“Now for the start,” called the guide, taking the front end of the litter, after all was in readiness.  “The one who takes the other end had better not carry her pack, but lay it on the litter.”

“I prefer to have my pack on my back.  I know where it is then,” remarked Harriet.

“Now, hadn’t we better strap Hazel to the litter?” proposed Jane thoughtfully.

“It is not necessary.  There’s no danger,” declared the guide promptly.

“All right, then,” nodded Harriet.  “But, Hazel, if you wish my advice, you’ll take pains to hold fast.”

The leader of the Meadow-Brook Girls lifted the loop over one shoulder, passing it under one arm with the end stick resting slantingly across her back.  Janus took up the other end after Miss Elting had carefully helped Hazel upon the litter, which tilted dangerously.

“Be careful not to drop me,” begged Hazel.  “It’s a shame I’m so helpless that I have to be carried, though Mr. Grubb says it isn’t far to the camping spot.”

“Pick your way carefully, bearers,” urged Miss Elting.

“Wait!  Let me get ahead of you,” begged Tommy, scrambling forward.  “I don’t like the lookth of that thing.”  Miss Elting and Jane followed behind the litter, with which Harriet and Janus made good progress, though Hazel had to do some clever balancing in order to keep the affair right side up.

For nearly half an hour the two bearers bore their burden without halting.  It proved easier work than Harriet had expected, and perhaps that fact gave her too great assurance.  The way was growing steeper and narrower, with sharp fragments of rock on the trail, and below them, alongside, the tops of dwarfed mountain trees.

All at once Harriet stubbed her toe, plunging forward and tilting the litter so that it turned turtle, like a cranky hammock.  With a little scream of alarm Hazel Holland pitched out headfirst and took a graceful, curving dive into the top of a tree just below them.  The others saw her feet disappear in the foliage, heard a muffled cry for assistance, then silence.

CHAPTER XV

LEAVING THE TRAIL IN A HURRY

Janus was pulled from his feet.  He pitched sideways, saving himself by grasping a projection with one hand; then, in his struggles to get up, both feet became entangled in the rope litter, and there he lay kicking and shouting to the girls to go after the unfortunate Hazel.

Jane McCarthy already had got into action.  Without an instant’s hesitation she clambered down the rocks and made her way to the base of the mountain tree.

“She isn’t here,” shouted Crazy Jane.  “What do you suppose has happened to her?”

“Wait!  I’ll be right with you,” answered Harriet.

“She must be in the tree still,” cried Miss Elting.  “I hope she isn’t hurt.”

“If she were not we should hear her.”  Harriet was down the rocks, reaching the bottom not more than a minute behind Jane McCarthy who was just climbing the tree.  It was not possible to see far up into the tree on account of the dense foliage.  Harriet waited at the foot while her companion climbed it rapidly.