“Of course it was an accident,” said Jack, “but that fellow who was driving was too busy talking to watch the road, and then going off like that—­they deserve all they get.”

Examination of the patch showed that it would hold fast and the bag was refilled.  As soon as it was sufficiently inflated, the Wondership sailed over to the road and was brought down alongside the still unconscious man.

“Looks as if he’s badly hurt,” said Tom with some anxiety.

“It does.  His skull may be fractured,” agreed Jack.  “If he is seriously injured those fellows may get into trouble.”

It required all the boys’ strength to raise the man and get him into the Wondership.  Here they laid him out on the floor of the rear section.  They had just done this when the red light signaled Jack again.  It was Mr. Chadwick.  He had notified the Nestorville police force, consisting of a chief and two men, and they were on the lookout for the offending auto.

“Good,” said Jack.  “Say, dad, the radio telephone has shown its usefulness on the first day out, hasn’t it?”

They were soon in the air once more.  The run to Nestorville was made quickly.  On the outskirts of the town they came to earth and deflated the balloon bag, since the hospital stood in a group of trees and it would have been impossible to make a landing there.  The Wondership was converted into an auto and sent speeding toward the main street of the village.

Suddenly they heard a whir of wheels behind them and an impatient tooting of a horn.  They looked back and uttered a simultaneous cry of astonishment.

The red auto that had run down the yellow-bearded man was behind them.  Its occupants were shouting and sounding their horn impatiently for the right of way.

CHAPTER XII.

Making enemies.

The road was narrow where they were, and unless the boys’ machine was run to one side of the road there was no chance for the red machine to pass.  Jack made it clear that he didn’t intend to let them.

He paid no attention to the shouts that came from behind.

“Hey, you kids, with that queer-looking car, get off the road and give a real machine a chance to get by,” shouted the driver, he who had been addressed as Bill.

Jack did not turn his head.

“I’ll knock your head off if you don’t turn out—­and turn out quick!” came another shout.

Still the boys did not pay any attention.  In this order they came into Nestorville.  Lined up, with a look of stern determination on his face, and with his nickel star of office newly polished, was Chief Biff Bivins.  Behind him were Lena Hardy and Joe Curley, his “force.”

“Say, boys,” hailed Chief Biff, as the boys rolled up abreast of him and his men, “hain’t seen hair nor hide of that car your dad was arter ‘phonin’ me about.”

“Well, you soon will, chief,” said Jack.