OFF ON A TRIP
Glancing with critical eyes at the craft of his rival, Tom saw that
Andy Foger had a very fine boat. The young inventor also realized that
if he was to come anywhere near winning the race he would have to get
the utmost speed out of his engine, for the new boat the bully had was
designed primarily for racing, while Tom's was an all-around pleasure
craft, though capable of something in the speed line.
"I'll be giving you a tow in a few minutes, as soon as my engine gets
warmed up!" sneered Andy.
"Maybe," said Tom, and then he crouched down to make as little
resistance as possible to the wind. Andy, on the contrary, sat boldly
upright at the auto steering wheel of his boat.
On rushed the two motor craft, their prows exactly even and the
propellers tossing up a bulge in the water at their sterns. Rapidly
acquiring speed after the two lads had adjusted the timers on their
motors, the boats were racing side by side, seemingly on even terms.
The RED STREAK had a very sharp prow, designed to cut through the
water. It was of the type known as an automobile launch. That is, the
engine was located forward, under a sort of hood, which had two hinged
covers like a bat's wings. The steering-wheel shaft went through the
forward bulkhead, slantingly, like the wheel of an auto, and was
arranged with gasoline and sparking levers on the center post in a
similar manner. At the right of the wheel was a reversing lever, by
which the propeller blades could be set at neutral, or arranged so as
to drive the boat backward. Altogether the RED STREAK was a very fine
boat and had cost considerably more than had Tom's, even when the
latter was new. All these things the young owner of the ARROW thought
of as he steered his craft over the course.
"I hardly think I can win," Tom remarked to himself in a whisper. "His
boat is too speedy for this one. I have a chance, though, for his
engine is new, and I don't believe he understands it as well as I do
mine. Then, too, I am sure I have a better ignition system."
But if Tom had any immediate hopes of defeating Andy, they were doomed
to disappointment, for about two minutes after the race started the RED
STREAK forged slowly ahead.
"Come on!" cried the red-haired lad. "I thought you wanted a race."
"I do," answered the young inventor. "We're a long way from the dock
yet, and we've got to come back."
"You'll be out of it by the time I get to the dock," declared Andy.
Indeed it began to look so, for the auto boat was now a full length
ahead of Tom's craft and there was open water between them. But our
hero knew a thing or two about racing, though he had not long been a
motor-boat owner. He adjusted the automatic oiler on the cylinders to
give more lubrication, as he intended to get more speed out of his
engine. Then he opened the gasoline cock a trifle more and set his
timer forward a few notches to get an earlier spark. He was not going
to use the maximum speed just yet, but he first wanted to see how the
motor of the ARROW would behave under these conditions. To his delight
he saw his boat slowly creeping up on Andy's. The latter, with a
glance over his shoulder, saw it too, and he advanced his spark. His
craft forged ahead, but the rate of increase was not equal to Tom's.
"If I can keep up to him I suppose I ought to be glad," thought the
young inventor, "for his boat is away ahead of mine in rating."
Through the water the sharp bows cut. There were only a few witnesses
to the race, but those who were out in boats saw a pretty sight as the
two speedy craft came on toward the dock, which was the turning point.
Andy's boat reached it first, and swung about in a wide circle for the
return. Tom decided it was time to make his boat do its best, so he
set the timer at the limit, and the spark, coming more quickly,
increased the explosions.
Up shot the ARROW and, straightening out after the turn, Tom's craft
crept along until it lapped the stern of the RED STREAK. Andy looked
back in dismay. Then he tried to get more speed out of his engine. He
did cause the screw to revolve a little faster, and Tom noted that he
was again being left behind. Then one of those things, which may
happen at any time to a gasoline motor, happened to Andy's. It began
to miss explosions. At first it was only occasionally, then the misses
became more frequent.
The owner of the RED STREAK with one hand on the steering wheel, tried
with the other to adjust the motor to get rid of the trouble, but he
only made it worse. Andy's boat began to fall back and Tom's to creep
up. Frantically Andy worked the gasoline and sparking levers, but
without avail. At last one cylinder went completely out of service.
The two boats were now on even terms and were racing along side by side
toward the wooded, point, which marked the finish.
"I'll beat you yet!" exclaimed Andy fiercely.
"Better hurry up!" retorted Tom.
But the young inventor was not to have it all his own way. With a
freakishness equal to that with which it had ceased to explode the dead
cylinder came to life again, and the RED STREAK shot ahead. Once more
Andy's boat had the lead of a length and the finish of the race was
close at hand. The squint-eyed lad turned and shouted: "I told you I'd
beat you! Want a tow now?"
It began to look as though Tom would need it, but he still had
something in reserve. One of the improvements he had put in the ARROW
was a new auxiliary ignition system. This he now decided to use.
With a quick motion Tom threw over the switch that put it into
operation. A hotter, "fatter" spark was at once produced, and
adjusting his gasoline cock so that a little more of the fluid would be
drawn in, making a "richer" mixture, the owner of the ARROW saw the
craft shoot forward as if, like some weary runner, new life had been
infused.
In vain did Andy frantically try to get more speed out of his motor.
He cut out the muffler, and the explosions sounded loudly over the
lake. But it was no use. A minute later the ARROW, which had slowly
forged ahead, crossed the bows of the RED STREAK opposite the finishing
point, and Tom had won the race.
"Well, was that fair?" our hero called to Andy, who had quickly shut
off some of his power as he saw his rival's daring trick. "Did I beat
you fair?"
"You wouldn't have beaten me if my engine hadn't gone back on me,"
grumbled Andy, chagrin showing on his face. "Wait until my motor runs
smoother and I'll give you a big handicap and beat you. My boat's
faster than yours. It ought to be. It cost fifteen hundred dollars
and it's a racer."
"I guess it doesn't like racing," commented Tom as he swung the prow of
his craft down the lake toward his home. But he knew there was some
truth in what Andy had said. The RED STREAK was a more speedy boat,
and, with proper handling, could have beaten the ARROW. That was where
Tom's superior knowledge came in useful. "Just you wait, I'll beat you
yet," called Andy, after the young inventor, but the latter made no
answer. He was satisfied.
Mr. Swift was much interested that night in his son's account of the
race.
"I had no idea yours was such a speedy boat," he said.
"Well, it wasn't originally," admitted Tom, "but the improvements I put
on it made it so. But, dad, when are we going on our tour? You look
more worn out than I've seen you in some time, not excepting when the
turbine model was stolen. Are you worrying over your gyroscope
invention?"
"Somewhat, Tom. I can't seem to hit on just what I want. It's a
difficult problem."
"Then I tell you what let's do, dad. Let's drop everything in the
inventive line and go off on a vacation. I'll take you up the lake in
my boat and you can spend a week at the Lakeview Hotel at Sandport. It
will do you good."
"What will you do, Tom?"
"Oh, Ned Newton and I will cruise about and we'll take you along any
time you want to go. We're going to camp out nights or sleep in the
boat if it rains. I've ordered a canopy with side curtains. Ned and I
don't care for the hotel life in the summer. Will you go?"
Mr. Swift considered a moment. He did need a rest, for he had been
working hard and his brain was weary with thinking of many problems.
His son's program sounded very attractive.
"I think I will accept," said the inventor with a smile. "When can you
start, Tom?"
"In about four days. Ned Newton will get his vacation then and I'll
have the canopy on. I'll start to work at it to-morrow. Then we'll go
on a trip."
Sandport was a summer resort at the extreme southern end of Lake
Carlopa, and Mr. Swift at once wrote to the Lakeview Hotel there to
engage a room for himself. In the meanwhile Tom began to put the
canopy on his boat and arrange for the trip, which would take nearly a
whole day. Ned Newton was delighted with the prospect of a camping
tour and helped Tom to get ready. They took a small tent and plenty of
supplies, with some food. They did not need to carry many rations, as
the shores of the lake were lined with towns and villages where food
could be procured.
Finally all was ready for the trip and the night before the start Ned
Newton stayed at Tom's house so as to be in readiness for going off
early in the morning. The day was all that could be desired, Tom
noted, as he and his chum hurried down to the dock before breakfast to
put their blankets in the boat. As the young inventor entered the
craft he uttered an exclamation.
"What's the matter?" asked Ned.
"I was sure I locked the sliding door of that forward compartment," was
the reply. "Now it's open." He looked inside the space occupied by
the gasoline tank and cried out: "One of the braces is gone! There's
been some one at my boat in the night and they tried to damage her."
"Much harm done?" asked Ned anxiously.
"No, none at all, to speak of," replied Tom. "I can easily put a new
block under the tank. In fact, I don't really need all I have. But
why should any one take one out, and who did it? That's what I want to
know."
The two lads looked carefully about the dock and boat for a sign of the
missing block or any clews that might show who had been tampering with
the ARROW, but they could find nothing.
"Maybe the block fell out," suggested Ned.
"It couldn't," replied Tom. "It was one of the new ones I put in
myself and it was nailed fast. You can see where it's been pried
loose. I can't understand it," and Tom thought rapidly of several
mysterious occurrences of late in which the strange man at the auction
and the person he had surprised one night in the boathouse had a part.
"Well, it needn't delay our trip," resumed the young inventor. "Maybe
there's a hoodoo around here, and it will do us good to get away a few
days. Come on, we'll have breakfast, get dad and start."
A little later the ARROW was puffing away up the lake in the direction
of Sandport.