He left the road, and started toward the spot where he judged that strange sound had welled forth.

The country was exceedingly rough just there, and he fancied that some sort of deep gully, possibly a precipice, might lie off on his right, judging from the aspect of the land.
Not hearing the sound again, Hugh uttered a loud hello.

Then, as he continued to press hastily forward, he once more caught the beseeching cry.

It had an agonizing strain to it, and Hugh could plainly make out the words: "Help! Oh! help! help!" Someone was evidently in trouble, Hugh decided, accelerating his pace as well as the conditions of the rough surface of the ground permitted.

He had taken pains to locate the cry this time, and was, therefore, altering his course just a little.
Again he called, and once more received a reply, more fearful than before: "Hurry! Oh! hurry, before it gives way, and I'm lost!" It sounded more like the voice of a girl than anything else.