“That’s fine, Jerry. But you’ll see a doctor anyway and have X-rays. We’re taking no chances.”
“Then at least let me go back to Riverview,” Jerry grumbled. “I don’t want to be stuck in any hick town hospital.”
“If you feel equal to the trip, I guess we can grant you that much. You seem to be all right, but I want to make sure. Can’t take chances on the paper being sued later on, you know.”
“Oh, I get the idea,” said Jerry with a grimace. “Thinking of the old cash register, as usual.”
Penny drew a deep sigh of relief. If Jerry were able to make jokes he couldn’t be seriously injured. She still felt weak from the fright she had received.
“The police will find those men who attacked you,” she told him. “I hope they’re put in prison for life, too!”
“The police?” Jerry repeated. He stared up into Mr. Parker’s face. “Say, Chief, you’re not aiming to spill the story, are you?”
“I was.”
“But see here, if you notify the police, we’ll show our hand to the rival paper. If we keep this dark we could do our own investigating, and maybe land a big scoop.”
“Justice is more important than a scoop, Jerry,” returned Mr. Parker. “If those men had anything to do with Atherwald’s disappearance, and it looks as if they did, then we are duty bound to hand our clues over to the police. By trying to handle it alone, we might let them escape.”