Chapter I. The Catastrophe

too,forit'smyopinionshehasbrokenherback.Shecan'tstironebit,”announcedMollyLoo,withadrollairoftriumph,asifratherpleasedthanotherwisetohaveherpatienthurttheworseforJack'swoundwasveryeffective,andMollyhadatasteforthetragic. ThischeerfulstatementwasgreetedwithawailfromSusanandhowlsfromBoo,whohadearnedthatnamefromtheeasewithwhich,onalloccasions,hecouldburstintoadismalroarwithoutsheddingatear,andstopassuddenlyashebegan. “Oh,Iamsosorry!ItwasmyfaultIshouldn'thaveletherdoit,”saidJack,distressfully. “ItwasallmyfaultImadehim.IfI'dbrokeneveryboneI'vegot,itwouldservemeright.Don'thelpme,anybodyI'mawickedthing,andIdeservetoliehereandfreezeandstarveanddie!”criedJill,pilinguppunishmentsinherremorsefulanguishofmindandbody. “Butwewanttohelpyou,andwecansettleaboutblamebyandby,”whisperedMerrywithakissforsheadoreddashingJill,andneverwouldownthatshedidwrong. “Herecomethewood-sledsjustintime.I'llcutawayandtelloneofthemtohurryup.”And,freeinghimselffromhissisters,Guswentoffatagreatpace,provingthatthelonglegscarriedasensibleheadaswellasakindheart. Asthefirstsledapproached,anairofreliefpervadedtheagitatedparty,foritwasdrivenbyMr.Grant,abig,benevolent-lookingfarmer,whosurveyedthescenewiththesympatheticinterestofamanandafather. “Hadalittleaccident,haveyou?Well,that'saprettylikelyplaceforaspill.Trieditoncemyselfandbrokethebridgeofmynose,”hesaid,tappingthatmassivefeaturewithalaughwhichshowedthatfiftyyearsoffarminghadnottakenalltheboyoutofhim.“Nowthen,let'sseeaboutthislittlechore,andlively,too,forit'slate,andthesepartiesoughttobehoused,”headded,throwingdownhiswhip,pushingbackhiscap,andnoddingatthewoundedwithareassuringsmile. “Jillfirst,please,sir,”saidEd,thegentlesquireofdames,spreadinghisovercoatonthesledaseagerlyaseverRaleighlaiddownhisvelvetcloakforaqueentowalkupon. “Allright.Justlayeasy,mydear,andIwon'thurtyouamiteifIcanhelpit.” CarefulasMr.Grantwas,JillcouldhavescreamedwithpainasheliftedherbutshesetherlipsandboreitwiththecourageofalittleIndianforalltheladswerelookingon,andJillwasproudtoshowthatagirlcouldbearasmuchasaboy.Shehidherfaceinthecoatassoonasshewassettled,tohidethetearsthatwouldcome,andbythetimeJackwasplacedbesideher,shehadquitealittlecisternofsaltwaterstoredupinEd'scoat-pocket. Thenthemournfulprocessionsetforth,Mr.Grantdrivingtheoxen,thegirlsclusteringabouttheinterestinginvalidsonthesled,whiletheboyscamebehindlikeaguardofhonor,leavingthehilldesertedbyallbutJoe,whohadreturnedtohoveraboutthefatalfence,andpoor“Thunderbolt,”splitasunder,lyingonthebanktomarkthespotwherethegreatcatastropheoccurred.