Now, as
her companions gazed at that foot exposed by Eleanor, they all laughed
hysterically while Anne shouted:
"Oh, our _custard pie!"_
And sure enough. Lemon meringue clung tenaciously to as much of a
nicely-formed foot and lower limb as it possibly could. In spite of the
fears over wild animals, the adventurers had to laugh at the sight.
"_How_ will I ever get it off?" wailed Barbara, when she realized how
sticky the custard was.
"Rather ask: 'How shall we dispense with our breakfast?'" retorted
Anne.
But another mad howl from without now made the horses cry and quiver
with dread, while the girls blanched in fear. Polly had not told them
that the wood was used up, and now Anne ran to carry an extra armful of
pine to replenish the fires. When she discovered the truth of the
situation, she slowly turned and exchanged a meaning look with Polly.
But Polly now bent suddenly forward and intently eyed something she saw
on the verge of the ledge above. She kept her eyes focused there, and
carefully felt for and caught up her rifle. She silently lifted it,
took aim, and fired!
A gleam of red and a spurt of blue came from the mouth of the gun even
as the sharp report cracked the echoes in the gully. Instantly
following the shot, a wild howling as of fifty beasts fighting, made
Polly shoot again. Snarls and yelps followed, until Polly heard the
clamor grow fainter until all was quiet once more.
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