Hope was scaling the rocks like a wild creature. The two hired men were almost jumping from cliff to cliff making straight for the clump of hemlock trees at the very edge of the stream, that, in its quiet way, defied the great hill above it. "Here she is!" called Hope. "Here in the--bed of hemlock!" To Bess and Belle, not acquainted with the peculiarities of the flat-branched evergreen, finding Cora in "a bed of hemlock" was rather a startling discovery, but to Hope--what nest could have been safer! Cora had fallen over the cliff into the soft branches of a tree that jutted out from the shelving earth. "Are you hurt?" asked the girl from the farm, looking up into the branch of the big green tree. "I don't know--I don't think so, but I feel queer. I must get down," Cora managed to say. By this time the others had reached the spot. Bess and Belle were almost hysterical lest Cora should lose her hold and again fall to a more dangerous landing. But the hired men stationed themselves under the tree, and, with their strong arms netted beneath the giant evergreen, they waited for Mr. Stevens to give an order. "All ready?" asked Mr. Stevens. "Yes, sir," replied the men. "Young lady, can you get free of the branches?" he called to Cora. "I am directly over a great hole," she answered timidly, "and I am afraid I cannot hold on another minute." "Then drop," said the farmer. "We will catch you. Don't be afraid. You can't escape the arms of Sam and Frank!" "Oh, if she should go to the bottom," wailed Belle, covering her face with her trembling hands and uttering sighs and sobs. Bess was more courageous, but equally frightened. Sam and Frank stood like human statues. Clasped hand to wrist, their sunburned arms looked strong and secure. Presently there was a fluttering in the leaves--a slide through the branches and Cora dropped--down on the human net of arms, safe, and seemingly sound, but too weak to recover herself at once from the strange position. Gently as could a woman, these farm hands lowered their burden to the soft bed of moss at their feet. Belle and Bess leaned over the quiet form, while Hope hurried to the stream below for some water, which she quickly brought in the strong cup improvised from her stiffened sunbonnet. "This is spring water," she said. "Swallow a few mouthsfull." Cora opened her lips and sipped from the strange cup. Then she turned and tried to rise, growing stronger each instant, and determined to "pull herself together." "Wasn't it silly?" she asked, finally. "Wasn't it awful! Are you much hurt?" inquired Belle, fanning Cora with her motor hood. "Not a bit--that I can tell," she answered. "That natural--hammock--was a miracle." She attempted to rise, but fell back rather suddenly. "I've got a twist somewhere," she said. "I think my shoulder is sprained." Without waiting to be asked to do so Frank, the younger of the farm hands, put his arm about Cora's waist, and brought her to her feet.