John ran the car into the grass of the roadside; the reservoir stood a little back from the road. He brought the car to a standstill, and grasped the crutches which Joey had ready for him. Together they tore round the angle of the great reservoir, Joey leading. On the ground below it sat the Professor, one hand clasping the back of his head. He held something close in his other hand. Before him stood Noreen and Gabrielle, the latter really apologetic, the former certainly inclined to giggle, though she was making a valiant effort to restrain herself. "I'm frightfully sorry we startled you so," Noreen was explaining. "We didn't mean to; we were just watching for Joey, and then we saw you, and thought it would be fun to take you by surprise. I never thought we should make you fall back. Honour! and as to Gabrielle, it wasn't her plan at all, so you can't blame her." Noreen's clear carrying voice reached Joey without any difficulty, as she slipped and stumbled over the coarse, sandy grass. The Professor was getting dazedly to his feet while she was speaking; he did not appear to be much mollified by her apology. "You haf giv me de bad fall," he said. "You haf made me de headache; I cannot smoke...." He raised his right arm, as though to hurl away in a temper the thick cigar case that he held. It was open; he crushed his thick thumb down on one of the tiny blown-glass bottles that filled it. Joey gave a leap like a young chamois and caught his arm. "The cigar case!" she panted, and Gabrielle caught it as it dropped from the Professor's hand in the surprise and shock. He turned furiously upon Joey. "You!" he shouted, and flung her violently away from him, snatching at the little case in Gabby's hand before she was prepared. "John!" Joey screamed; but John was finding it hard going with crutches over the uneven grass, and he was not yet up with them. The Professor broke through the little crowd of girls and dashed for his bicycle. He was on it--if only it would refuse to start! No such luck--he was turning it in the road--he was off! John dropped one crutch, and stooped down. Next moment his dirk was hurtling through the air, thrown with an accuracy that just got the back wheel tyre. John had bowled for Dartmouth. There was a loud explosion, and bicycle and Professor were mixed up in a heap on the road. "Lucky you loosened the dirk," John said to Joey, and then they all hurried breathlessly to their fallen enemy. The Professor was lying quite still half underneath his bicycle. "Is he killed?" asked Gabrielle, in a quiet awestruck little voice. [Illustration: "I'M FRIGHTFULLY SORRY WE STARTLED YOU SO"] John bent over him, and unbuttoned his waist-coat, putting his hand inside. "He's only stunned. Take the case, Joey."