'He is not dead, Nancy; dash water in his face.' The girl did so,
and presently The Lifter opened his eyes.
'Oh, I thought I was dreameen. I warned you; if I didn't she would
have crushed your head. I knew she was contemplateen seme harm. Where
is she now?' Roland related all that had happened; and The Lifter
seemed to be more his friend than ever. After Roland and Nancy had
bound up his wounds he crept into the tunnel and went into his bed.
Silent Poll returned with a scowling face when the old woman, whom
she had 'dosed' with brandy, went asleep, and resumed her yarn
balling Roland lay upon the ground and read. When Poll had finished
her thread she descended the cavern, and Roland and Nancy were left
to themselves.
'Suppose we go now and explore the tunnel, Nancy; I am anxious to
see the extent of this retreat of murder and crime.'
'We can descend by a hole close to the tallest of those three pines
yonder,' she said as she seized a small coil of rope and led the way.
Having fastened the rope around the trunk of the pine, she said:
'We descend by this. I go first; and I shall tell you to come when I
am down.
Pages:
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122