[CHAPTER II]
A FAMILY CONFERENCE
Jerry had put on the brakes so hard that the rear wheels were locked, and they slid along a foot or more, skidding until the automobile came to a stop on one side of the road. Then the three lads leaped out, and started back toward the scene of the accident.
“She’s on fire!” cried Bob, as he pointed to curling smoke arising from the overturned roadster.
“And the man’s under it!” yelled Ned.
“Keep moving!” shouted Jerry. “We’ve got to do something!”
Fortunately, the car was a light one, and it was tilted at such an angle that the combined strength of the three lads on the higher side served to turn it upright once more. The fire was under the bonnet, the covers of which were jammed and bent.
The boys had expected to find a very seriously injured man beneath the car, but, to their surprise, when they righted the machine, the driver, somewhat dusty and dirty, crawled out and stood up, a few scratches on his hands and face alone showing where he was injured, though it was evident from the manner in which he rubbed one arm that it had been at least bruised.
There came a larger puff of smoke from beneath the car’s bonnet, and a flash of flame showed.
“Carburetor’s on fire!” cried Ned.