"I think we'll have to operate on the man," declared Dr. Fanwood. "We'll need several things from my office. Who can go for them?" and he looked at Fenn, whom he had doctored ever since Fenn was a baby, on the few occasions when that healthy youth needed medicine.
"We'll go!" offered Frank, Bart and Ned at once.
"I guess we can use all three of you," decided Dr. Fanwood. "Dr. Kyte and Dr. Feldon will need things from their offices. Now I tell you what to do, just take our horses and carriages, which are tied out in front, and drive after the things. That will be quicker."
Then, the three physicians having given the chums a list of what they needed, proceeded to get ready for the operation. The girl was in a semiconscious condition, but a hasty examination showed that the worst she was suffering from was shock. She could be left alone for a time.
While the medical men were preparing to attend to the man, Constable Darby kept guard in front of the house, before which it seemed as if half the population of Darewell was gathered. Jim Nelson was sitting in the front hall, ready to go on an errand if needed, but, on the whole, rather hoping that he would not be required to run. The hasty telephoning had been quite a strain on his lazy nature. Fenn, at the suggestion of Dr. Fanwood, remained in the room where the young lady was, to be at hand in case she recovered consciousness.
"My, things have happened suddenly," thought Fenn, as he looked at the silent form on the bed. "We were just wishing for something like our old adventures again. This seems to promise a good beginning."
The four boys, who, because of their intimate association, and from the fact that they lived in the town of that name, were known as "The Darewell Chums," had been through some lively times together, as has been related in the previous books of this series. In the first volume called "The Heroes of the School," I related how the four took part in a peculiar mystery, and solved it to their satisfaction, though, at one time, when they went up in a balloon, and were captured by the enemy, it looked rather dubious for them. The boys were wide-awake lads, full of energy and resources, and they managed to free themselves from a difficult situation.