“Yeth.  Thome thingth make thome folkth forget thome other thingth,” observed Tommy sagely.  “Have you forgotten your troubleth, Harriet?”

“I think so, Tommy.  I will race you up to the trail.”

“No; I can’t rathe you up a hill, though I can fall down the hill fathter than you can, but I will help you up.”

“I’ll do all the helping,” Janus informed them.  “Shall I carry Miss Holland?”

Hazel declared that she could walk and she did, with some assistance from Miss Elting.  The others were able to take care of themselves, though Harriet’s side pained her frightfully with every step.  She uttered no complaint, pluckily keeping her distress to herself, but the guardian knew by the expression on the girl’s face that she was in pain.

Returning to the party a brief conference was held, at which they decided to proceed and make the “Slide” if possible before dark.  There was no possibility of getting beyond that, but on the following day it would be necessary to make all haste, for the provisions would not hold out for more than another day, and even then they would have to go on short rations for the last two meals.  It was a used-up party that started for the “Slide” that afternoon.  Had they but known it, they were destined to be still more weary before they retired that night.  The excitement of the day was not by any means ended.  Dusk was upon them before they came out on more level ground and headed for the site chosen for their camp.

CHAPTER XVI

“Such A lovely slide”

“I believe I am tired out,” declared Harriet laughingly.  She sat down, then straightened and lay at full length on the ground.

“Thank goodness for a level spot on which to lay one’s weary bones!” sighed Margery, stretching herself beside Harriet.  There was moss over the rocks and it felt soft and restful to their aching bodies.  Hazel was not far behind the other two girls in lying down.  The little company were quite ready to rest.

“Girls, you mustn’t lie there without blankets under you,” warned the guardian.

“We are not going to lie here, Miss Elting,” replied Harriet.  “We are going to get up at once and prepare supper for our hungry selves.  Oh, but my feet are tired!”

“Mine weigh a ton,” declared Margery.

“Yeth, I imagine they do,” said Tommy with a knowing nod.

“You can go on resting if you like, Harriet.  Jane, Tommy and I can get the supper.”

“And Janus,” added the guide.  “You’ve done finely, young ladies.  I’d like to see any young men go through a hard day as well as you have.  Why, they would have been laid out along the trail from here to Sokoki Leap.  We’d have had to send a couple of men with a stretcher to pick some of them up.  Let me tell you something.  You are trotting Janus Grubb a lively race, and he isn’t ashamed to say so.  Any one who says girls haven’t as much pluck and endurance as boys may have an argument with Janus Grubb at any time.”