Victor Appleton

“ There were grins on the faces of Andy and his cronies.
"Get out of the way or we'll run you down!" cried the bully. "We've got the right of way."
"Don't you try anything like that!" shouted Tom in some alarm, not that he was afraid of Andy, but the Red Streak was getting dangerously near, and he knew Andy was not a skilful helmsman. The auto-boat was now headed directly at the Arrow and coming on speedily. Andy was bending over the wheel and Tom had begun to turn his, in order to get well out of the way of the insolent, squint-eyed lad and his friends. ”

“ Will any one make it fifty?"
"A hundred and fifty!" sang out Andy, and all eyes were directed toward him.
"Sixty!" said Tom quietly.
"Here, you——" began the red-haired lad. You——"
"That will do!" exclaimed the auctioneer sternly. "I am offered a hundred and sixty. Now who will give me an advance? I want to get the boat up to two hundred, and then the real bidding will begin."
Tom's heart sank. He hoped it would be some time before a two-hundred dollar offer would be heard. As for Andy Foger, he was almost speechless with rage. ”

“ Wood looked at Tom, and our hero, thinking it was time for him to make a bid, offered seventy.
"Seventy from Tom Swift!" cried the auctioneer. "There is a lad who knows a motor-boat from stem to stern, if those are the right words. I don't know much about boats except what I'm told, but Tom Swift does. Now, if he bids, you people ought to know that it's all right. I'm bid seventy—seventy I'm bid. Will any one make it eighty?"
"Eighty!" exclaimed Andy Foger after a whispered conference with Sam. "I know as much about boats as Tom Swift. I'll make it eighty." ”

“ The twisting of the bag had brought into view the parachute or big, umbrella-shaped bag, which would have enabled the man to safely drop to the surface of the lake. Without it he would have hit the water with such force that he would have been killed as surely as if he had struck the solid earth. But the boys and Mr. Swift also saw something else, and this was that the balloon was on fire on the same side where the parachute was suspended.
"Look! look!" shouted Tom, bringing his boat to a stop. "That's why he can't jump! He can't reach the parachute!" ”

“ Damon had thrown out the clutch, but the engine was still running, though in a jerky, uncertain fashion which indicated to the trained ear of the young inventor that something was wrong.
"Perhaps I can fix it for you as I did before," ventured Tom.
"Bless my eyebrows! Perhaps you can," cried the eccentric man hopefully. "You always seem to turn up at the right moment. How do you manage it?" ”

“ The inventor wanted to know why his son did not return to the hotel to join him and Ned.
"Well, what will you do?" asked the housekeeper.
"If I don't find my boat to-morrow, I'll sail to Sandport, bring home dad and Ned, and we three will go all over the lake. My boat must be on it somewhere, but Lake Carlopa is so cut up that it could easily be hidden."
"It's queer that the Foger boy doesn't come home. That makes it look as if he was guilty."
"Oh, I'm sure he took it all right," returned Tom. "All I want is to see him. It certainly is queer that he stays away as long as he does. ”

“ Mrs. Duncan was at first very much alarmed when Tom started to tell her of the accident, but she soon calmed down as the lad went more into details and stated how comparatively out of danger her husband now was. The hunter's wife insisted that Tom remain to dinner, and as he had made up his mind he would have to devote two days instead of one to the trip to his house, he consented.
The fog lifted that afternoon, and Tom, rejoicing in the sunlight, which drove away the storm clouds, speeded up the Arrow until she was skimming over the lake like a shaft from a bow. ”

“ Leaving the helm for a moment, Tom bent over the injured hunter. A glance showed him what had happened. The tourniquet had slipped and the wound was bleeding again. Tom quickly shut off the motor, so that he might give his whole attention to the work of tightening the handkerchief. But something seemed to be wrong. No matter how tightly he twisted the stick the blood did not stop flowing. The lad was frightened. In a short time the man would bleed to death.
"I've got to get him to the sanitarium in record time!" exclaimed Tom. "Fog or no fog, I've got to run at full speed! ”

“ The hunter was still unconscious.
How Tom accomplished that trip he hardly remembered afterward. Through the fog he shot, expecting any moment to crash into some other boat. He did pass a rowing craft in which sat a lone fisherman. The lad was upon him in an instant, but a turn of the wheel sent the Arrow safely past, and the startled fisherman, whose frail craft was set to rocking violently by the swell from the motor-boat, sent an objecting cry through the fog after Tom. But the youth did not reply. On and on he raced, getting the last atom of power from his motor. ”

“ After supper that night Tom took his chum to one side and asked:
"Would you mind very much if you didn't make the trip to Shopton with me?"
"No, Tom, of course not, if it will help you any. Do you want me to stay here?"
"I think it will be a good plan. I don't like to leave dad alone if those scoundrels are around. Of course he's able to look after himself, but sometimes he gets absent minded from thinking too much about his inventions."
"Of course I'll stay here at the hotel. This is just as good a vacation as I could wish." ”

“ Of course you do or you wouldn't be running a motor-boat. Bless my very existence, but I'm in trouble! My machine has stopped on a lonely road and I can't seem to get it started. I happened to hear your boat and I came here to hail you. Bless my coat-pockets but I am in trouble! Can you help me? Bless my soul and gizzard!"
"Mr. Damon," exclaimed Tom, shutting off the power, for he was now near shore. "Of course I'll help you, Mr Damon," for the young inventor had recognized the eccentric man of whom he had purchased the motor-cycle and who had helped him in rounding up the thieves. ”

“ Trouble is sometimes good in a way; it makes a person resourceful. Tom Swift had had his share of annoyances of late, but they had served a purpose. He had learned to think clearly and quickly. Now, when he found his boat stolen, he at once began to map out a plan of action.
"What will you do first?" asked Mr. Jackson as he saw his employer's son hesitating.
"First I'm going to Andy Foger's house," declared the young inventor. "If he's home I'm going to tell him what I think of him. If he's not, I'm going to find him." ”

“ Mr. Sharp spread some over the backs of his hands and went on:
"That's better. Much obliged. I can't begin to thank you for what you did for me—saved my life. I thought it was all up with me—would have been but for you. Mustn't mind my manner—it's a way I have—have to talk quick when you're balloonin'—no time—but I'm grateful all the same. Who might you people be?"
Tom told him their names and Mr. Swift asked the aeronaut if he was sure he didn't need the services of a physician.
"No doctor for me," answered the balloonist "I've been in lots of tight places, but this was the worst squeeze. ”

“ Two of the thieves were at the oars, and, with one accord, they at once increased their speed. The boat swung about sharply and was headed for the shore, which they seemed to have come from only a short time previous, as the craft was not far out in the lake.
"No, you don't!" cried Tom. "I see your game! You want to get to the woods, where you'll have a better chance to escape! If this isn't great luck, coming upon them this way!"
It was the work of but a moment to speed up the engine and head the Arrow for the rowboat. The men were pulling frantically, but they had no chance. ”

“ Don't raise your own figures, as I've sometimes seen women and men, too, do in their excitement. Somebody may go over your head, and if he does, let them. If you get the boat I'll be very glad on your account. But don't bring any of Anson Morse's gang back in it with you. I've seen enough of them."
"I'll not, dad!" cried Tom as he trundled his motor-cycle out of the gate and into the country road that led to the village of Shopton, where he lived, and to Lanton, where the auction was to be held. ”

“ If the balloon would only come down more quickly it would get to within such a short distance of the water that the man could safely make the drop.
But the immense canvas bag was settling so slowly, for it was still very buoyant, that considerable time must elapse before it would be near enough to the water to make it safe for the unfortunate man to let go the trapeze.
"Oh, if we could only do something!" cried Tom. "We have to remain here helpless and watch him burn to death. It's awful!" ”

“ For a week the three led an ideal existence, doing about as they pleased, Ned taking a number of photographs with his new camera. The Arrow proved herself a fine boat, and Tom and Ned, when Mr. Swift did not accompany them, explored the seldom visited parts of Lake Carlopa.
The three had been out one day and were discussing the necessity of returning home soon when Ned spoke.
"I shall hate to give up this life and go to slaving in the bank again," he complained. "I wish I was an inventor."
"Oh, we inventors don't have such an easy time," said Mr. Swift. ”

“ The youth did not finish, but his father knew what he meant.
"I suppose a motor-boat would be a nice thing to have on Lake Carlopa," went on Mr. Swift musingly. "You and I could take frequent trips in it. It isn't like a motor-cycle, only useful for one. What do you suppose the boat will go for, Tom?"
"I hardly know. Not a high price, I believe, for motor-boats are so new on our lake that few persons will take a chance on them. But if Mr. Hastings is getting another, he will not be so particular about insisting on a high price for the old one. ”

“ It's a dirigible balloon with an aeroplane front and rear to steer and balance it in big winds. It would be a winner, only for one thing. Maybe you can help me."
"Maybe I can," agreed Tom, who was at once interested.
"We ought to be able to do something. Look at our names—Swift and Sharp—quick and penetrating—a good firm to build airships," and he laughed genially. "Shall we do it?"
"I'm willing," agreed Tom, and the balloonist spread his plans out on the table, he and the young inventor soon being deep in a discussion of them. ”

“ I'll cover them." Tom was steering from an auxiliary side wheel near the motor, and soon the Arrow had cut off the retreat of the men. They could not land and to row across the lake meant speedy capture.
"Well, what do you want of us?" growled Morse. "What right have you got to interfere with us in this fashion?"
"The best of right," answered Tom. "You'll find out when you're landed in jail."
"You can't arrest us!" sneered Happy Harry. "You're not an officer and you haven't any warrant."
Tom hadn't thought of that, and his chagrin showed in his face. Happy Harry was quick to see it. ”

“ Instantly there were several cries of "I will!"
"I thought you would," went on the auctioneer. "Now we will get down to work. I'm offered fifty dollars for this twenty-one foot, ten horsepower family launch. Will any one make it sixty?"
"Sixty!" called out Andy Foger in a shrill voice. Several turned to look at him.
"I didn't know he was going to bid," thought Tom. "He may go above me. He's got plenty of money, and, while I have too, I'm not going to pay too much for a damaged boat." ”

“ But the young inventor did not lose his head. He put his wheel hard over and then, leaping to his motor, sent it full speed forward. Not a moment too soon had he acted, for an instant later the other boat shot past the stern of the Arrow, hitting it a severe but glancing blow. Tom's boat quivered from end to end and he quickly shut off the power. By this time Andy had succeeded in slowing down his craft. The young inventor hastily looked over the side of the Arrow. ”

“ He would be killed if he dropped now."
"He ought to have a parachute," added Ned. "Most of those men do when they go up in a balloon. Why doesn't he come down in that? I wonder how the balloon took fire?"
"Maybe he hasn't a parachute," suggested Tom, while he slowed down the motor-boat still more so as to remain very nearly under the blazing balloon.
"Yes, he has!" cried Ned. "See, it's hanging to one side of the big bag. He ought to cut loose. He could save himself then. Why doesn't he?" ”

“ Then, as it came nearer, Tom saw a familiar figure in it—a red-haired, squint-eyed chap.
"Andy Foger!" exclaimed Tom. "He's got a motor-boat! This is the surprise he spoke of."
The boat was rapidly approaching him, and he saw that it was painted a vivid red. Then he could make out the name on the bow, Red Streak. Andy was sending the craft toward him at a fast rate.
"You needn't think you're the only one on this lake who has a gasoline boat!" called Andy boastfully. "This is my new one and the fastest thing afloat around here. I can go all around you. Do you want to race?" ”