“Odd,” thought the boy to himself; “one would think the first instinct of a human being at seeing an accident like this would be to stay and help. But, hold on, maybe they’ve gone for a doctor. A retired physician, Dr. Mays, lives not far from here. In the meantime if I could only get some cold water.”
Suddenly he spied a small brook at the foot of the hill. Ill and dazed as he felt Roy sprinted toward it, and wetting his handkerchief hastened back to Jess. Kneeling by her side he bathed her forehead. He was rewarded in a few moments by beholding her eyelids flutter and open. In a few seconds more she was fully conscious, but weak and shaken. Roy collected the scattered cushions from the wreck, and placing them like a mattress laid the girl upon them.
She thanked him with a wan smile and then lay still once more. Roy wisely did not speak. He judged that perfect quiet was what she wanted at that moment.
While he sat by her side meditating what to do a sudden noise caused him to look upward.
It was a noise like the drone of a giant bumble bee. It came from directly above his head.
“The Golden Butterfly!” shouted Roy, springing to his feet.
Above him, at an elevation of some thousand feet, the yellow wings of the Prescott aeroplane were outlined against the blue, like the form of one of her namesakes.
Roy shouted and waved frantically. Presently he was rewarded by the flutter of a handkerchief from the chassis of the ’plane. At the same instant it was swung about, and revolving in graceful circles began to spiral down to the earth.
“Hooray! It’s Peggy and Jimsy!” cried Roy. “I recollect now Jess told me that Jimsy was to have a lesson to-day.”
Ten minutes later the aeroplane lighted in the field not a hundred yards from the wreck. As it reached the ground Peggy started the engine at reduced speed. The aerial marvel began to scoot across the field toward Roy as obediently as if it had been an automobile under perfect control.