Obedient as children caught in mischief, they all fell back without a thought of doing otherwise. Their minds were intent on every least thing in this emergency, but the suspense was racking to the nerves.
“Get rope, Mees’s Vern’, tie ’roun’ beeg tree. I go down furder an’ get Mees Jule. She on ledge right unner dat tree. She not move, so she mus’ faint,” explained Tally, as he rushed past Mr. Gilroy and ran downward from the place where the others remained.
The moment Tally had vanished in the heavy undergrowth and trees, Mr. Gilroy leaped over to the point where the guide had had his view. Then he called and explained to the anxious group of scouts.
“There’s a projecting ledge under the edge of the top of the cliff, but it is not visible from where we were standing. It is only a few feet beneath the top, and Julie can’t be hurt by the fall. She has fainted through fright, I’m sure.”
His words brought back the color to blanched faces, and hope to stricken hearts. Now he called to them again.
“There goes Tally! He has found a way of reaching the ledge, so it can’t be a hazard to bring her up. I’ll go the way he went and help.” As he spoke he started for the slope down which the Indian had disappeared, but Mrs. Vernon ran over to him with a small vial in her hand.
“Here, Gilly—ammonia! I had it in the small knapsack on my belt,” cried she, breathlessly, dragging at him.
He took it and hurried away. In a very short time Mr. Vernon returned to his friends with a blank look upon his face, but the dire news he had intended to impart to them was driven dean from his mind when he heard of the possible recovery of Julie.
“Oh, Uncle Verny, Julie’s all right now!” Joan assured him.
“Yes, yes, Verny! Gilly says she only fainted. He’s gone to help Tally carry her back here,” explained Hester, eagerly. Betty was still weeping nervously.