swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第8部分
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light flashed up； almost in his eyes。
〃Who's here？〃 he cried； and at that moment someone sprang out of his
motor…boat； scrambled into a rowing craft which the youth could dimly
make out in front of the dock and began to pull away quickly。
〃Hold on there！〃 cried the young inventor。 〃Who are you？ What do
you want？ Come back here！〃
The person in the 'coat returned no answer。 With his heart doing
beats over…time Tom lighted a lantern and made a hasty examination of the
ARROW。 It did not appear to have been harmed； but a glance showed
that the door of the gasoline compartment had been unlocked and was
open。 Tom jumped down into his craft。
〃Some one has been at that compartment again！〃 he murmured。 〃I
wonder if it was the same man who acted so suspiciously at the auction？
What can his object be； anyhow？
The next moment he uttered an exclamation of startled surprise and
picked up something from the bottom of the boat。 It was a bunch of keys；
with a tag attached； bearing the owner's name。
〃Andy Foger！〃 murmured Tom。 〃So this is； how he was trying to get
even！ Maybe he started to put a hole in the tank or in my boat。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER VI
TOWING SOME GIRLS
With a sense of anger mingled with an apprehension lest some harm
should have been done to his craft； the owner of the ARROW went
carefully over it。 He could find nothing wrong。 The engine was all
right and all that appeared to have been accomplished by the unbidden
visitor was the opening of the locked forward compartment。 That this
had been done by one of the many keys on Andy Foger's ring was evident。
〃Now what could have been his object？〃 mused Tom。 〃I should think
if he wanted to put a hole in the boat he would have done it amidships；
where the water would have a better chance to come in； or perhaps he
wanted to flood it with gasoline and…〃
The idea of fire was in Tom's mind； and he did not finish his half…
completed thought。
〃That may have been it；〃 he resumed after a hasty examination of the
gasoline tank； to make sure there were no leaks in it。 〃To get even with
me for outbidding him on the boat； Andy may have wanted to destroy the
ARROW。 Well； of all the mean tricks； that's about the limit！ But wait
until I see him。 I've got evidence against him；〃 and Tom looked at the
key ring。 〃I could almost have him arrested for this。〃
Going outside the boathouse； Tom stood on the edge of the dock and
peered into the darkness。 He could hear the faint sound of someone
rowing across the lake； but there was no light。
〃He had one of those electric flash lanterns；〃 decided Tom。 〃If I
hadn't found his keys； I might have thought it was Happy Harry instead of
Andy。〃
The young inventor went back into the house after carefully locking
the boat compartment and detaching from the engine an electrical device；
without which the motor in the ARROW could not be started。
〃That will prevent them from running away with my boat； anyhow；〃
decided Tom。 〃And I'll tell Garret Jackson to keep a sharp watch
tonight。〃 Jackson was the engineer at Mr。 Swift's workshop。
Tom told his father of the happening and Mr。 Swift was properly
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
indignant。 He wanted to go at once to see Mr。 Foger and complain of
Andy's act； but Tom counseled waiting。
〃I'll attend to Andy myself；〃 said the young inventor。 〃He's getting
desperate； I guess； or he wouldn't try to set the place on fire。 But wait
until I show him these keys。〃
Bright and early the next morning the owner of the motor…boat was
down to the dock inspecting it。 The engineer； who had been on watch
part of the night； reported that there had been no disturbance； and Tom
found everything all right。 〃I wonder if I'd better go over and accuse
Andy now or wait until I see him and spring this evidence on him？〃
thought our hero。 Then he decided it would be better to wait。 He took
the ARROW out after breakfast； his father going on a short spin with him。
〃But I must go back now and work on my gyroscope invention；〃 said
Mr。 Swift when about two hours had been spent on the lake。 〃I am
making good progress with it。〃
〃You need a vacation；〃 decided Tom； 〃I'll be ready to take you and
Ned in about two weeks。 He will have two weeks off then and； we'll
have some glorious times together。〃
That afternoon Tom put some new style spark plugs in the cylinders of
his motor and found that he had considerably increased the revolutions of
the engine； due to a better explosion being obtained。 He also made some
minor adjustments and the next day he went out alone for a long run。
Heading up the lake； Tom was soon in sight of a popular excursion
resort that was frequently visited by church and Sunday…school
organizations in the vicinity of Shopton。 The lad saw a number of
rowing craft and a small motor…boat circling around opposite the resort
and remarked： 〃There must be a picnic at the grove to…day。 Guess I'll run
up and take a look。〃
The lad was soon in the midst of quite a flotilla of rowboats； most of
them manned by pretty girls or in charge of boys who were giving sisters
（their own or some other chap's） a trip on the water。 Tom throttled his
boat down to slow speed and looked with pleasure on the pretty scene。
His boat attracted considerable attention； for motor craft were not
numerous on Lake Carlopa。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
As our hero passed a boat； containing three very pretty young ladies；
Tom heard one of them exclaim：
〃There he is now！ That's Tom Swift。〃
Something in the tones of the voice attracted his attention。 He turned
and saw a brown…eyed girl smiling at him。 She bowed and asked；
blushing the while：
〃Well； have you caught any more runaway horses lately？〃
〃Runaway horses…why…what？ Oh； it's Miss Nestor！〃 exclaimed
the lad； recognizing the young lady whose steed he had frightened one day
when he was on his bicycle。 As told in the first volume of this series； the
horse had run away； being alarmed at the flashing of Tom's wheel； and
Miss Mary Nestor； of Mansburg； was in grave danger。
〃So you've given up the bicycle for the motor…boat；〃 went on the
young lady。
〃Yes；〃 replied Tom with a smile； shutting off the power； 〃and I haven't
had a chance to save any girls since I've had it。〃
The two boats had drifted close together； and Miss Nestor introduced
her two companions to Tom。
〃Don't you want to come in and take a ride？〃 he asked。
〃Is it safe？〃 asked Jennie Haddon； one of the trio。
〃Of course it is； Jennie； or he wouldn't be out in it；〃 said Miss Nestor
hastily。 〃Come on； let's get in。 I'm just dying for a motor…boat ride。〃
〃What will we do with our boat？〃 asked Katie Carson。
〃Oh； I can tow that；〃 replied the youth。 〃Get right in and I'll take you
all around the lake。〃
〃Not too far；〃 stipulated the girl who had figured in the runaway。 〃We
must be back for lunch； which will be served in about an hour。 Our church
and Sunday…school are having a picnic。〃
〃Maybe Mr。 Swift will come and have some lunch with us；〃 suggested
Miss Carson； blushing prettily。
〃Nothing would give me greater pleasure；〃 answered Tom； and then he
laughed at his formal reply； the girls joining in。
〃We'd be glad to have you；〃 added Miss Haddon。 〃Oh！〃 she suddenly
screamed； 〃the boat's tipping over！〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃Oh； no；〃 Tom hastened to assure her； coming； to the side to help her
in。 〃It just tilts a bit； with the weight of so many on one side。 It
couldn't capsize if it tried。〃
In another moment the three were in the roomy cockpit and Tom had
made the empty rowboat fast to the stern。 He was about to start up when
from another boat； containing two little girls and two slightly larger boys；
came a plaintive cry：
〃Oh； mister； give us a ride！〃
〃Sure！〃 agreed Tom pleasantly。 〃Just fasten your boat to the other
rowboat and I'll tow you。〃
One of the boys did this； and then； with three pretty girls as his
comp
