swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第14部分
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Where are you？〃
He had lost what little fear he had had at first； that it might be one of
the unscrupulous gang； and came to the conclusion that he might safely
offer to help。
Once more the groan sounded and it was followed by a faint voice
speaking：
〃Here I am； under the big oak tree。 Oh； whoever you are； help me
quickly！ I'm bleeding to death！〃
With the sound of the voice to guide him； Tom swung around。 The
appeal had come from the left and； looking in that direction； he saw；
through the mist； a large oak tree。 Leaping over the underbrush toward it
he caught sight of the wounded man at its foot。 Beside him lay a gun and
there was a wound in the man's right arm。
〃Who shot you？〃 cried Tom； hurrying to the side of the man。 〃Was
it some of those patent thieves？〃 Then； realizing that a stranger would
know nothing of the men who had stolen the model； Tom prepared to
change the form of his question。 But； before he had an opportunity to do
this； the man； whose eyes were closed； opened them； and； as he got a
better sight of his face； Tom uttered a cry。
〃Why； it's Mr。 Duncan！〃 exclaimed the lad。 He had recognized the
rich hunter； whom he had first met in the woods that spring shortly after
Happy Harry； the tramp； had disabled Tom's motor… cycle。 〃Mr。
Duncan；〃 the young inventor repeated； 〃how did you get shot？〃
〃Is that you； Tom Swift？〃 asked the gunner。 〃Help me； please。 I
must stop this bleeding in my arm。 I'll tell you about it afterward。 Wind
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
something around it tight…your handkerchief will do。〃
The man sighed weakly and his eyes closed again。 The lad saw the
blood spurting from an ugly wound。
〃I must make a tourniquet；〃 the youth exclaimed。 〃That will check
the bleeding until I can get him to a doctor。〃
With Tom to think was to act。 He took out his knife and cut off Mr。
Duncan's sleeves below the injury； slashing through coat and shirts。
Then he saw that part of a charge of shot had torn away some of the large
muscular development of the upper arm。 The hunter seemed to have
fainted and the youth worked quickly。 Tying his handkerchief above the
wound and inserting a small stone under the cloth； so that the pebble
would press on the main artery； Tom put a stick in the handkerchief and
began to twist it。 This had the effect of tightening the linen around the
arm； and in a few seconds the lad was glad to see that the blood had
stopped spurting out with every beat of the heart。 Giving the tourniquet a
few more twists to completely stop the flow of blood； Tom fastened the
stick…lever in place by a bit of string。
〃That's…that's better；〃 murmured Mr。 Duncan。 〃Now if you can go
for a doctor…〃 He had to pause for breath。
〃I'll not leave you here alone while I go for a doctor；〃 declared Tom。
〃I have my motor…boat on the lake。 Do you think I could get you down
to it and take you home？〃
〃Perhaps…maybe。 I'll be stronger in a moment； now that the
bleeding has stopped。 But not…not home…frighten my wife。 Take me to
the sanitarium if you can…sanitarium up the lake； a few miles from here。〃
The unfortunate man； who had tried to sit upright； had to lean back
against the tree again。 Tom understood what he meant in spite of the
broken sentences。 Mr。 Duncan did not want to be taken home in the
condition he was then in； for fear of alarming his wife。 He wanted to be
taken to the sanitarium； and Tom knew where this was； a well…known
resort for the treatment of various diseases and surgical cases。 It was
about five miles away and on the opposite shore of the lake。
〃Water…a drink！〃 murmured Mr。 Duncan。
Seeing that his patient would be all right； for a few minutes at least；
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Tom hurried to his motorboat； got a cup and； filling it with water from a
jug he carried； he hastened with it to the hunter。 The fluid revived the
man wonderfully and now that the bleeding had almost completely
stopped； Mr。 Duncan was much stronger。
〃Do you think you can get to the boat； if I help you？〃 asked Tom。
〃Yes； I believe so。 To think of meeting you again； and under such
circumstances！ It is providential。〃
〃Did someone shoot you？〃 inquired Tom； who could not get out of
his head the notion of the men who had once assaulted him。
〃No； I shot myself；〃 answered Mr。 Duncan as he got to his feet with
Tom's help。 〃I was out with my gun； practicing just as I was that day
when I met you in the woods。 I stooped down to crawl under a bush and
the weapon went off； the muzzle being close against my arm。 I can't
understand how it happened。 I fell down and called for help。 Then I
guess I must have fainted； but I came to when I heard you talking to me。
I shouldn't have come out to… day as it is so wet； but I had some new shot
shells I wished to try in order to test them before the hunting season。 But
if I can get to the sanitarium； I will be well taken care of。 I know one of
the doctors there。〃
With Tom leading him and acting as a sort of support； the journey to
the motor…boat was slowly made。 Making as comfortable a bed as
possible out of the seat cushions； Tom assisted Mr。 Duncan to it； and then
starting the engine he sent his boat out from shore at half speed； as the fog
was still thick and he did not want to run upon a rock。
〃Do you know where the sanitarium is？〃 asked the wounded hunter。
〃About；〃 answered Tom a little doubtfully； 〃but I'm afraid it's going to
be hard to locate it in this fog。〃
〃There's a compass in my coat pocket；〃 said Mr。 Duncan。 〃Take it
out and I'll tell you how to steer。 You ought to carry a compass if you're
going to be a sailor。〃
Tom was beginning to think so himself and wondered that he had not
thought of it before。 He found the one the hunter had； and placing it on
the seat near him； he carefully listened to the wounded man's directions。
Tom easily comprehended and soon had the boat headed in the proper
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direction。 After that it was comparatively easy to keep on the right
course； even in the fog。
But there was another danger； however； and this was that he might run
into another boat。 True； there were not many on Lake Carlopa； but there
were some； and one of the few motor…boats might be out in spite of the
bad weather。
〃Guess I'll not run at full speed；〃 decided Tom。 〃I wouldn't like to
crash into the RED STREAK。 We'd both sink。〃
So he did not run his motor at the limit and sat at the steering… wheel；
peering ahead into the fog for the first sight of another craft。
He turned to look at Mr。 Duncan and was alarmed at the pallor of his
face。 The man's eyes were closed and he was breathing in a peculiar
manner。
〃Mr。 Duncan；〃 cried Tom； 〃are you worse？〃
There was no answer。 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！ I've got to chance it！〃
Making the bandage as tight as he could and fastening it in place； the
young inventor sprang to the motor and set it in motion。 Then he went to
the wheel。 In a few minutes the ARROW was speeding through the
water as it had never done before； except when it had raced the RED
STREAK。 〃If I hit anything…good…by！〃 thought Tom grimly。 His
hands were tense on the rim of the steering…wheel and he was ready in an
instant to reverse the motor as he sat there straining his eyes to see through
the curtain of mist that hung over the lake。 Now and then he glanced at
the compass； to keep on the right course； and from time to time he looked
at Mr。 Duncan。 The hunter was still unconscious。
How Tom acco
