Part 44 (1/2)

In the meantime d.i.c.k, hearing Crabtree groaning, came down in the sitting room to look at the sufferer. The man was still flat on his back.

”Oh, my leg!” he groaned. ”Oh my leg! Can't you get a doctor?”

”Perhaps,--later on,” answered d.i.c.k.

”Oh, Rover, I never thought I would come to this!” whined the criminal. ”Oh, the pain!”

”We'll do what we can for you, Crabtree. You had better lie still for the present.”

d.i.c.k listened in the hallway. As n.o.body seemed to be at the garret stairway, he ran outside, to learn how Tom was faring.

”Tom! Tom! What happened to you?” he cried, in horror, when he beheld his brother on the ground. Then he saw the footstool and a cut on Tom's head and understood what had occurred. The dangling rope told the rest of the story.

”They have gotten away!” he groaned. ”And after all our efforts to hold them prisoners until help came! Too bad!”

He wanted to go after the brokers, but just now his concern was entirely for his brother.

He turned Tom over and then ran for some water. When he returned Tom was just opening his eyes.

”d.i.c.k! Some--something hi--hit me!” gasped the hurt one.

”They threw that wooden footstool at you, Tom. I'm afraid you're badly hurt.”

”Am I? I--I feel mighty queer,” returned Tom, and then he closed his eyes again.

d.i.c.k was now more alarmed than ever. He carried his brother to the dining room, and laid him on some chairs, with a doubled-up blanket from a bed for a pillow. He washed Tom's head and bound it up as best he could. Once or twice the injured youth opened his eyes for an instant, but he did not make a sound.

”It was a fearful blow,--it must have been!” thought d.i.c.k. ”I hope they didn't crack his skull!”

Josiah Crabtree was still groaning in the next room, but d.i.c.k paid little attention to the man. Nor did he think of the rascals who had escaped. All his thoughts were centered on Tom.

”If I only knew where to get a doctor,” he mused. Then he ran out of the house by the front door and looked up and down the road.

A carriage was approaching, containing three men. As it drew closer d.i.c.k saw that one of the men wore a s.h.i.+ning badge on his coat and carried a policeman's club.

”Want me here?” he cried, on catching sight of the youth.

”Are you a policeman?”

”I am.”

”Then come right in.”

The policeman and the other two men followed d.i.c.k into the house. The youth took them first to where Josiah Crabtree lay.

”There is a man who escaped from the jail at Plankville. He tried to get out of a garret window and had a fall. I guess his leg is broken.”

”If that's the case, he won't need much watching from me,” replied the policeman, grimly.