"That's Jim," Carrie said to Dick. "Since you wanted to see him, you had better come in again."
Dick hesitated. He had not come to see Jim, and Carrie noted his irresolution with some amusement.
"After all, it's not important and I want to get home for dinner," he said, and turned to Mordaunt. "Start your engine, Lance."
As Mordaunt went down the steps the throb of the other car stopped suddenly and they heard a faint crash.
"Hallo!" Dick exclaimed. "What was that?"
"I imagine Jim has cut the corner too fine," said Mordaunt. "Come on!"
He ran down the steps and as he started the car the others jumped up. Mordaunt had not meant to take Carrie, but he did not stop and the car sped away. He let her go full-speed down the hill, dashed through the awkward gateway, touching the post, and drove furiously to the bend where the road ran on to the marsh. Then there was a violent jerk as he put on the brakes, and the beam of the head-lamps touched and stopped upon a tilted car that lay with the wheels on one side in the ditch.
"Bring a lamp," said Mordaunt coolly, and next moment they were all out of the car and running across the grass.
A soft hat lay in the road, and broken glass was scattered about, but for a minute or two they could not see Jim. He was not in the car and the grass and rushes were long. Then Jake stooped down, holding out the lamp.
"This way!" he shouted. "He's in the ditch!"
The others gathered round him as the light searched the ditch. Jim lay with his legs in the water and the upper part of his body pressed against the bank by the front wheel of the car. His eyes were shut, his face was white and stained by blood. Jake's hand shook so that he could hardly hold the lamp.
"We must get him out right now," he said hoarsely. "The wheel's on his chest. If she slips down, she'll break his ribs."
For a few moments they hesitated, standing in the strong illumination of the lamp on Mordaunt's car that picked out their faces against the dark. Jake wore an American dinner-jacket, Carrie a thin evening dress, and she had no hat. Dick noted that her hands were clenched and her mouth worked. She had, of course, got a shock; Winter ought not to have let her see Jim, but the keenness of her distress was significant. Dick, however, could not dwell on this just then. They must get Jim out and it was going to be difficult. The car rested insecurely on the edge of the bank and the broken branches of the thorns. If they disturbed it rashly, it might slip down and crush the unconscious man. Mordaunt was the first to see a way and jumped into the ditch.