Hardly noticing Regina, who regarded them curiously, the young sky sailors hastened toward the spot in which, from on high, they had seen the injured boy lying.  A warm wave of gratitude swept over Peggy as she looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw who the newcomers were.  In an emergency like the present one she could not wish for two better helpers than the Bancrofts.

Jess and Jimsy had been off on a visit and so had not been made aware of the fact that Fanning had returned to Sandy Beach.  Their astonishment on seeing him may be imagined.  Jess regarded him with a tinge of disdain, but the frank and open Jimsy grasped the outstretched hand which the son of the Sandy Beach banker extended to him.  Evidently Fanning’s policy was one of conciliation and he meant to press it to the uttermost.

“Well, this is a nice fix, isn’t it?” murmured Roy, smiling pluckily, as the Bancrofts came toward him with pitying looks, “but where in the world did you come from?”

“From yonder sky,” grinned Jimsy, trying, not very successfully, to assume an inanely cheerful tone, “not badly hurt, old man, are you?”

“No.  Just this wallop over my eye and a twisted ankle.  Thought it was broken at first, but I guess it isn’t.”

“How did it all happen?”

Peggy explained.  Jimsy whistled.

“What make of machine is your car, Fanning?” he asked.

“A Dashaway,” was the rejoinder.

“The same type as ours,” exclaimed young Bancroft.  “They are the best and stanchest cars on the market.  I can’t understand how such an accident could have happened, unless——­,” he paused and then went on resolutely, “unless the car had been tampered with.”

“What an idea!” shrilled Regina, who had now joined the group, “you don’t surely mean to insinuate?  Why the damage done to my poor machine will cost a lot to repair, and——.”

“Don’t mind if I have a look at it, do you?” asked Jimsy in his most careless manner, “I’m interested, you know.  A motor bug is what dad calls me.”

“Well I——­,” began Fanning.

But Regina interrupted him with strange eagerness.

“Oh, by no means.  Look at it all you wish.  I only hope you can find some explanation for this regrettable accident.”

“I hope so, too,” said Jimsy gravely, “but in the meantime let’s make Roy comfortable in the Blue Bird.  Then, if we can fix your car up, Miss——.”

“Oh, I beg your pardon,” struck in Peggy, “Jimsy, this is Miss Mortlake, Fanning you know.  Miss Mortlake these are our particular chums, Jess and Jimsy Bancroft.”

“Indeed.  I have heard a great deal about you,” vouchsafed Regina, as Jimsy and Fanning lifted Roy and carried him to the Blue Bird and made him comfortable on the cushions.

“I’ll attend to the other car,” volunteered Fanning, readily.  But Jimsy was not to be put off in this way.

“I’d like to have a look at it before we try to put the wheel back,” he said; “it may be a useful bit of experience.”