swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第5部分
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃I'll take dad off on a cruise about the lake；〃 he decided。 〃He needs a
rest； for he's been working hard and worrying over the theft of the turbine
motor model。 I'll take Ned Newton for some rides； too； and he can bring
his camera along and get a lot of pictures。 Oh； I'll have some jolly sport
this summer！〃
Tom was riding swiftly along a quiet country road and was
approaching a steep hill； which he could not see until he was close to it；
owing to a sharp turn。
As he was about to swing around it and coast swiftly down the steep
declivity he was startled by hearing a voice calling to him from the bushes
at the side of the road。
〃Hold on； dar I Hold on； Mistah Swift！〃 cried a colored man； suddenly
popping into view。 〃Doan't go down dat hill。〃
〃Why； it's Eradicate Sampson！〃 exclaimed Tom； quickly shutting off
the power and applying the brakes。 〃What's the matter； Rad？ Why
shouldn't I go down that hill？〃
〃Beca'se； Mistah Swift； dere's a pow'ful monstrous tree trunk right
across de road at a place whar yo' cain't see it till yo' gits right on top ob it。
Ef yo' done hit dat ar tree on yo' lickity…split machine； yo' suah would land
in kingdom come。 Doan't go down dat hill！〃
Tom leaped off his machine and approached the colored man。
Eradicate Sampson did odd jobs in the neighborhood of Shopton； and
more than once Tom had done him favors in repairing his lawn mower or
his wood…sawing machine。 In turn Eradicate had given Tom a valuable
clue as to the hiding place of the model thieves。
〃How'd the log get across the road； Rad？〃 asked Tom。
〃I dunno； Mistah Swift。 〃I see it when I come along wid mah mule；
Boomerang； an' I tried t' git it outer de way； but I couldn't。 Den I left
Boomerang an' mah wagon at de foot ob de hill an' I come up heah t' git a
long pole t' pry de log outer de way。 I didn't t'ink nobody would come
along； case dis road ain't much trabeled。〃
〃I took it for a short cut；〃 said the lad。 〃Come on； let's take a look at
the log。〃
Leaving his machine at the top of the slope； the young inventor
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
accompanied the colored man 'down the hill。 At the foot of it； well
hidden from sight of any one who might come riding down； was a big log。
It was all the way across the road。
〃That never fell there；〃 exclaimed Tom in some excitement。 〃That
never rolled off a load of logs； even if there had been one along； which
there wasn't。 That log was put there！〃
〃Does yo' t'ink dat； Mistah Swift？〃 asked Eradicate； his eyes getting
big。
〃I certainly do； and； if you hadn't warned me； I might have been
killed。〃
〃Oh； I heard yo' lickity…split machine chug…chuggin' along when I were
in de bushes； lookin' for a pryin' pole； an' I hurried out to warn yo。 I
knowed I could leave Boomerang safe； 'case he's asleep。〃
〃I'm glad you did warn me；〃 went on the youth solemnly。 Then； as he
went closer to the log； he uttered an exclamation。
〃That has been dragged here by an automobile！〃 he cried。 〃It's been
done on purpose to injure some one。 Come on； Rad； let's see if we can't
find out who did it。〃
Something on the ground caught Tom's eye。 He stooped and picked
up a nickle…plated wrench。
〃This may come in handy as evidence；〃 he murmured。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER IV
TOM AND ANDY CLASH
Even a casual observer could have told that an auto had had some part
in dragging the log to the place where it blockaded the road。 In the dust
were many marks of the big rubber tires and even the imprint of a rope；
which had been used to tow the tree trunk。
〃What fo' yo' t'ink any one put dat log dere？〃 asked the colored man as
he followed Tom。 Boomerang； the mule； so called because Eradicate
said you never could tell what he was going to do； opened his eyes lazily
and closed them again。 〃I don't know why； Rad； unless they wanted to
wreck an automobile or a wagon。 Maybe tramps did it for spite。〃
〃Maybe some one done it to make yo' hab trouble； Mistah Swift。〃
〃No； I hardly think so。 I don't know of any one who would want to
make trouble for me； and how would they know I was coming this way…'
Tom suddenly checked himself。 The memory of the scene at the
auction came back to him and he recalled what Andy Foger had said about
〃'getting even。〃
〃Which way did dat auto go？〃 resumed Eradicate。
〃It came from down the road；〃 answered Tom； not completing the
sentence he had left unfinished。 〃They dragged the log up to the foot of
the hill and left it。 Then the auto went down this way。〃 It was
comparatively easy； for a lad of such sharp observation as was Tom； to
trace the movements of the vehicle。
〃Den if it's down heah； maybe we cotch 'em；〃 suggested the colored
man。
The young inventor did not answer at once。 He was hurrying along；
his eyes on the telltale marks。 He had proceeded some distance from the
place where the log was when he uttered a cry。 At the same moment he
hurried from the road toward a thick clump of bushes that were in the
ditch alongside of the highway。 Reaching them； he parted the leaves and
called：
〃Here's the auto； Rad！〃
The colored man ran up； his eyes wider open than ever。 There；
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
hidden amid the bushes； was a large touring car。
〃Whose am dat？〃 asked Eradicate。
Tom did not answer。 He penetrated the underbrush； noting where the
broken branches had been bent upright after the forced entrance of the car；
the better to hide it。 The young inventor was； seeking some clew to
discover the owner of the machine。 To this end he climbed up in the
tonneau and was looking about when some one burst in through the screen
of bushes and a voice cried： 〃Here； you get out of my car！〃
。〃Oh； is it your car； Andy Foger？〃 asked Tom calmly as he recognized
his squint…eyed rival。 〃I was just beginning to think it was。 Allow me
to return your wrench；〃 and he held out the one he had picked up near the
log。 〃The next time you drag trees across the road；〃 went on the lad in
the tonneau； facing the angry and dismayed Andy； 〃I'd advise you to post a
notice at the top of the hill； so persons riding down will not be injured。〃
〃Notice… road…hill…logs！〃 stammered Andy； turning red under his
freckles。
〃That's what I said；〃 replied Tom coolly。
〃I…I didn't have anything to do with putting a log across any road；〃
mumbled the bully。 〃I…I've been off toward the creek。〃
〃Have you？〃 asked Tom with a peculiar smile。
〃I thought you might have been looking for the wrench you dropped
near the log。 You should be more careful and so should Sam Snedecker；
who's hiding outside the bushes；〃 went on our hero； for he had caught
sight of the form of Andy's crony。 〃I…I told him not to do it！〃 exclaimed
Sam as he came from his hiding place。
〃Shut up！〃 exclaimed Andy desperately。
〃Oh； I think I know your secret；〃 continued the young inventor。 〃You
wanted to get even with me for outbidding you on the motor… boat。 You
watched which road I took； and then； in your auto； you came a shorter way；
ahead of me。 You hauled the log across the foot of the hill； hoping； I
suppose； that my machine would be broken。 But； let me tell you； it was a
risky trick。 Not only might I have been killed； but so would whoever else
who happened to drive down the slope over the log； whether in a wagon or
automobile。 Fortunately Eradicate discovered it in time and warned me。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
I ought to have you arrested； but you're not worth it。 A good thrashing is
what such sneaks as you deserve！〃
〃You haven't got any evidence against us；〃 sneered Andy confidently；
his old bravado coming back。
〃I have all I want；〃 replied Tom。 〃You needn't worry。 I'm not going
to tell the police。 But you've got to do one thing or I'll make you sorry
you ever tried this trick。 Eradicate will help me； to don't think you're
going to escape。〃
〃You get out of my automobile！〃 demanded Andy。 〃I'll have you
arrested if you don't。〃
〃I'll get out because I'm ready to； but not on account of your threats；〃
retorted Mr。 Swift's son。 〃Here's your wr
