From inside, the tightly drawn curtains there came a variety of sounds,
screams, exclamations, and grunts as of someone gasping for breath.

"Be you hurt?" yelled the frantic Mr. Holt.

It was the voice of the younger passenger which first made coherent
reply.

"No," it panted. "No, I--I think I'm not hurt. But Aunt Thankful--Oh,
Auntie, are you--"

Aunt Thankful herself interrupted. Her voice was vigorous enough, but it
sounded as if smothered beneath a heavy weight.

"No, no," she gasped. "I--I'm all right. I'm all right. Or I guess I
shall be when you get--off of me."

"Judas priest!" cried Winnie S., and sprang to the scene. It was the
younger woman, Emily, whom he rescued first. She, being on the upper
side of the tilted wagon, had slid pell-mell along the seat down upon
the body of her companion. Mrs. Barnes was beneath and getting her out
was a harder task. However, it was accomplished at last.

"Mercy on us!" exclaimed the lady, as her companions assisted her to
rise. "Mercy on us! I feel like a pancake. I never knew you weighed so
much, Emily Howes. Well, that's all right and no bones broke. Where
are we now? Why--why, that's a house, I do believe! We're in somebody's
yard."

They were, that was plain even on a night as dark as this. Behind them,