“He’s here. Shut up a minute and lie still.”
“I’m all right.” He felt of his wound, and wiped the blood from his fingers onto his jersey. “If I had a handkerchief——”
“Here’s one,” said Dan. “You tie it on, Bob.”
Bob did so, and Nelson was helped to his feet, where he stood an instant swaying unsteadily.
“Say, we’ll have to get out of this,” said Dan. “The hut’ll be on fire in a minute. Gee, but that was a close shave! That tree wasn’t thirty feet away!”
“We got some of it as it was,” said Bob. “I felt as though some one had hit me with a plank. Can you walk, Nel? Here, we’ll give you a hand. We’ll have to get out at the corner there; the doorway’s blocked up. Where’d Tommy get to?”
“He went for some more water,” said Dan. “Come on; it’s getting hot!”
Outside they came on a strange sight. Tom was sitting on a log, with his face in his hands, sobbing as though his heart was breaking. Beside him lay his cap, and a small rivulet of water from the top of the cabin was spattering down onto his bare head. The three stared in bewilderment. Then Bob patted him on the back:
“Come on, Tommy,” he said kindly. “You’re all right; cheer up!”
But Tom only shook his head without looking up.