Page:Fairview Boys and their Rivals.djvu/15

Rh "Oh, say, you've done a big thing," panted Sammy, running up to the spot.

"I'm glad it didn't go over the bluff," said Frank.

He might well say this. As he glanced down the slant, Frank almost became frightened. Three little huts, where some fishermen and their families lived, were right in the course the auto might take. Just now some small children were playing near one of the huts.

"Say, if it hit those houses—say, if it smashed over those children" began Sammy, in a gasp.

"Where is Bob?" asked Frank.

"He's helping the fellow who tumbled out of the auto," explained Sammy.

Frank turned around, to see Bob back at the spot where the boy in the auto had taken his tumble into the mud puddle.

Bob had helped the boy out of the water and mire. Just now he was rubbing the mud from his coat with some dry grass. The victim of the accident was mopping his face with a handkerchief.

"Here comes the man who owns the automobile, I guess," said Sammy.

Frank saw a man rush down the road from the direction of the vacant house. He was in a great hurry, and excited. He shouted some words at Bob and his companion, and, passing Frank and Sammy, gasping for breath, ran to the automobile.

As he looked it over and saw that he could get it back into the roadway without risk or damage, he walked up to the boys.

"One of you stopped that machine," he said, glancing from Frank to Sammy.