abrielle.

"I'm glad Alison didn't come with us," said Dorothy.

"We've landed ourselves in an uncommonly tight fix," remarked Eric.

Would the time never pass? Hour after hour went by. Wet, cold, and
hungry, and chilled to the bone, the unfortunate trio sat and waited.
They were almost in despair when at last they heard a distant shout, and
a few moments afterwards a strong light flashed down the chasm. The band
of rescuers proved to consist of Mr. Helm, Dr. Shaw (the medical
attendant of the Hydropathic), Dr. Longton, Mr. Clarke, and two
gardeners who were well acquainted with the neighbourhood, Percy, of
course, leading the way. They had brought motor lanterns, ropes, and a
number of other appliances, the most important of all in the eyes of the
three shivering young people being a Thermos flask full of hot soup.

The first duty for the doctors was to set the broken ankle; then came
the more critical task of removing the injured girl from the cave. Her
father, who was fortunately the tallest and strongest member of the
party, took her in his arms, and, aided partly by ropes and partly by
the help of Dr. Longton and Mr. Clarke, he succeeded in carrying her up
the slippery chute on to the level above. Even there their troubles were
not over--the many twistings and windings and angles of the tortuous
passage were difficult to negotiate without giving undue pain to poor
Gabrielle, who was already suffering enough. Her rescuers were only able
to proceed very slowly, and with frequent intervals of rest, and by the
time the party reached the surface of the fell it was past eleven
o'clock.

None of them ever forgot that weird midnight walk back to Ringborough.
It was a wild, windy night, with heavy clouds chasing one another across
the sky and obscuring the light of the waning moon. Hirst and Chorley,
the two gardeners, led the way with the lanterns; then came Mr. Helm
and Dr. Shaw, carrying Gabrielle on an improvised stretcher; and the
others followed closely behind, Dr. Longton helping Dorothy. The ground
was rough and stony, and every now and then their guides had to stop to
take their bearings, for there were several "potholes" and other danger
spots to be avoided. The first grey streak of dawn was showing in the
sky when the party, thoroughly exhausted, at last arrived at the
Hydropathic.

"Gabrielle won't be at the Coll. again for ever so long," said Alison to
Dorothy next day. "Dr. Shaw thinks it may be six week