Part 32 (1/2)

'Hullo! Is that Christopher Berkeley?' said a voice from above.

Kit staggered, and stood speechless. It was the Doctor's voice; there was no doubt about that. But how came he to be driving towards Crofts instead of away from it? His sudden appearance was so remarkable that the boy's head felt in a whirl.

'I--I thought----' he faltered.

The Doctor gave a quiet laugh, and climbed down from his seat.

'You thought I was green enough for anything, didn't you?' he observed.

'Just stand by the animal, will you, while I get out of my coat?'

Kit obeyed mechanically. Everything had turned so topsy-turvy all at once, that it seemed no more extraordinary for him to be doing meekly what the Doctor told him than it was for the Doctor to be struggling out of his greatcoat just as the rain was beginning to come on again.

'Then--then you didn't go to Bobby Hearne's aunt, after all?' he inquired stupidly.

'Not much!' answered the Doctor, with another short laugh. He had got his coat off by this time, and he held it out to Christopher peremptorily.

'Put this on, and look sharp!' he commanded.

'But----' stammered the boy, hanging back.

'Do you want to keep me here all night?' cried Dr. Hurst, impatiently; and as Kit still hesitated, he wrapped the coat quickly round him and lifted him bodily into the gig. Then he mounted beside him, and turned the animal's head. The next instant, they were bowling along towards home, at the rate of ten miles an hour.

For the first five minutes they did not speak. Then the Doctor jerked out a sharp inquiry.

'Aren't you going to ask after your sister?' he demanded.

Kit started. 'I was afraid you'd rag me for it,' he muttered awkwardly.

The Doctor flicked the horse with his whip. 'Sorry you think me such a brute,' he said shortly. He flicked the horse again, and played it a moment or two, as it tossed its head and jumped about. 'I don't think it's anything serious,' he went on. 'I gave her a soothing draught, and everything depends on the state in which she wakes up. But I think she'll be all right.'

The relief at Kit's heart nearly choked him. 'Did Jill tell you it was my fault?' he asked after a while.

'I gathered as much,' said Dr. Hurst. 'You mustn't excite her any more, you know, or I won't answer for the consequences. What was it all about, eh?'

He was evidently making a gigantic effort to be amiable, and Christopher felt he owed him something in return. Besides, it was a kind of relief to put the blame on himself.

'I said you were a rotter, and she said you weren't,' he jerked out; 'and I said you were only decent to her because she was an interesting case, and she said----'

'All right,' said the Doctor, hastily. He supposed truthfulness was an excellent thing in theory, but it added another terror to boys.

As they neared the village Christopher summoned up courage to ask one more question.

'Did you come out on purpose to bring me back?' he inquired with an effort.

'Yes,' said Dr. Hurst, briefly.

Christopher puzzled over this. 'But--but how did you know I'd gone after you?' he asked curiously.

'Jill told me you'd disappeared, and I guessed,' said Dr. Hurst. If it had not been so dark, Kit might have seen a smile flicker across the serious face of his companion.

'Did Jill think about me, then?' cried the boy, eagerly. 'Perhaps she isn't so wild with me after all!'

'Not so wild with you as you deserve, I dare say,' remarked Dr. Hurst.