“Yes, my dears,” said Mrs. Brown. “But run out of the way now until Uncle Tad and Mr. Winkler carry the poor man into our house.”
While this is being done I will take just a moment to tell my new readers something of the two children who are to take part in this story.
Their names, as you have already been told, were Bunny and Sue Brown. Their father’s name was Walter Brown. He owned a boat and fish business in the seacoast town of Bellemere. He owned a pier which extended out into Sandport Bay, and to this pier were brought the fish which his men caught in nets off the coast.
The fish were packed in barrels of ice and shipped to New York and other cities. Mr. Brown also hired rowboats, sailing craft and motor launches to those who wanted them. He had men to help him, and also a chap named Bunker Blue, who was a big, kindly lad, very fond of Bunny and Sue. You first met the children in the book called “Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue,” which tells of the funny adventures they had. After that, in other books, you were told how the children went to Grandpa’s farm, how they camped, and of their visit to Aunt Lu, after which they went to the big woods, then took an auto tour.
Once Bunny and Sue had had a Shetland pony, and later a trick dog. You may guess that they were fond of playing store, and once they helped in a real store. Just before this story opens, as related in the book, “Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue at a Sugar Camp,” the children had gone to the woods toward the end of winter and had seen how maple sugar was made.
Now it was summer again, and Bunny and Sue were ready for more adventures. But they were hardly prepared for seeing a man tossed off the back of a runaway horse, over their hedge, and almost at their feet.
“Oh, Bunny, do you s’pose he’s dead?” whispered Sue to her brother as Uncle Tad, Mr. Winkler, and another man lifted the unconscious man who had said his name was Philip Pott.
“I guess he’s not dead,” Bunny answered. “He couldn’t talk if he was dead.”
“Well, anyhow, maybe he’s hurt,” went on Sue.
“Yes, I guess he is hurt,” agreed Bunny.