The girl was the first to respond to treatment, but the older man opened
his eyes not long afterward. While both were dazed by the shock, they
seemed to have escaped with no more serious injuries than bruises. The
chauffeur, however, was badly cut about the face and head, and Mr. Curtis
himself superintended the work of Ward and Crancher in tying up and
bandaging. When this was over he turned back to the other man, who was
trying to get on his feet.
"Hadn't you better lie quietly for a bit longer?" he asked quickly.
"You've been rather badly shaken up."
"Is Robert--all right?" asked the other, briefly, as he dropped back to
the ground again.
"Practically. He's cut about the head, but we've bandaged him up, and
I think he'll be all right until we can get him to a doctor."
The man's puzzled gaze wandered to the little group of scouts standing
well to one side and then returned to Mr. Curtis's face. "I don't
understand how you came to be on the spot so promptly," he murmured.
"Who--"
"My name is Curtis," explained the scoutmaster, as the other paused. "I'm
taking a party of scouts from Hillsgrove down to camp on Great Bay. Our
truck wasn't a hundred feet away when you skidded."
The older man raised his eyebrows.
"Scouts!" he repeated. "Boy Scouts?" Again his glance swept the circle,
taking in this time the prone figure of the chauffeur, whose head,
swathed in workmanlike bandages, rested against a thin roll of blanket.
"I understand," he went on briefly. "I am very greatly indebted to you,
Mr. Curtis. May I trouble you?"
He extended his hand, and this time the scoutmaster did not hesitate to
help him up. Together the two assisted the girl to her feet, and Mr.
Curtis reached for a blanket, placing it carefully around her shoulders.
"Thank you," she murmured shyly. She had recovered from her fright, and
seemed none the worse for the accident. "Dad, if we could only get a car
or something to take us home," she said pluckily.
"Our truck isn't exactly comfortable," suggested Mr. Curtis, "but I fancy
it would be the quickest way."
"Decidedly!" agreed the man. "The nearest house is two miles off, and my
own place isn't more than double that. But wouldn't it be inconveniencing
you?"
"Not a bit! We have plenty of time; and anyway, your man ought to have a
doctor's attention as soon as possible. The boys can wait here till the
truck comes back."
Without further delay he motioned Ward and Crancher to help the chauffeur
and led the way to the truck. Full of interest and curiosity, the
others watched them take their places, saw the engine started, and
remained staring after the lumbering vehicle until it had passed out
of sight around the curve. Then began an eager discussion of the whole
affair, until finally some one suggested building a fire and drying out
their wet clothes. The latter process was still going on when the
truck returned, after nearly an hour's absence, and Mr. Curtis leaped
out. As he came up to the group he was smiling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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