ission? Since when?" inquired Doctor Holiday. "It was all
right when you took it to the garage last night."

"I went out for a joy ride and had a smash up," explained his nephew
nonchalantly, and still hidden behind the newspaper.

"Oh Ted! How could you when you know we want to use the car every
minute?" There was sharp dismay and reproach in Tony's voice.

"Well, I didn't smash it on purpose, did I?" grumbled her brother,
throwing down the paper. "I'm sorry, Tony. But it can't be helped now.
You'd better be thankful I'm not out of commission myself. Came darn
near being."

"Oh Ted!" There was only concern and sympathy in his sister's exclamation
this time. Tony adored her brothers. She went over to Ted now,
scrutinizing him as if she half expected to see him minus an arm or a
leg. "You weren't hurt?" she begged reassurance.

"Nope--nothing to signify. Got some purple patches on my person and a
twist to my wrist, but that's all. I was always a lucky devil. Got more
lives than a cat."

He was obviously trying to carry matters off lightly, but never once
did he meet his uncle's eyes, though he was quite aware they were
fixed on him.

Tony sighed and shook her head, troubled.

"I wish you wouldn't take such risks," she mourned. "Some day you'll get
dreadfully hurt. Please be careful. Uncle Phil," she appealed to the
higher court, "do tell him he mustn't speed so. He won't listen to me."

"If Ted hasn't learned the folly of speeding by now, I am afraid that
nothing I can say will have much effect. I wonder--"

Just here the telephone interrupted with an announcement that Mr.
Carson was waiting downstairs. Tony flew from the phone to dab powder
on her nose.

"Since we can't go riding I think I'll take Dick for a walk in Paradise,"
she announced into the mirror. "Will you come, too, Uncle Phil?"

"No, thank you, dear. Run along and tell Dick we expect him back to
supper with us."

The doctor held open the door for his niece, then turned back to
Ted, who was also on his feet now, murmuring something about going
out for a stroll.

"Wait a bit, son. Suppose you tell me first precisely what happened
last night."

"Did tell you." The boy fumbled sulkily at the leaves of a magazine that
lay on the table. "I took the car out and, when I was speeding like Sam
Hill out on the Florence road, I struck a hole. She stood up on her ear
and pitched u--er--_me_ out in the gutter. Stuck her own nose into a
telephone pole.