"Girls, make more haste!" ordered she.
"What's the matter, Poll?" called Anne, who was in the rear.
"I want to get you-all to the timber line just as fast as we can
travel. Don't waste breath talking--just _ride!"_ cried Polly,
fearfully.
"I told you to come home. I knew something terrible would happen up
here!" wailed Barbara, trying to push her horse, by leaning far over
his neck.
"Yes, you always were a Calamity Jane. If we'd left you down with the
rattle-snake we wouldn't have been so hoo-dooed!" cried Eleanor, in her
nervousness.
"Noddy, dear, won't you go faster? We must set a better pace for the
others, you see, pet!" said Polly to her little burro.
Apparently Noddy understood the need of a brisker step, for she started
so that she soon out-distanced the others and Polly had to wait for
them. As she waited impatiently, she watched the clouds sweeping down
and along over the ice-fields. Then she remembered the rope hung on
Choko's collar. She jumped off, grabbed it, and soon had Choko securely
fastened to the end of the rope. Another loop was fastened to Noddy's
collar. As the others rode up she tied a loop to each mount so that a
chain was made of the five animals.
"Is it a blizzard or a tornado, Poll?" gasped Anne.
"Don't know! Just race on as fast as you can!"
Then as they hurried across the icy slope, the sun seemed suddenly
quenched and the daylight turned to sodden drab.
Pages:
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167