Jack looked up, staring around wildly, as if for help. But the others had deserted him. And then for the first time he saw the other occupants of the big front room. In the far corner they lay—the two aviators who had accompanied the Hamptons and Captain Murray into the house, and Captain Cornell. All three were bound. Jack half rose to his feet in astonishment. Captain Cornell had been found bound and gagged when they first had gained entrance to the house. But how came these others so? When he and Captain Murray had descended to the cellar in search of the tunnel entrance, they had left his father on the lower floor, and the two aviators upstairs cutting Captain Cornell’s bonds. He passed a hand across his eyes.
Well, that mystery must be left to solution by the men loosing the bonds of the trio. His part was to get aid for his father. He called, and Bob and Frank broke away from the little group on the opposite side of the room and hurried to him. An ordinary emergency might have found Jack the coolest of the three. But in a case such as this, involving his father, positions were reversed. The poor fellow was half frantic. And Bob and Frank, with an exchange of understanding glances, elbowed him aside and went to their knees beside Mr. Hampton.
The latter again opened his eyes, and as his glance fell on them he spoke in a stronger voice.
“The bullet took me in the shoulder, boys,” he said. “Don’t think it smashed the bone, although it was a close shave. Wasn’t that knocked me out, but when I fell I struck the wall with my head. Cut off my coat, so you can see what to do. Then bind my shoulder up with something, and I’ll manage to survive, I reckon.”
His voice gained in strength as he proceeded, and on concluding he struggled to sit up. Jack with a gulp of relief got on his other side and thrust an arm beneath him. Bob, opposite, did likewise; and Mr. Hampton was raised to a sitting position against the wall.
“Stripping for action, Frank?” asked Mr. Hampton with an attempt to smile that ended in a grimace of pain. “No use. It’s all over. They, got away out of the window.”
Frank had torn off his light-weight summer coat and now ruthlessly stripping off his white linen shirt with a great popping of buttons ripped it in half from collar to neckband and began tearing the halves thus created into quarters.
“Making bandages,” he said. “Peel off his coat, fellows. Don’t stand there like ninnies.”
Jack and Bob hastened to comply, easing the wounded shoulder as much as possible, and, having removed the coat, stripped off the shirt sleeve, revealing a hole through the shoulder muscles, from which the blood was slowly pumping.
“Hurry, now, one of you, get some water,” commanded Frank. “Must be water somewhere. Jack, you’ve been through here. Maybe, there’s a bathroom. If not, there must be water in the kitchen. If you can’t find anything to put it in, take this cloth and wet it well.” And thrusting one of the long strips into Jack’s hands he sent him scurrying away with a peremptory gesture.