How long they pursued this headlong flight no one knew. All sense of time was lost; it might have been minutes, or it might have been hours. Suddenly Ruth lost her balance. She gave utterance to one piercing shriek, but she never let go her burden, and then she slid down, down, down. The terrified children screamed as they rolled over and over, and then all was silence and darkness.
Ruth was the first to recover.
"Mother?"
"I'm safe. The children?"
"Oh, where are we?" moaned the little ones, creeping on their hands and knees toward the familiar voices. They managed to reach the sheltering embrace of mother, who lay unhurt amid her wrappings just as she had slipped from the stanch arms that saved her life.
Ruth began to feel around; for even the ghastly light of the flames had vanished, and not an object was visible in the thick, deep gloom. Brambles and briers and low bushes upon all sides. With each turn the dry twigs and leaves crackled, and in attempting to move, the girl found her clothing caught upon thorns that projected on all sides. It was with difficulty that she managed to extricate herself, bruised and benumbed as she was, but it was necessary to explore further. The ground felt hard and clayey, and was covered with stones. Turning halfway round, Ruth found a little clear space, and creeping forward, soon came to rising ground. Catching hold of a bush, she pulled herself a little way up the slope, when an idea of their situation suddenly flashed upon her.
"Why, we're in the creek—the dry creek down by the meadow lot," she called out. "Where are you all? I've lost you."
"Here," replied her mother's voice not three yards away. "Is Scott with thee? Harry and Lou are safe."
"No," answered Ruth, aghast, hastening with all possible speed to her mother's side.
"Where is the child?" she cried, immediately calling aloud with all her strength, "Scott! Scott!"