"Never saw him before to-day, when he tried to run me down. Guess he doesn"t know much about motor-cycles. But come on, dad. He may bleed to death."
Father and son hurried to where the stranger lay. As they bent over him he opened his eyes and asked faintly:
"Where am I? What happened?"
"You"re all right--in good hands," said Mr. Swift. "Are you much hurt?"
"Not much--mostly stunned, I guess. What happened?" he repeated.
"You and your motor-cycle tried to climb a tree," remarked Tom with grim humor.
"Oh, yes, I remember now. I couldn"t seem to steer out of the way.
And I couldn"t shut off the power in time. Is the motor-cycle much damaged?"
"The front wheel is," reported Tom, after an inspection, "and there are some other breaks, but I guess--"
"I wish it was all smashed!" exclaimed the man vigorously. "I never want to see it again!"
"Why, don"t you like it?" asked Tom eagerly.
"No, and I never will," the man spoke faintly but determinedly.
"Never mind now," interposed Mr. Swift. "Don"t excite yourself. My son and I will take you to our house and send for a doctor."
"I"ll bring the motor-cycle, after we"ve carried you in," added Tom.
"Don"t worry about the machine. I never want to see it again!" went on the man, rising to a sitting position. "It nearly killed me twice to-day. I"ll never ride again."
"You"ll feel differently after the doctor fixes you up," said Mr.
Swift with a smile.
"Doctor! I don"t need a doctor," cried the stranger. "I am only bruised and shaken up."
"You have a bad cut on your head," said Tom.
"It isn"t very deep," went on the injured man, placing his fingers on it. "Fortunately I struck the tree a glancing blow. If you will allow me to rest in your house a little while and give me some plaster for the cut I shall be all right again."
"Can you walk, or shall we carry you?" asked Tom"s father.
"Oh, I can walk, if you"ll support me a little." And the stranger proved that he could do this by getting to his feet and taking a few steps. Mr. Swift and his son took hold of his arms and led him to the house. There he was placed on a lounge and given some simple restoratives by Mrs. Baggert, who, when she found the accident was not serious, recovered her composure.
"I must have been unconscious for a few minutes," went on the man.
"You were," explained Tom. "When I got up to you I thought you were dead, until I saw you breathe. Then I shut off the power of your machine and ran in for dad. I"ve got the motor-cycle outside. You can"t ride it for some time, I"m afraid, Mr.--er--" and Tom stopped in some confusion, for he realized that he did not know the man"s name.
"I beg your pardon for not introducing myself before," went on the stranger. "I"m Wakefield Damon, of Waterfield. But don"t worry about me riding that machine again. I never shall."
"Oh, perhaps--" began Mr. Swift.
"No, I never shall," went on Mr. Damon positively. "My doctor told me to get it, as he thought riding around the country would benefit my health. I shall tell him his prescription nearly killed me."
"And me too," added Tom with a laugh.
"How--why--are you the young man I nearly ran down this morning?"
asked Mr. Damon, suddenly sitting up and looking at the youth.
"I am," answered our hero.
"Bless my soul! So you are!" cried Mr. Damon. "I was wondering who it could be. It"s quite a coincidence. But I was in such a cloud of dust I couldn"t make out who it was."
"You had your m.u.f.fler open, and that made considerable dust,"
explained Tom.
"Was that it? Bless my existence! I thought something was wrong, but I couldn"t tell what. I went over all the instructions in the book and those the agent told me, but I couldn"t think of the right one.
I tried all sorts of things to make less dust, but I couldn"t. Then, bless my eyelashes, if the machine didn"t stop just after I nearly ran into you. I tinkered over it for an hour or more before I could get it to going again. Then I ran into the tree. My doctor told me the machine would do my liver good, but, bless my happiness, I"d as soon be without a liver entirely as to do what I"ve done to-day. I am done with motor-cycling!"
A hopeful look came over Tom"s face, but he said nothing, that is, not just then. In a little while Mr. Damon felt so much better that he said he would start for home. "I"m afraid you"ll have to leave your machine here," said Tom.
"You can send for it any time you want to," added Mr. Swift.
"Bless my hatband!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, who appeared to be very fond of blessing his various organs and his articles of wearing apparel. "Bless my hatband! I never want to see it again! If you will be so kind as to keep it for me, I will send a junk man after it. I will never spend anything on having it repaired. I am done with that form of exercise--liver or no liver--doctor or no doctor."
He appeared very determined. Tom quickly made up his mind. Mr. Damon had gone to the bathroom to get rid of some of the mud on his hands and face.
"Father," said Tom earnestly, "may I buy that machine off him?"
"What? Buy a broken motor-cycle?"
"I can easily fix it. It is a fine make, and in good condition. I can repair it. I"ve wanted a motor-cycle for some time, and here"s a chance to get a good one cheap."
"You don"t need to do that," replied Mr. Swift. "You have money enough to buy a new one if you want it. I never knew you cared for them."
"I didn"t, until lately. But I"d rather buy this one and fix it up than get a new one. Besides, I have an idea for a new kind of transmission, and perhaps I can work it out on this machine."
"Oh, well, if you want it for experimental purposes, I suppose it will be as good as any. Go ahead, get it if you wish, but don"t give too much for it."
"I"ll not. I fancy I can get it cheap."
Mr. Damon returned to the living-room, where he had first been carried.
"I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for me," he said.
"I might have lain there for hours. Bless my very existence! I have had a very narrow escape. Hereafter when I see anyone on a motor-cycle I shall turn my head away. The memory will be too painful," and he touched the plaster that covered a cut on his head.
"Mr. Damon," said Tom quickly, "will you sell me that motor-cycle?"
"Bless my finger rings! Sell you that ma.s.s of junk?"
"It isn"t all junk," went on the young inventor. "I can easily fix it; though, of course," he added prudently, "it will cost something.
How much would you want for it?"