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Page 61
"Oh, Carter!" Marjorie screamed; "do get a ladder, and hurry up!
Ours is broken down, and Stella is struck by lightning, and, oh,
Carter, do help us!"
Carter took in the situation at a glance. He said nothing, for it
was no time for words. He saw the broken ladder could not be
repaired in a minute; and, turning, he ran swiftly back to the
barn for another ladder. A long one was necessary, and with Moses
to help him they hurried the ladder across the field and raised
it.
Another fortunate effect of the firecracker explosion had been to
rouse Stella. Partly owing to the noise of the explosion, and
partly because the effect of the shock was wearing away, Stella
had opened her eyes and, realizing what had happened, promptly
made up for lost time by beginning to cry violently. Also, the
reaction at finding Stella herself again, and the relief caused by
the appearance of Carter, made Molly and Marjorie also break down,
and when Carter came bounding up the ladder he found three girls,
soaking wet as to raiment, and diligently adding to the general
dampness by fast-flowing tears.
"What is it, now?" he inquired, and if his tone sounded impatient,
it was scarcely to be wondered at. For the battle-scarred veranda
and the drenched condition of the room, together with a broken
ladder, surely betokened mischief of some sort.
"Oh, Carter," cried Marjorie, "never mind us, but can't you take
Stella to the house somehow? She was struck by lightning, and
she's been dead for hours! She only just waked up when she heard
the firecrackers! Did you hear them, Carter?"
"Did I hear them! I did that--not being deef. Faith, I thought it
was the last trump! You're a caution, Miss Midget!" But even as
Carter spoke he began to realize that the situation was more
serious than a mere childish scrape. He had picked up little
Stella, who was very limp and white, and who was still sobbing
hysterically.
"Struck by lightning, is it? There, there, little girl, never mind
now, I'll take care of ye."
Holding Stella gently in his arms, Carter looked out of the window
and considered.
"I could take her down the ladder, Miss Midget, but it's raining
so hard she'd be drenched before we could reach the house. Not
that she could be much wetter than she is. Was she out in the
rain?"
"No, that's where we threw water on her to make her unfaint
herself. Can't we all go home, Carter? Truly we can't get any
wetter, and we'll all catch cold if we don't."
"That's true," agreed Carter, as he deliberated what was best to
do.
Though not a large man, Carter seemed to fill the little room with
his grown-up presence, and the children were glad to shift their
responsibility on to him.
"The thunder is melting away," he said at last, "and the lightning
is nothin' to speak of; and a drop more of wet won't hurt you, so
I think I'd better take ye all to your grandma's as soon as
possible. I'll carry little Miss Stella, and do ye other two climb
down the ladder mighty careful and don't add no broken necks to
your distresses."
So down the ladder, which Moses on the ground was holding firmly,
Carter carried Stella, who, though fully conscious, was nervous
and shaken, and clung tightly around Carter's neck.
Midge and Molly followed, and then the procession struck out
across the field for home.
"I s'pose," whispered Midget to Molly, "it's perfectly awful; but
now that Stella's all right, I can't help thinking this is sort of
fun, to be walking out in the storm, without any umbrella, and
soaking wet from head to foot!"
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