Part 21 (2/2)

Bess was at her friend's side almost immediately. ”Oh, Nancy!” she wailed.

Behind her, Henner was saying, ”I didn't mean to do it. Is Nancy bad hurt?” The little boy dashed over to the girls.

By this time, George had also run up and together she and Bess carried Nancy into the house and laid her on a sofa. Mrs. Glick, who was just coming downstairs, rushed to find out what had happened.

”I did it, Mama!” Henner cried. ”Oh, Mama, maybe I've killed Nancy with my slingshot.”

Before his startled mother could calm the small boy, Henner hurried up the stairs, weeping. Mrs. Glick immediately turned her attention to Nancy.

”This is dreadful,” the woman said.

She inquired where Nancy had been hit with the stone, and upon learning it was in the back of the neck, said at once, ”We must quick get the doctor!” She made the call, then returned to Nancy. She took hold of one of the girl's hands and began to murmur a prayer. Bess, meanwhile, had wrung out a cloth in cold water, which she now placed on Nancy's forehead. George began chafing her friend's wrists.

Nancy slowly regained consciousness but was still groggy when the doctor arrived twenty minutes later. He said that, fortunately, Nancy had received only a glancing blow, judging by the scratches on the back of her neck. The doctor a.s.sured her friends that she would be all right, but should be quiet the rest of the day.

When Nancy's mind cleared, she smiled wanly and asked what had happened to her. George related the details of the accident.

Henner, meanwhile, had quietly come downstairs. ”Poor Henner!” Nancy remarked. ”Please don't punish him, Mrs. Click. He meant no harm.”

Mrs. Glick said she felt sure her son had learned his lesson but that she would take away the boy's slingshot. A few minutes later the doctor said he was sure Nancy would suffer no ill effects from the accident and that he must be going.

”I want you to rest today, Miss Drew. Don't even walk around-stay on this sofa until bedtime,” he ordered.

He left at once, giving Nancy no opportunity to object. When she sadly mentioned having to postpone her sleuthing, Bess spoke up.

”Finding Roger Hoelt isn't worth risking your health,” she said sternly. ”Nancy, if you try to get off that sofa, I'm going to tie you down.”

Nancy smiled. At the moment she entertained no such thought. Going to sleep was the only thing that appealed to her. For the rest of the day, Nancy napped a good bit and ate lightly. She went to bed right after dusk. To her own and everyone else's relief, she felt fine the next morning and ready to resume the search for Manda and her thieving employers, the Hoelts.

As soon as breakfast was over, Mrs. Glick playfully shooed the girls out of the house. They headed for the convertible. To their surprise, the car was not in its usual place by the barn.

”Did one of you move it yesterday?” Nancy asked.

The cousins shook their heads. ”Maybe Mr. Glick put the car in the barn,” George suggested. But he had not.

Then the girls went to the little stone building near the barn, where Mr. Glick had his cobbler's shop. They asked the kindly man where the convertible was.

”I, too, have wondered,” he replied, ”but I thought one of you girls had moved it.”

Nancy, Bess, and George frantically searched everywhere, but the convertible was nowhere on the Glick farm.

”It's been stolen!” Bess cried out.

CHAPTER XVII.

Wheel Off!

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