A CRY FOR HELP
"Now, dad, tell me all about it," requested Tom when he and Ned were in
Mr. Swift's apartment at the hotel, safe from the rain that was
falling. "How did you happen to see Anson Morse and Happy Harry?" My
old readers will doubtless remember that the latter was the disguised
tramp who was so vindictive toward Tom, while Morse was the man who
endeavored to sneak in Mr. Swift's shop and steal a valuable invention.
"Well, Tom," proceeded the inventor, "there isn't much to tell. I was
out walking in the woods yesterday, and when I was behind a clump of
bushes I heard voices. I looked out and there I saw the two men."
"At first I thought they were trailing me, but I saw that they had not
seen me, and I didn't see how they could know I was in the
neighborhood. So I quietly made my way back to the hotel."
"Could you hear what they were saying?"
"Not all, but they seemed angry over something. The man with the blue
ring on his finger asked the other man whether Murdock had been heard
from."
"Who is Murdock?"
"I don't know, unless he is another member of the gang or unless that
is an assumed name."
"It may be that. What else did you hear?"
"The man we know as Morse replied that he hadn't heard from him, but
that he suspected Murdock was playing a double game. Then the
tramp--Happy Harry--asked this question: 'Have you any clew to the
sparkler?' And Morse answered: 'No, but I think Murdock has hid it
somewhere and is trying to get away with it without giving us our
share.' Then the two men walked away, and I came back to the hotel,"
finished Mr. Swift.
"Sparkler," murmured Tom. "I wonder what that can be?"
"That's a slang word for diamonds," suggested Ned.
"So it is. In that case, dad, I think we have nothing to worry about.
Those fellows must be going to commit a diamond robbery or perhaps it
has already taken place."
The inventor seemed relieved at this theory of his son. His face
brightened and he said: "If they are going to commit a robbery, Tom, we
ought to notify the police."
"But if they said that 'Murdock,' whoever he is, had the sparkler and
was trying to get away with it without giving them their share,
wouldn't that indicate that the robbery had already taken place?" asked
Ned.
"That's so," agreed Tom. "But it won't do any harm to tell the hotel
detective that suspicious characters are around, no matter if the robbery
has been committed. Then he can be on the lookout. But I don't think we
have anything to worry about, dad. Still, if you like, I'll take a run
down to the house to see that everything is all right, though I'm sure
it will be found that we have nothing to be alarmed over."
"Well, I will be more relieved if you do," said the inventor, "However,
suppose we have a good supper now and you boys can stay at the hotel
to-night. Then you and Ned can start off early in the morning."
"All right," agreed Tom, but there was a thoughtful look on his face
and he appeared to be planning something that needed careful attention
to details.
After supper that night Tom took his chum to one side and asked: "Would
you mind very much if you didn't make the trip to Shopton with me?"
"No, Tom, of course not, if it will help you any. Do you want me to
stay here?"
"I think it will be a good plan. I don't like to leave dad alone if
those scoundrels are around. Of course he's able to look after
himself, but sometimes he gets absent minded from thinking too much
about his inventions."
"Of course I'll stay here at the hotel. This is just as good a
vacation as I could wish."
"Oh, I don't mean all the while. Just a day or so--until I come back.
I may be here again by to-morrow night and find that my father is
needlessly alarmed. Then something may have happened at home and I
would be delayed. If I should be, I'd feel better to know that you
were here."
"Then I'll stay, and if I see any of those men--"
"You'd better steer clear of them," advised Tom quickly. "They are
dangerous customers."
"All right. Then I'll go over and give Miss Nestor lessons on how to
run a motor-boat," was the smiling response. "I fancy, with what she
and I know, we can make out pretty well."
"Hold on there!" cried Tom gaily. "No trespassing, you know."
"Oh, I'll just say I'm your agent," promised Ned with a grin. "You
can't object to that."
"No, I s'pose not. Well, do the best you can. She is certainly a nice
girl."
"Yes, but you do seem to turn up at most opportune times. Luck is
certainly with you where she is concerned. First you save her in a
runaway--"
"After I start the runaway," interrupted Tom.
"Then you take her for a ride in your motor-boat, and, lastly, you come
to her relief when she is stalled in the middle of the lake. Oh you
certainly are a lucky dog!"
"Never mind, I'm giving you a show. Now let's get to bed early, as I
want to get a good start."
Tom awoke to find a nasty, drizzling rainstorm in progress, and the
lake was almost hidden from view by a swirling fog. Still he was not
to be daunted from his trip to Shopton by the weather, and, after a
substantial breakfast, he bade his father and Ned good-by and started
off in the ARROW.
The canopy he had provided was an efficient protection against the
rain, a celluloid window in the forward hanging curtains affording him
a view so that he could steer.
Through the mist puffed the boat, the motor being throttled down to
medium speed, for Tom was not as familiar with the lake as he would
like to have been, and he did not want to run aground or into another
craft.
He was thinking over what his father had told him about the presence of
the men and vainly wondering what might be their reference to the
"sparkler." His thoughts also dwelt on the curious removal of the
bracing block from under the gasoline tank of his boat.
"I shouldn't be surprised but what Andy Foger did that," he mused.
"Some day he and I will have a grand fight, and then maybe he'll let me
alone. Well, I've got other things to think about now. The hotel
detective can keep a lookout for the men around the hotel, after the
warning I gave him, and I'll see that all is right at home."
The fog lifted somewhat and Tom put on more speed. As he was steering
the boat along near shore he heard, off to the woods at his right, the
report of a gun. It came so suddenly that he jumped involuntarily. A
moment later there sounded, plainly through the damp air, a cry for
help.
"Some one's hurt--shot!" cried the youth aloud.
He turned the boat in toward the bank. As he shut off the power from
the motor he heard the cry again:
"Help! Help! Help!"
"I must go ashore!" he exclaimed. "Probably some one is badly wounded
by a gun."
He paused for a moment as the fear came to him that it might be some of
the patent thieves. Then, dismissing that idea as the ARROW's prow
touched the gravel, Tom sprang out, drew the boat up a little way,
fastened the rope to a tree and hurried off into the dripping woods in
the direction of the voice that was calling for aid.