At sound of her voice, he stirred and sat up.
Relieved that he was still conscious, Penny stretched out prone at the lip of the crevasse. Rapidly, she lowered the rope.
“Knot it around your waist!” she instructed.
Mr. Eckenrod obeyed and with a supreme effort, got up on his good leg.
“Now up you come!” Penny shouted encouragingly. “If you can help just a little, I think we can make it.”
Mrs. Eckenrod was a solidly built, strong woman. Even so, it was all the two could do to pull the artist up onto the overhanging ledge. Completely spent, he lay there for a while as his rescuers recaptured their breath. Then, the remaining distance was made with less difficulty.
Penny and Mrs. Eckenrod rolled the man onto the sled, covering him with warm blankets. Even then, their troubles were not over. To pull the sled through the drifts to the cabin, took the last of their strength.
“We did it!” Penny cried jubilantly as they made a saddle of their arms to carry the artist into the warm living room.
Mrs. Eckenrod threw a log on the fire and went to brew hot coffee. Penny sponged the blood from the artist’s head but did not attempt to bandage it, knowing a doctor was on the way.
Twenty minutes later, Dr. Wallace arrived from Riverview. After carefully examining the artist’s leg, he placed it in a splint and bandaged it.