“No fuss, now, Patricia,” said Adrien, “we must not alarm Mamma. All steady.”
“Right you are! Steady it is!” said Patricia springing from the car. Quietly but swiftly they got the woman and the child indoors.
“Hugh! Rupert!” said Adrien, speaking in a quiet voice. “Vic needs you out there. That is a wild car of yours, Rupert,” she added with a laugh. “It fairly flies.” Gathering in her hands the men's hats and sticks, she hurried them out of the door.
“Cheerio!” cried Vic. “A lovely war is going on down at the McGinnis plant. Get in and let us plan a campaign. First, to Police Headquarters, I suppose.” As they flew through the streets Vic gave them in a few words a picture of the scenes he had just witnessed.
They found the Chief of Police in his office. At their first word he was on the move.
“I was afraid of this thing when that fool parade started,” he said. “Sergeant, send out the general alarm!”
“How many men have you, Chief?” inquired Hugh.
“About twenty-five, all told. But they are all over the town. How many men are down there?”
“There are five hundred, at least; possibly a thousand, raging like wild bulls of Bashan.”
As he spoke, another car came tearing up and Jack Maitland sprang from the wheel.