THE ARROW DISAPPEARS
Paying no heed to the occupants of the bully's boat, who, by reason of
their daring, had been responsible for his accident that might have
resulted seriously, Tom was soon at his dock. He had it conveniently
arranged for hoisting craft out of the water to repair them, and in a
few minutes the stern of the ARROW was elevated so that he could get at
the rudder.
"Well, it's not as bad as I thought," he remarked when, with critical
eye, he had noted the damage done. "I can fix it in about an hour if
Garret helps me."
Going up to the house to get some tools and to tell the engineer that
he had returned, Tom looked out over the lake and saw Andy's boat
moving slowly off.
"They've got her fixed up in some kind of shape," he murmured. "It's a
shame for a chump like Andy to have a good boat like that. He'll spoil
it in one season. He's getting altogether too reckless. First thing
he knows, he and I will have a clash and I'll pay back some of the old
scores."
Mr. Jackson was much surprised to see the young inventor home again so
soon, as was also Mrs. Baggert. Tom explained what had happened, and
he and the engineer went to work repairing the damage done by the RED
STREAK. As the owner of the ARROW had anticipated, the work did not
take long, and, shortly before dinner time, the boat was ready to
resume the interrupted trip to Sandport.
"Better stay and have lunch," urged Mrs. Baggert. "You can hardly get
to the hotel by night, anyhow, and maybe it would be better not to
start until to-morrow."
"No, I must get back to-night or dad would be worried," declared Tom.
"I've been gone longer now than I calculated on. But I will have
dinner here, and, if necessary, I can do the last half of the trip
after dark. I know the way now and I have a compass and a good
searchlight."
The ARROW was let down into the water again and tied outside the
boathouse ready for a quick start. The dinner Mrs. Baggert provided
was so good that Tom lingered over it longer than he meant to, and he
asked for a second apple dumpling with hard sauce on. So it was with a
very comfortable feeling indeed and with an almost forgiving spirit
toward Andy Foger that our hero started down the path to the lake.
"Now for a quick run to Sandport," he said aloud. "I hope I shan't see
any more of those men and that dad hasn't been bothered by them. His
suspicions about the house weren't altogether unfounded, for I did see
the tramp and some one else sneaking around, but I don't believe
they'll come back now."
Tom swung around the path that led to the dock. As he came in sight of
the water, he stared as if he could not believe what he saw, or,
rather, what he did not see. For there was no craft tied to the
string-piece, where he had fastened his motor-boat. He looked again,
rubbed his eyes to make sure and then cried out:
"The ARROW is gone!"
There was no doubt of it. The craft was not at the dock. Breaking
into a run, Tom hastened to the boathouse. The ARROW was not in there,
and a look across the lake showed only a few rowboats in sight.
"That's mighty funny," mused the youth. "I wonder--"
He paused suddenly in his thoughts.
"Maybe Garret took it out to try and see that it worked all right," he
said hopefully. "He knows how to run a boat. Maybe he wanted to see
how the rudder behaved and is out in it now. He got through dinner
before I did. But I should have thought he'd have said something to me
if he was going out in it."
This was the one weak point in Tom's theory, and he felt it at once.
"I'll see if Garret is in his shop," he went on as he turned back
toward the house.
The first person he met as he headed for the group of small structures
where Mr. Swift's inventive work was carried on was Garret Jackson, the
engineer.
"I--I thought you were out in my boat!" stammered Tom.
"Your boat! Why would I be out in your boat?" and Mr. Jackson removed
his pipe from his mouth and stared at the young inventor.
"Because it's gone!"
"Gone!" repeated the engineer, and then Tom told him. The two hurried
down to the dock, but the addition of another pair of eyes was of no
assistance in locating the ARROW. The trim little motor craft was
nowhere to be seen.
"I can't understand it," said Tom helplessly. "I wasn't gone more than
an hour at dinner, and yet--"
"It doesn't take long to steal a motor-boat," commented the engineer.
"But I think I would have heard them start it," went on the lad.
"Maybe it drifted off, though I'm sure I tied it securely."
"No, there's not much likelihood of that. There's no wind to-day and
no currents in the lake. But it could easily have been towed off by
some one in a rowboat and then you would not have heard the motor
start."
"That's so," agreed the youth. "That's probably how they did it. They
sneaked up here in a rowboat and towed the ARROW off. I'm sure of it."
"And I'll wager I know who did it," exclaimed Mr. Jackson energetically.
"Who?" demanded Tom quickly.
"Those men who were sneaking around--Happy Harry and his gang. They
stole the boat once and they'd do it again. Those men took your boat,
Tom."
The young inventor shook his head.
"No," he answered, "I don't believe they did."
"Why not?"
"Well, because they wouldn't dare come back here when they knew we're
on the lookout for them. It would be too risky."
"Oh, those fellows don't care for risk," was the opinion of Mr.
Jackson. "Take my word for it, they have your boat. They have been
keeping watch, and as soon as they saw the dock unprotected they
sneaked up and stole the ARROW."
"I don't think so," repeated Mr. Swift's son.
"Who do you think took it then?"
"Andy Foger!" was the quick response. "I believe he and his cronies
did it to annoy me. They have been trying to get even with me-or at
least Andy has--for outbidding him on this boat. He's tried several
times, but he hasn't succeeded--until now. I'm sure Andy Foger has my
boat," and Tom, with a grim tightening of his lips, swung around as
though to start in instant pursuit.
"Where are you going?" asked Mr. Jackson.
"To find Andy and his cronies. When I locate them I'll make them tell
me where my boat is."
"Hadn't you better send some word to your father? You can hardly get
to Sandport now, and he'll be worried about you."
"That's so, I will. I'll telephone dad that the boat--no, I'll not do
that either, for he'd only worry and maybe get sick. I'll just tell
him I've had a little accident, that Andy ran into me and that I can't
come back to the hotel for a day or two. Maybe I'll be lucky to find
my boat in that time. But dad won't worry then, and, when I see him, I
can explain. That's what I'll do," and Tom was soon talking to Mr.
Swift by telephone.
The inventor was very sorry his son could not come back to rejoin him
and Ned, but there was no help for it, and, with as cheerful voice as
he could assume, the lad promised to start for Sandport at the earliest
opportunity.
"Now to find Andy and my boat!" Tom exclaimed as he hung up the
telephone receiver.