There was really no sense of him leaving his snug retreat until dawn came, for he could not make his way in the storm-wrecked timber with any hope of success. Again he poked his way out to take an observation. Perhaps he was wondering if his shot could have killed the bear; but no sign of such met his strained eyesight when the next flash of lightning came. But while he was thus trying to pierce the gloom around him, he heard a sound that thrilled him through and through--the sound of a human voice calling. "Help, oh! help!" it came wailing through the night. CHAPTER XVI HEAPING COALS OF FIRE ON HIS HEAD "What's that?" exclaimed Jerry, startled by the cry. It came again. "Help! Oh! help, somebody!" The boy was now convinced that he had not heard the hoot of an owl, and that some one was certainly in need of succor. He remembered the crash of the trees that had gone down in the tempest. Could it be possible that the unfortunate one had been caught under one of these falling forest monarchs, and pinned to the ground? If so, no wonder that he cried at the top of his voice for assistance. Unable to escape he must starve to death, or become the prey of wild beasts unless help came. Jerry immediately crawled out of his hole. He no longer remembered the fact that a bear had recently been sniffing at the entrance to the hollow tree. All he had in mind was that he might be of assistance to a fellow human being in distress. It was pitch dark in the woods, though now and then a flash of distant lightning came to momentarily relieve the gloom. Jerry started in the direction he believed the sounds came from. Now and then he paused to listen, and in this way managed to keep going straight. "Hello! where are you?" he cried, finally, as a dreadful silence fell upon the forest ahead, a silence that made him very anxious indeed. Immediately a voice called out wildly: "Oh, here I am, under this fallen tree! Please come and help me! I can't hardly move, and I think my arm is broken. Don't leave me to die!" "It's all right. Don't worry, for I'm not going to run away. Speak again so I can get to you. It's awful dark under here." The other took him at his word, and commenced to rattle on, saying all manner of things, simply to direct his rescuer to the spot. "It's Andy Lasher, as sure as I live," said Jerry to himself, as he recognized the other's voice, despite the agony in it. So making his way forward he finally came to the tree under which the other was pinioned by some of the branches. "I can't see you, it's so dark here. Wait!" he said aloud. "Oh! please don't leave me now; I'll go out of my mind, sure!" "I don't mean to; but I must have some light. Now, I happen to have the stub of a candle in my pocket, and the wind has died out, so I think it will burn if I stick it down low. I'll get you out somehow, Andy," said Jerry, cheerily. He struck a match. "Why, is it you, Jerry?"