Kitty tumbled into the car beside him, and Jane got into the back, praying aloud excitedly. Mr. Carter started the motor and they raced out the drive.
“Please do as I say, Dad,” persisted Kitty. “Just this once, Dad. There’s no time to tell you everything, but we’ve learned things this afternoon that may put a stop to all this awful business.”
Mr. Carter made no reply for a moment, grimly intent upon his driving in the rain. Finally he said, “I’ve been a fool, Kitty, to let you go ahead and get into something like this.”
Kitty was too miserable over Brad to pay much attention to her father’s rebuke. “There, he’s under the oak yonder,” she directed, when they turned the corner and raced down the block.
They found Brad had recovered consciousness, and was sitting with his back propped against the tree trunk.
“So silly of me to check out,” he apologized when they approached him. “I figured you’d gone for the car.”
“Think you can get in?” asked Mr. Carter.
“Sure,” Brad tried to make light of his weakness.
But he was a dead weight on Mr. Carter as he helped him to his feet.
“Guess you’ve lost a lot of blood, old boy. Where did they hit you?”