第33章

"Hum! This is getting to be mysterious," mused Tom, as he came out of the booth."What shall we do--go back and tell Mrs.Nestor and Mary, or communicate with the police?""Why not try the Alexian Hospital?" asked Mr.Damon."That's away over in Center-fiord, to be sure, but it's more likely to be known to passing tourists than either of our institutions around here, especially if the autoists were strangers.""That's so," agreed Tom.The Alexian Hospital was operated under the direction of the Brothers of that faith, and was well known in that part of the state.Often cases of persons who had been injured by passing automobiles had been taken there for treatment, for, as Mr.Damon had said, it was well known, and Centerford was the nearest large city.

"I can just about see how it happened," said Tom."They ran Mr.Nestor down, and stopped to pick him up after they heard his cries for help.And the Alexian Hospital was the first one they thought of.We should have called that up first."But once more disappointment awaited the young inventor and his friend.Word came back over the wire that no accident case, which bore any resemblance to Mary's father, had been brought in.

"Well, I'm stumped!" exclaimed Tom."What shall we do now, Mr.Damon?""Much as I dislike it," said the eccentric man who was too much worried, now, to do any "blessing," which was his favorite expression, "I think we ought to communicate with Mrs.Nestor.She will be very anxious.""I guess we'll have to," said Tom."But wait! I'll call up my house first, and see if he has gone back there."But Mr.Nestor had not done this, and Mrs.Baggert, who answered the telephone, said Mary had been calling frantically for Tom, as her mother was now on the verge of complete collapse.

"No help for it," said Tom, ruefully."We've got to tell 'em we have no news, and can't find him."And, hearing this, Mrs.Nestor did collapse, and a doctor was called in.Thereupon Tom, who with Mr.Damon had gone back to the Nestor home, took charge of matters, sending for Mrs.Nestor's sister to come andstay with her and take charge of the house.

"You'll need some one to stay with you," he told Mary.

"Yes, I shall," she admitted, trying bravely not to give way to her emotion."Oh, Tom, I wish you could stay, too.I'm sure something dreadful must have happened to poor father.Please stay and help us find him!""I will," Tom promised."As soon as your aunt comes I'll take Mr.Damon home, and then I'll give the rest of my time to you."And this Tom did, sending word home that he would remain at the Nestor's all night and part of the next day.

Tom got but little sleep that night.He communicated with the police and saw to it that a general alarm was sent out.He called up all hospitals within a radius of fifty miles, but could get no trace of any injured man whose description resembled that of Mr.Nestor.

"What can have happened?" asked Mary tearfully.

"Well, the way I figure it out is this," said Tom."Your father left my house soon after Mr.Damon and I did in the Air Scout.Mr.Nestor was riding his bicycle, and he must have been run into by an automobile.That is how his watch was damaged and that was when Mr.Damon and I heard the cries for help.""Oh, do you think he was badly hurt?" asked Mary.

"No, I don't," and Tom answered truthfully."The voice sounded as though he was in pain, certainly, but it was strong and vigorous, and not at all as though he was dangerously hurt.""And what do you think happened to him after he was hurt?" asked Mary.

"The autoists took him away," decided Tom."In fact, we heard the machine go, but of course we never connected the call for help and what followed with your father.The autoists took him away.""Where?"

"I should say to some hospital.Perhaps a private one of which we know nothing, and which may be near here.I'll get a full list from the Board of Health to-morrow.Or it may be that the autoists, seeing the damage they had done, took your father to the home of one of themselves, and summoned a doctor there.""Why would they do that?"

"Well, they may have been so frightened they didn't realize what they were doing, or they may have thought he would get better treatment in a private house, if he were not badly injured, than if he should be taken to a hospital.It may have been that one of the persons in the auto was a physician, and wished to try his own skill on the man he had hurt.""You make me feel more comfortable, Tom," said Mary."But, even supposing all this, why couldn't they telephone to us that my father was all right? He always carries an identification card with him, and if he were unconscious it could be ascertained who he was.""That's what I can't understand," said Tom frankly."It puzzles me.But we'll find him--never fear!"And so he kept on with his telephone inquiries, while a physician and her sister ministered to Mrs.Nestor.The night was very, very long, and nogood news came in.