swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第21部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Mr。 Damon in possession of the facts and he ended up with：
〃I don't suppose you have seen anything of the men in my boat； have
you？〃
Mr。 Damon seemed strangely excited。 He had entered his auto； but as
the lad's story progressed the odd gentleman had descended。 When Tom
finished he exclaimed：
〃Don't say a word now…not a word。 I want to think； and that is a
process； which； for me； requires a little time。 Don't speak a word now。
Bless my left hand； but I think I can help you！〃
He frowned； stamped first one foot； then the other； looked up at the
sky； as if seeking inspiration there； and then down at the ground； as if that
would help him to think。 Then he clapped his hands smartly together and
cried out：
〃Bless my shoe buttons！〃
86
… Page 87…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃Have you seen them？〃 asked Tom eagerly。
〃Was your boat one with a red arrow painted on the bow？〃 asked Mr。
Damon in turn。
〃It was！〃 and the lad was now almost as excited as was his friend。
〃Then I've seen it and； what's more； this morning！ Bless my spark
plug； I've seen it！〃
〃Tell me about it！〃 pleaded the young inventor； and Mr。 Damon；
calming himself after an effort； resumed：
〃I was out for an early spin in my auto；〃 he said； 〃and was traveling
along a road that bordered the lake； about fifteen miles above here。 I
heard a motor…boat puffing along near shore； and； looking through the
trees； I saw one containing three men。 It had a red arrow on the bow； and
that's why I noticed it； because I recalled that your boat was named the
DART。〃
〃ARROW；〃 corrected Tom。
〃The ARROW。 Oh； yes； I knew it was something like that。 Well of
course at the time I didn't think that it was your boat； but I associated it in
my mind with yours。 Do you catch my meaning？〃
Tom did and said so； wishing Mr。 Damon would hurry and get to the
point。 But the eccentric character had to do things in his own way。
〃Exactly；〃 he resumed。 〃Well； I didn't think that was your boat； but；
at the same time； I watched the men out of curiosity； and I was struck with
their behavior。 They seemed to be quarreling； and； from what I could
hear； two of them seemed to be remonstrating with the third one for
having taken some sort of a piece of wood from the forward compartment。
I believe that is the proper term。〃
〃Yes！〃 Tom almost shouted。 〃But where did they go？ What became
of them？ What was the man doing to the forward compartment… where
the gasoline tank is？〃
〃Exactly。 I was trying to think what was kept there。 That's it； the
gasoline tank。 Well； the boat kept on up the lake； and I don't know what
became of the men。 But about that piece of wood。 It seems that one of
the men removed a block； from under the tank and the others objected。
That's why they were quarreling。〃
87
… Page 88…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃That's very strange；〃 exclaimed the lad。 〃There must be some
mystery about my boat that I don't understand。 But that will keep until I
get the boat itself。 Good…by； Mr。 Damon。 I must be off。〃
〃Where to？〃
〃Up the lake after those thieves。 I must lose no time；〃 and Tom
started to go back to where he had left the RED STREAK。
〃Hold on！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃I have something to propose； Tom。
Two heads are better than one； even if one doesn't know how to adjust a
nutmeg grate。 Suppose I come along with you？ I can point out the
direction the men took； at any rate。〃
〃I'll be very glad to have you；〃 answered the lad； who felt that he
might need help if there were three of the thieves in his craft。 〃But what
will you do with your automobile？〃
〃I'll just run it down the road a way to where a friend of mine has a
stable。 I'll leave it in there and join you。 Will you let me come？ Bless
my eye glasses； but I'd like to help catch those scoundrels！〃
〃I'll be very glad to have you。 Go ahead； put the auto in the barn and
I'll wait for you。〃
〃I have a better plan than that；〃 replied Mr。 Damon。 〃Run your boat
down to that point；〃 and he indicated one about a mile up the lake。 〃I'll
be there waiting for you； and we'll lose no time。 I can cover the ground
faster in my auto than you can in your boat。〃
Tom saw the advantage of this and was soon under way； while he
heard on shore the puffing of his friend's car。 On the trip to the point
Tom puzzled over the strange actions of the man in taking one of the
braces from under the gasoline tank。
〃I'll wager he did it before；〃 thought the lad。 〃It must be the same
person who was tampering with the lock of the forward compartment the
day I bought the boat。 But why…that's the question…why？〃
He could find no answer to this； puzzle over it as he did； and he gave it
up。 His whole desire now was to get on the trail of the thieves； and he
had strong hopes； after the clew Mr。 Damon had given him。 The latter
was waiting for him on the point； and so nimble was the owner of the auto；
in spite of his size； that Tom was not delayed more than the fraction of a
88
… Page 89…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
minute ere he was under way again； speeding up the lake。
〃Now keep well in toward shore；〃 advised Mr。 Damon。 〃Those
fellows don't want to be observed any more than they can help； and they'll
sneak along the bank； They were headed in that direction；〃 and he pointed
it out。 〃Now I hope you won't think I'm in the way。 Besides； you know；
if you get your boat back； you'll want some one to help steer it； while you
run this one。 I can do that； at all events； bless my very existence！〃
〃I am very glad of your help；〃 replied the lad； but he did not take his
eyes from the water before him； and he was looking for a sight of his boat
with the men in it。
For three hours or more Tom and Mr。 Damon cruised in and out along
the shore of the lake； going farther and farther up the body of water。 Tom
was beginning to think that he would reach Sandport without catching
sight of the thieves； and he was wondering if； after all； he might not better
stop off and see his father when； above the puffing of the motor in the
RED STREAK； he heard the put…put of another boat。
〃Listen！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； who had heard it at the same time。
Tom nodded。
〃They're just ahead of us；〃 whispered his companion。
〃If it's them；〃 was the lad's reply。
〃Speed up and we'll soon see；〃 suggested Mr。； Damon； and Tom
shoved the timer over。 The RED STREAK forged ahead。 The sound of
the other boat came more plainly now。 It was beyond a little point of
land。 The young inventor steered out to get around it and leaned eagerly
forward to catch the first glimpse of the unseen craft。 Would it prove to
be the ARROW？
The put…put became louder now。 Mr。 Damon was standing up； as if
that would； in some mysterious way； help。 Then suddenly the other boat
came into view。 Tom saw it in an instant and knew it for the ARROW。
〃There she is！〃 he cried。
89
… Page 90…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER XVIII
THE PURSUIT
For an instant after Tom's exultant cry the men in the boat ahead were
not aware that they were being pursued。 Then； as the explosions from
the motor of the RED STREAK sounded over the water； they turned to see
who was coming up behind them。 There was no mistaking the attitude of
the young inventor and his companion。 They were leaning eagerly
forward； as if they could reach out and grasp the criminals who were
fleeing before them。
〃Put on all the speed you can； Tom！〃 begged Mr。 Damon。 〃We'll
catch the scoundrels now。 Speed up the motor！ Oh； if I only had my
automobile now。 〃Bless my crank shaft； but one can go so much faster
on land than on water。〃 The lad did not reply； but thought； with grim
humor； that running an automobile over Lake Carlopa would be no small
feat。 Mr。 Damon； however； knew what he was saying。
〃We'll catch them！ We'll nab 'em！〃 he cried。 〃Speed her up； Tom。〃
The youth was doing his best with the motor of the RED STREAK。
He was not as well acquainted with it as he was with the one in his boat；
but he knew； even better than Andy Foger； how to make it do efficient
work。 It was a forego
