in one sense you're right when you call it an
adventure; though a pretty mild one. I'll tell you about it."

"Wish you would, Thad," grumbled Hugh, pretending to look anxious to
hurry along on his way home. "Playing ball for three hours gives a
fellow a ferocious appetite, you know; and we have chicken pot pie at
our house tonight, which is one of my favorite dishes. So please get a
move on you."

"Well, after I managed to mend my tire, being set on accomplishing the
job if it took me till dark, I started along the road, and presently
drew near town. That was about half an hour ago, I should imagine. I
had just stopped to take another look at the tire, which seemed to be
flattening more or less, when I heard some one calling weakly. When I
turned to look I found that by some accident I had stopped exactly in
front of that queer old place which we've always called the Rookery,
because it looks as if spooks might live there."

As Thad paused to catch his breath, Hugh elevated his eyebrows.
Apparently his interest no longer flagged, for he instinctively guessed
that something unusual must come out of Thad's mention of the strange
old place, where, as he well knew, Owen Dugdale and his eccentric
grandfather lived by themselves.

"When I caught the sound of a voice again," continued Thad, "I was
interested, because I had heard the one word 'help' uttered. Some one
must be in trouble, I told myself; and then all of a sudden I
remembered who lived there. So I started my machine and moved off the
road, to leave it clear for other cars to pass by if any came along.
After that I jumped out and hurried over to the stone wall that, as you
know, surrounds the wild-looking grounds of the place.

"The voice still sounded, and I could see somebody lying on the ground
there. I vaulted the low stone wall, and soon found that it was old
Mr. Dugdale. He seemed glad to see me, though really he didn't know me
from Adam, because I had never had a word with him before.

"While out taking exercise in the grounds he had been suddenly seized
with an acute attack of rheumatism or sciatica in one of his legs, and
had been unable to get back to the house alone. Then seeing me stop
and step out to look at my mended tire, he had called as loud as he
could, to attract my attention, hoping that I'd be kind and neighborly
enough to help him to the house; for as he explained to me his grandson
Owen was off playing ball just then."

"Yes