Their preparations were quickly made. John Edmonds, still unconscious, was lifted to the rude litter they had constructed, and was carried out of the cabin. They had covered him well against the wind and rain, but the journey would be a perilous one for him, none the less. Slowly, and with frequent pauses, they got him across the clearing and down the hill to the stream, then along its bank to where the fallen tree still held its place. With the decreasing of the furious rain the flood had dropped a little, so that to-day the whole of the rude bridge was out of water. How they got across, Hugh did not ever quite know. The tree swayed and shook more than it had done before, for the water had undermined the banks and made the frail support even more uncertain. They worked their way across, holding their burden high between them, and breathed a monstrous sigh of relief when at last they were on firm ground again. Nicholas would not trust their way of crossing, but swam over, with much difficulty, and was waiting for them on the other shore.
They were a tired and breathless pair when they had finally carried Edmonds up the steep trail and into Oscar’s cottage. Most eagerly, as they approached the house, did Hugh look for some sign of his friend’s return. But the door and the windows were closed, the chimney smokeless, there was no one there. Only Hulda greeted them with an impatient call and loud stampings on the floor of her shed, to signify her indignation at having been forgotten so long. Hugh did not stop for any vain wonderings.
“Can you get your brother to bed alone,” he asked Dick, “while I go back?”
“For the things we had to leave behind,” Hugh answered, “and for Oscar’s rifle. I dropped it in the woods and Jake had picked it up. I would risk anything to get it back for him.”
“You should not go,” Dick insisted; “the pirates may come back any second now.”
But the door had already closed behind Hugh and he was speeding down the trail with Nicholas at his heels. They crossed the stream, even the dog being willing to use the bridge this time after his last experience with the wild current. Hugh reached the cabin and secured the rifle and the two packs that still lay upon the table.