But I sat tight and said nothing, which was the only thing I could do, of course⁠—except to soothe Charlie who was crying with discomfort and fright⁠—and after awhile⁠—ages it seemed to me⁠—I came upon the rest of my party where they had halted in the road to give their men a breathing spell. I couldn’t see them; I couldn’t even make out the outlines of a ’ricksha, but I could hear Helen sobbing and stammering something about having lost her mother for good and all.