Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/37

Rh "The machine will run well enough when once we get started," said the man, and then he walked to the rear of the building for a wrench.

How it happened nobody could exactly tell, but scarcely had the man left the side of the automobile when there came a small explosion, and a spout of flame shot from the side of the machine. This touched Jessie's dress, and caused her to give a wild and piercing scream of terror.

"Oh! oh! I'm on fire! Help me!"

"Fire! Fire!" yelled the hired man, and rushed off to get a pail of water.

The path from the gateway to the front piazza of the mansion ran in a quarter circle and in view of the automobile house. Thus Dave, coming along this path, saw the accident and saw Jessie in danger of being fatally burned.

For the moment the heart of the lad seemed to stop beating. Then he made a wild dash across the lawn.

"Oh, save me! Save me!" shrieked Jessie. "I am burning up!"

As he came forward Dave stripped himself of his jacket and in another instant he had the garment around the suffering girl. Then he threw her on the grass and rolled her over and over.

"Jessie! My Jessie!" came from a side porch of the mansion, and Mrs. Wadsworth appeared. "Save her!"