He failed to see the jacks lying on the car floor. Veve tried to warn him, but she spoke too late.
The man stepped squarely on one of the jacks and the points cut through his soft-soled slipper.
“Ouch!” he exclaimed. “My goodness!”
The other Brownies, Miss Gordon and many of the passengers, turned to see why the man was making such a fuss.
“Mister, you are standing on one of my jacks,” said Veve.
Although she spoke politely, it seemed to be exactly the wrong thing to say.
“Your jacks?” demanded the man. “You might have crippled me for life!”
“Veve didn’t mean to do it,” said Connie quickly. “The jacks just slipped from her hand.”
She stooped down and gathered up four jacks which she gave to Veve.
“One is missing,” said Veve, gazing directly at the elderly man. “I think you are standing on it.”