Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/188

 him and how he had been swept down in the midst of an avalanche of plunging bowlders, sliding earth and uprooted trees, to lie stunned for  he knew not how many hours, but—

“I had a fall,” was all he said, then added quickly, “What is that? Nicholas, Nicholas!” He sat down abruptly on a fallen tree as though sudden relief had weakened his knees; he put his  arms around the great dog’s neck. Nicholas, in turn, overwhelmed him with endearments, licked  his face, nuzzled his hand, nearly pushed him  from the log in his clumsy efforts to show his  joy. There seemed no need to tell Oscar that the two brothers had been found, for he seemed to  guess the whole of the good news from the mere  presence of the big wolfhound. Hugh, as he stood looking at the greetings of the two, had a  sudden understanding, from Oscar’s overwhelming relief and delight, what was the real depth  of the friendship he bore John Edmonds.

When he and Hugh reached the cottage, Oscar went straight to John’s bed and sat down beside  it. The sufferer had lain in heavy stupor for