ur girls
lay. Then at Jane's suggestion the smaller branches of the tree were
carefully cut away about them to give room for the work of assisting the
four girls from their perilous position. By this time Jane and Harriet
were exchanging humorous little remarks, keeping up a running fire of
comment and trying to make light of their dangerous predicament. Cora and
Tommy were trembling so that when they did speak, their words were
scarcely intelligible to the girl who was coming to their rescue.
Patricia, however, was silent.

"That's enough, Jasper," commanded Jane at last. "Now hold the lantern."

All at once there was an ominous creaking and snapping directly above
where they lay.

"I'm being crushed!" screamed Cora.

Harriet had heard the sound. She knew the meaning of it, too. Some part of
the tree was settling over the cots as the result of Jasper's efforts to
reach the imprisoned girls. Harriet Burrell's mind worked rapidly. She
turned as quickly as she was able until she lay at right angles to the
cots and wholly beneath them with her head inward, her feet toward the
spot where Jasper and Jane were working feverishly to reach the girls.

"I don't know that I can do it, but I can try," muttered Harriet. She was
barely able to breathe. "Hurry!" she called. "We can't stand it much
longer." The girl braced herself, arched her back and stiffened her
muscles. To her joy, she found herself able to raise the cots a trifle.
The weight that had last crushed them down, was not so great but that she
could raise it, though when she desisted from her efforts the weight
above, held her down firmly across the bodies of two of her companions.

"Here we are darlin's," came the welcome voice of Crazy Jane close at
hand. "Hurry, now. This old house may tumble in again."

"Tell me when you are ready. Help Patricia out first. I'll lift the cots
while you pull her out. All ready?"

"Yes."

Harriet threw all her strength into the task of raising the cots,
underneath which she had burrowed. Patricia was quickly dragged out. The
cots sagged under the weight that bore them down and Harriet Burrell
sagged under the weight of both.

"Cora! Be quick!" she gasped.

"I--I can't move."

Harriet put forth a greater effort of strength. Cora Kidder was dragged
out from under the cots gasping. Then came Tommy more dead than alive,
uttering frightened little moans. Harriet suddenly collapsed under the
weight she had been holding up, her