Part 21 (1/2)

There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had sees

Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster

The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling soht over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess How he avoided landing on his head and sustaining a broken neck or shattered skull was one of those s that no one can explain

The chauffeur had plunged out over Farnu beyond the shi+pbuilder The chauffeur now lay writhing and groaning

David Pollard landed first, on one wrist and his chest, a cry of anguish escaping him

Eph Soainst the padded side of the car Hal re Benson turned a half-so in the road just outside

It was young Captain Jack who first got to his feet Dazed for a few ns of injury

”I--I believe I'ratulated himself ”Thank heaven for that, for there are others here who seem in need of the promptest help”

First of all Jack turned to his chuh his face hite from the shock of it all, smiled back, then helped himself out of the wrecked car

Within the next few minutes it developed that Eph had been stunned

Beyond this he had suffered no injury except a bruise along the left thigh

Jacob Farnum proved to be only stunned and badly shaken But David Pollard displayed a helpless left wrist and complained of severe pain in the left side of his chest

The chauffeur had a broken left leg, a broken arm, and a mass of bruises on his face, where he had struck the hard earth

”Great Scott, but this is ale of war!” muttered Jack Benson ”Hal, you and Eph help Mr Farnu down the road to the first house, and send for aid”

Arrived at a farm-house that proved to be connected with the telephone service, Jack 'phoned for the two nearest doctors, and for e fro supplied by the chauffeur

Then, acco Benson hurried back to the scene of the wreck The submarine captain found that he had at least been so bruised and shaken up that speed on his feet hurt

The first to arrive, of those sue in Colfax He caasoline fast

”I' off power and leaping out ”Jove, what a smash this is!”

Until two doctors and severalmake the injured victims as comfortable as possible

When the doctors and helpers appeared on the scene Graves soon called Jack Benson aside

”There's soated,” declared the garage man, in an undertone ”The cars that I keep are all of one make, and there are no stauncher, safer cars made in the world No such accident has ever before happened to one of my cars Come; let's see e can find out”

Graves didn't have to look far He halted at the broken axle, staring at it hard Then he looked over the broken casting froround out, between his teeth, ”all the axles on my cars are branded with the trade-mark of the maker, and the number of the inspector who passes the axles Yet this axle is unbranded! Now, I happen to know that the left forward axle on this car--last night--was branded as usual, for I had the wheel off and looked it over