Веснянки

           TheysawFreckles’footcatch,andwiththeAngelheplungedheadlong.

           Aterriblecrybrokefromthemen,whileMcLeancoveredhisface.InstantlyFreckleswasup,withtheAngelinhisarms,strugglingon.TheouterlimbswereonthemwhentheysawFreckleshurltheAngel,facedown,inthemuck,asfarfromhimashecouldsendher.Springingafter,inanattempttocoverherbodywithhisown,hewhirledtoseeiftheywereyetindanger,andwithoutstretchedarmsbracedhimselffortheshock.Thebranchesshutthemfromsight,andtheawfulcrashrockedtheearth.

           McLeanandDuncanranwithaxesandsaws.Theremainderofthegangfollowed,andtheyworkeddesperately.ItseemedalongtimebeforetheycaughtaglimpseoftheAngel’sbluedress,butitrenewedtheirvigor.Duncanfellonhiskneesbesideherandtorethemuckfromunderneathherwithhishands.Inafewsecondshedraggedherout,chokingandstunned,butsurelynotfatallyhurt.

           Freckleslayalittlefartherunderthetree,abiglimbpinninghimdown.Hiseyeswerewideopen.Hewasperfectlyconscious.Duncanbeganminingbeneathhim,butFrecklesstoppedhim.

           “Youcan’tbemovingme,”hesaid.“Youmustcutoffthelimbandliftit.Iknow.”

           Twomenranforthebigsaw.Anumberofthemlaidholdofthelimbandboreup.Inashorttimeitwasremoved,andFreckleslayfree.

           Themenbentovertolifthim,buthemotionedthemaway.

           “Don’tbetouchingmeuntilIrestabit,”hepleaded.

           ThenhetwistedhisheaduntilhesawtheAngel,whowaswipingmuckfromhereyesandfaceontheskirtofherdress.