"Do not be scared," he said to Lael, whose impulse was to scramble out. "Keep your seat—my comrade has had a fall—that is nothing—keep your seat. I will get him up, and we will be going on in a minute."
Lael became calm.
The man walked briskly around, and assisted his partner to his feet. There was a hurried consultation between them, of which the passenger heard only the voices. Presently they both came to the door, looking much mortified.
"The accident is more than I thought," the leader said, humbly.
By this time the chill of the first fear was over with Lael, and she asked: "Can we go on?"
"If the Princess can walk—yes."
She turned pale.
"What is it? Why must I walk?"
"Our right-hand pole is broken, and we have nothing to tie it with."
And the other man added: "If we only had a rope!"