see better, but it began to crumble. He moved back out of danger and waited patiently. After Jean had cried herself out, she began to think calmly once more. At least it was comforting to have Ticktock standing by, even though she couldn’t use him.
Jean was a resourceful little girl who didn’t give up too easily. She considered all possible ways out of her predicament and finally had an idea. She would send Ticktock for help.
“Ticktock, go to Jim!” she ordered, sitting up. “Go on home to Jim!”
Ticktock hesitated. He didn’t want to leave Jean, as he knew she was in trouble. Also, he had been taught to stand still while his reins were dangling. He stirred indecisively.
“Go on, go home to Jim,” repeated Jean commandingly.
It was an order; so the mustang decided to obey. He started off. He went a few paces and then looked around mournfully over his shoulder, hoping his instructions would be changed. Jean simply repeated her words. Reluctantly he went back through the woods and headed for home. He began trotting down the road. Repeatedly he stepped on his reins and jerked his head down savagely. Finally one sharp jerk broke them and he went rapidly down the road with his broken reins trailing behind him on the ground.
Mrs. Meadows became alarmed about four-thirty at her daughter’s long absence. Finally she could stand the worry no longer. She went to the big dinner bell in the back yard and rang it vigorously. It was used to summon her husband from the fields, and she knew he would come running at once on hearing the bell ring at this unexpected hour of the day.
Mr. Meadows and Jim left their work and headed for the house immediately. Jim’s mother had just finished explaining when Ticktock appeared over the hill, riderless.