swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第15部分
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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 accomplished that trip he hardly remembered afterward。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
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。
He feared Mr。 Duncan would be dead when he arrived； but when he
saw the dock of the sanitarium looming up out of the mist and shut off the
power to slowly run up to it； he placed his hand on the wounded man's
heart and found it still beating。
〃He's alive； anyhow；〃 thought the youth； and then his craft bumped up
against the bulkhead and a man in the boathouse on the dock was sent on
the run for a physician。
Mr。 Duncan was quickly taken up to the sanitarium on a stretcher and
Tom followed。
〃You must have made a record run；〃 observed one of the physicians a
little while afterward； when Tom was telling of his trip while waiting in
the office to hear the report on the hunter's condition。
〃I guess I did；〃 muttered the young inventor 〃only I didn't think so at
the time。 It seemed as if we were only crawling along。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER XII
SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERS
Under the skill of the physicians at the lake sanitarium Mr。 Duncan's
wound was quickly attended to and the bleeding； which Tom had partly
checked； was completely stopped。 Some medicines having been
administered； the hunter regained a little of his strength； and； about an
hour after be had been brought to the resort； he was able to see Tom； who；
at his request； was admitted to his room。 The young inventor found Mr。
Duncan propped up in bed； with his injured arm bandaged。
〃Is the injury a bad one？〃 asked Tom； entering softly。
〃Not as bad as I feared；〃 replied the hunter； while a trained nurse
placed a chair for the lad at the bedside。 〃If it had not been for you；
though； I'm afraid to think of what might have happened。〃
〃I am glad I chanced to be going past when you called；〃 replied the
lad。
〃Well； you can imagine how thankful I am；〃 resumed Mr。 Duncan。 〃I'll
thank you more properly at another time。 I hope I didn't delay you on
your trip。〃
〃It's not of much consequence；〃 responded the youth。 〃I was only
going to see that everything was all right at our house；〃 and he explained
about his father being at the hotel and mentioned his worriment。 〃I will
go on now unless I can do something more for you；〃 resumed Tom。 〃I
will probably stay at our house all night to…night instead of trying to get
back to Sandport。〃
〃I'd like to send word to my wife about what has happened；〃 said the
hunter。 〃If it would not be too much out of your way； I'd appreciate it if
you could stop at my home in Waterford and tell her； so she will not be
alarmed at my absence。〃
〃I'll do it；〃 replied our hero。 〃There is no special need of my hurrying。
I have brought your gun and compass up from the boat。 They are down in
the office。〃
〃Will you do me a favor？〃 asked Mr。 Duncan quickly。
〃Of course。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃Then please accept that gun and compass with my compliments。 They
are both of excellent make； and I don't think I shall use that gun this
season。 My wife would be superstitious about it。 As for the compass；
you'll need one in this fog； and I can recommend mine as being accurate。〃
〃Oh； I couldn't think of taking them；〃 expostulated Tom； but his eyes
sparkled in anticipation； for he had been wishing for a gun such as Mr。
Duncan owned。 He also needed a compass。
〃If you don't take them I shall feel very much offended；〃 the hunter
said； 〃and the nurse here will tell you that sick persons ought to be
humored。 Hadn't they？〃 and he appealed to the pretty young woman；
who was smiling at Tom。
〃That's perfectly true；〃 she said； showing her white； even teeth。 〃I
think； Mr。 Swift； I shall have to order you to take them。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed Tom； 〃only it's too much for what I did。〃
〃It isn't half enough；〃 remarked Mr。 Duncan solemnly。 〃Just explain
matters to my wife； if you will； and tell her the doctor says I can be out in
about a week。 But I'm not going hunting or practicing shots again。〃
A little later Tom； with the compass before him to guide him on his
course through the fog； was speeding his boat toward Waterford。 Now
and then he glanced at the fine shotgun which he had so unexpectedly
acquired。
〃This will come in dandy this fall！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I'll go hunting
quail and partridge as well as wild ducks。 This compass is just what I
need； too。〃
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。
〃This is something like；〃 he exclaimed。 〃I'll soon be at home； find
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
everything all right and telephone to dad。 Then I'll sleep in my own
room and start back in the morning。〃
When Tom was within a few miles of his own boathouse he heard
behind him the 〃put…put〃 of a motor craft。 Turning； he saw the RED
STREAK fairly flying along at some distance from him。
〃Andy certainly is getting the speed out of her now；〃 he remarked。
〃He'd beat me if we were racing； but the trouble with his boat and engine
is that he can't always depend on it。 I guess he doesn't understand how to
run it。 I wonder if he'll offer to race now？〃
But the red…haired owner of the auto boat evidently did not intend to
offer Tom a race。 The RED STREAK went on down the lake； passing
the ARROW about half a mile away。 Then the young inventor saw that
Andy had two other lads in the boat with him。
〃Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey； I guess；〃 he murmured。 〃Well；
they're a trio pretty much alike。 The farther off they are the better I like
it。〃
Tom once more gave his attention to his own boat。 He was going at a
fair speed； but not the limit； and he counted on reaching home in about a
half hour。 Suddenly； when he was just congratulating himself on the
smooth…running qualities of his motor； which had not missed an explosion；
the machinery stopped。
〃Hello！〃 exclaimed the young inventor in some alarm。 〃What's up
now？〃
He quickly shut off the gasoline and went back to the motor。 Now
there are so many things that may happen to a gasoline engine that it
would be difficult to name them all offhand； and Tom； who had not had
very much experience； was at a loss to find what had stopped his
machinery。 He tried the spark and found that by touching the wire to the
top of the cylinder； when the proper connection was； made； that he had a
hot； 〃fat one。〃 The compression seemed all right and the supply pipe
from the gasoline tank was in perfect order。 Still the motor would not go。
No explosion resulted when he turned the fly…wheel over； not even when
he primed the cylinder by putting a little gasoline in through the cocks on
the cylinder heads。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃That's funny；〃 he remarked to himself as he rested from his labors and
contemplated the 〃dead〃 motor。 〃First time it has gone back on me。〃
The boat was drifting down the lake； and； at the sound of another motor
craft approaching； Tom looked up。 He saw the RED STREAK；
containing Andy
