Penny laughed in amusement. “I’ll be brake man on the bob-sled tomorrow as usual.”
“You’ll be lucky if you’re able to crawl out of bed. Anyway, I doubt if I’ll be able to come myself.”
“Your grandfather?” asked Penny quickly.
“Yes, he’s getting suspicious. I’ll have to be more careful.”
“Why don’t you tell him the truth? It’s really not fair to deceive him. He’s bound to learn the truth sooner or later.”
“I’m afraid to tell him,” Sara said with a little shiver. “When grandfather is angry you can’t reason with him. I’ll have to run now. I’m later than usual.”
Penny watched her friend go and then hobbled into the lodge. News of the accident had preceded her, and Mrs. Downey met her at the door. She was deeply troubled until she ascertained for herself that the girl had not been seriously injured.
“I was afraid something like this would happen,” Mrs. Downey murmured self accusingly. “You know now why I wasn’t very enthusiastic about using the bob-sled run.”
Penny decided not to tell Mrs. Downey until later how the mishap had occurred. She was feeling too miserable to do much talking, and she knew the truth would only add to the woman’s worries.
“I can’t say I’m so thrilled about it myself at the moment,” she declared with a grimace. “I feel as stiff as if I were mounted on a mummy board!”