"Oh, my foot! I am sure something is broken!"
With these words Molly sank down, helpless. The wagon had rattled off, and again the girls were alone in that deep wood, with night settling down.
"I am strong," declared Tavia. "I can carry you."
"But where can we go? Oh, I did not know I was hurt! I am afraid my leg is broken!" sobbed Molly.
"There must be some house or hut near here," declared Tavia, "and I will carry you along until we reach it. We can not spend the night here, starving."
The strange girl was indeed light in weight. Naturally slight, her sickness had also taken flesh from her, so that when Tavia put her arms about her, and the other threw her arms over Tavia's shoulders, the two trudged along over the rough path, and soon were out on a roadway.
"There is a camp over there," said Tavia, as they came in sight of something white, just showing through the sunset. "We must go to that."
"I can walk," insisted Molly. "It is too much——"
"So can I carry you," argued Tavia, "and if you have any bones broken you must not strain them further."
It did seem a long way to the tent, but the road that led up to it showed travel, and was therefore more easily followed.