Within the next few minutes it developed that Eph had been stunned. Beyond this he had suffered no injury except a bruise along the left thigh.
Jacob Farnum proved to be only stunned and badly shaken. But David Pollard displayed a helpless left wrist and complained of severe pain in the left side of his chest.
The chauffeur had a broken left leg, a broken arm, and a mass of bruises on his face, where he had struck the hard earth.
"Great Scott, but this is almost like the carnage of war!" muttered Jack Benson. "Hal, you and Eph help Mr. Farnum with the others. I'm going down the road to the first house, and send for aid."
Arrived at a farm-house that proved to be connected with the telephone service, Jack 'phoned for the two nearest doctors, and for men to come and help the injured. Then he called up the garage from which the auto had been hired; this address being supplied by the chauffeur.
Then, accompanied by the man of the house, young Benson hurried back to the scene of the wreck. The submarine captain found that he had at least been so bruised and shaken up that speed on his feet hurt.
The first to arrive, of those summoned, was the owner of the garage in
Colfax. He came in a large car, burning gasoline fast.
"I'm Graves, from the garage," he introduced himself, shutting off power and leaping out. "Jove, what a smash this is!"
Until two doctors and several men arrived Graves devoted himself to helping make the injured victims as comfortable as possible.
When the doctors and helpers appeared on the scene Graves soon called
Jack Benson aside.