"Oh, oh!" groaned Margery.
Hazel, laughing almost hysterically in her joy at finding Grace alive, quickly assisted Margery to her feet, wiping the dirt from Buster's flushed face.
"She isn't hurt at all," laughed Margery, fixing a glance of inquiry on Tommy's face.
"Tommy says her feelings are hurt," Miss Elting informed Buster.
"Then I am worse off than she. Because I tore my skirt and hurt my arm, too. Catch me running on another wild goose chase like this one. I don't believe the car hit you at all, Tommy Thompson."
"Yeth it did," protested Tommy. "Of courthe it did. I gueth I know. I felt it."
"Stand up," commanded Miss Elting, placing both hands under the arms of the girl and assisting her to her feet. "There! Now see if you can walk. Of course you can," comforted the teacher. "The car never touched you. You must have leaped out of the way just in time. Come, I will help you into the road, then we will take you home. But where is Harriett? I heard she was out here with you girls."
"I should not be here had not Tommy and Hazel dragged me out," declared Margery. "Violent exercise is not good for one during the hot weather."
"It'th very good for you, Buthter," remarked Tommy wisely. "It ithn't good for a growing girl to be thtout, tho I've heard."
"Don't worry. You will never suffer from being too stout," retorted Margery. "You can't keep still long enough."