"No, that's where we threw water on her to make her unfaint
herself. Can't we all go home, Carter? Truly we can't get any
wetter, and we'll all catch cold if we don't."

"That's true," agreed Carter, as he deliberated what was best to
do.

Though not a large man, Carter seemed to fill the little room with
his grown-up presence, and the children were glad to shift their
responsibility on to him.

"The thunder is melting away," he said at last, "and the lightning
is nothin' to speak of; and a drop more of wet won't hurt you, so
I think I'd better take ye all to your grandma's as soon as
possible. I'll carry little Miss Stella, and do ye other two climb
down the ladder mighty careful and don't add no broken necks to
your distresses."

So down the ladder, which Moses on the ground was holding firmly,
Carter carried Stella, who, though fully conscious, was nervous
and shaken, and clung tightly around Carter's neck.

Midge and Molly followed, and then the procession struck out
across the field for home.

"I s'pose," whispered Midget to Molly, "it's perfectly awful; but
now that Stella's all right, I can't help thinking this is sort of
fun, to be walking out in the storm, without any umbrella, and
soaking wet from head to foot!"