front of the place.

"Bless my soul!" exclaimed a voice. "Tom's hurt! How did it happen?
Bless my very existence!"

"Oh, Mr. Damon, you're just in time!" exclaimed Mr. Sharp, "Tom's had a
bad shock. Will you go for a doctor in your auto?"

"Better than that! Let me take Tom in the car to Dr. Whiteside's
office," proposed the eccentric man. "It will be better that way."

"Yes, yes," agreed Mr. Swift eagerly. "Put Tom in the auto!"

"If only it doesn't break down," added Mr. Damon fervently. "Bless my
spark plug, but it would be just my luck!"

But they started off all right, Mr. Swift riding in front with Mr.
Damon, and Mr. Sharp supporting Tom in the tonneau. Only a little
fluttering of the eyelids, and a slow, faint breathing told that Tom
Swift still lived.

Mr. Damon never guided a car better than he did his auto that day.
Several speed laws were broken, but no one appeared to stop them, and,
in record time they had the young inventor at the physician's house.
Fortunately Dr. Whiteside was at home, and, under his skillful
treatment Tom was soon out of danger. His heart action was properly
started, and then it was only a question of time. As the doctor had
plenty of room it was decided to let the lad remain that night, and Tom
was soon installed in a spare bedroom, with the doctor's pretty
daughter to wait on him occasionally.

"Oh, I'm all right," the youth insisted, when Miss Whiteside told him
it was time for his medicine. "I'm all right."

"You're not!" she declared. "I ought to know, for I'm going to be a
nurse, some day, and help papa. Now take this or I'll have to hold your
nose, as they do the baby's," and she held out a spoonful of unpleasant
looking mixture, extending her dainty forefinger and thumb of her other
hand, as if to administer dire punishment to Tom, if he did not obey.

"Well, I give in to superior strength," he said with a laugh, as he
noted, with approval, the laughing face of his nurse.

Then he fell into a deep sleep, and was so much better the next morning
that he could be taken home in Mr. Damon's auto.

"But mind, no hard work for three or four days," insisted the
physician. "I want your heart to get in shape for that big race you
were telling me about. The shock was a severe strain to it."

Tom promised, reluctantly, and, though he did no work, his first act,
on reaching home, was to go out to the shop, to inspect the battery and
motor. To his surprise the motor was runni