“Don’t try, dear. It is all right now,” said Jessie, soothingly, while the happy tears ran down her face.
“Just rest and don’t worry,” said Amy, surreptitiously wiping the tears from her own eyes. “You did give us a terrible scare, Nell.”
A sharp rumble of thunder broke the stillness of the forest, and the girls realized with a shock of surprise that the sun had gone under a cloud and the sky was overcast.
Nell struggled slowly to get to her feet, the girls helping her. She was shivering, either with weakness or the sudden chill that had crept into the air. The wind had risen and was sighing ominously through the trees.
They supported Nell back toward the lodge, but before they reached the shelter of it the sudden storm increased in fury. The wind rose to a tempest, the lightning flashed vividly, streaking in jagged rents across the sky. There came a crash of thunder that made them shiver with the impact of the noise upon their ears.
“Our radio!” cried Jessie, suddenly remembering. “We have no lightning arrester. Oh, girls, let’s hurry!”
They needed no urging. Even Nell, alive to the danger from the lightning, momentarily forgot her narrow escape from death.
They dashed into the lodge, pursued by the menacing roar of the elements. They slammed the door shut behind them and turned to confront Aunt Emma and the shuddering Phrosy.
“Fo’ de lan’s sakes, Ah is glad to see you young ladies back agin. Ah sho did t’ink dose storm debbils done carry yo’ off fo’ fair!” After delivering herself of this comment, poor Phrosy was sent off into the kitchen by the relentless Miss Alling, there to suffer in silence.
Jessie and Amy rushed to the radio set, while Nell sank into a chair, covering her eyes with her hand.