CHAPTER XIV
THE ARROW DISAPPEARS
Paying no heed to the occupants of the bully's boat, who, by reason oftheir daring, had been responsible for his accident that might haveresulted seriously, Tom was soon at his dock. He had it convenientlyarranged for hoisting craft out of the water to repair them, and in afew minutes the stern of the ARROW was elevated so that he could get atthe rudder.
"Well, it's not as bad as I thought," he remarked when, with criticaleye, he had noted the damage done. "I can fix it in about an hour ifGarret helps me."
Going up to the house to get some tools and to tell the engineer thathe had returned, Tom looked out over the lake and saw Andy's boatmoving slowly off.
"They've got her fixed up in some kind of shape," he murmured. "It's ashame for a chump like Andy to have a good boat like that. He'll spoilit in one season. He's getting altogether too reckless. First thinghe knows, he and I will have a clash and I'll pay back some of the oldscores."
Mr. Jackson was much surprised to see the young inventor home again sosoon, as was also Mrs. Baggert. Tom explained what had happened, andhe and the engineer went to work repairing the damage done by the REDSTREAK. As the owner of the ARROW had anticipated, the work did nottake long, and, shortly before dinner time, the boat was ready toresume the interrupted trip to Sandport.
"Better stay and have lunch," urged Mrs. Baggert. "You can hardly getto the hotel by night, anyhow, and maybe it would be better not tostart 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 havedinner here, and, if necessary, I can do the last half of the tripafter dark. I know the way now and I have a compass and a goodsearchlight."
The ARROW was let down into the water again and tied outside theboathouse ready for a quick start. The dinner Mrs. Baggert providedwas so good that Tom lingered over it longer than he meant to, and heasked for a second apple dumpling with hard sauce on. So it was with avery comfortable feeling indeed and with an almost forgiving spirittoward 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 seeany more of those men and that dad hasn't been bothered by them. Hissuspicions about the house weren't altogether unfounded, for I did seethe tramp and some one else sneaking around, but I don't believethey'll come back now."
Tom swung around the path that led to the dock. As he came in sight ofthe 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 thestring-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. Breakinginto 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," hesaid hopefully. "He knows how to run a boat. Maybe he wanted to seehow the rudder behaved and is out in it now. He got through dinnerbefore I did. But I should have thought he'd have said something to meif 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 backtoward the house.
The first person he met as he headed for the group of small structureswhere Mr. Swift's inventive work was carried on was Garret Jackson, theengineer.
"I--I thought you were out in my boat!" stammered Tom.
"Your boat! Why would I be out in your boat?" and Mr. Jackson removedhis 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 hurrieddown to the dock, but the addition of another pair of eyes was of noassistance in locating the ARROW. The trim little motor craft wasnowhere to be seen.
"I can't understand it," said Tom helplessly. "I wasn't gone more thanan 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 andno currents in the lake. But it could easily have been towed off bysome one in a rowboat and then you would not have heard the motorstart."
"That's so," agreed the youth. "That's probably how they did it. Theysneaked 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. Theystole 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'reon 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 beenkeeping watch, and as soon as they saw the dock unprotected theysneaked 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 croniesdid it to annoy me. They have been trying to get even with me-or atleast Andy has--for outbidding him on this boat. He's tried severaltimes, but he hasn't succeeded--until now. I'm sure Andy Foger has myboat," and Tom, with a grim tightening of his lips, swung around asthough 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 tellme where my boat is."
"Hadn't you better send some word to your father? You can hardly getto 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 dothat either, for he'd only worry and maybe get sick. I'll just tellhim I've had a little accident, that Andy ran into me and that I can'tcome back to the hotel for a day or two. Maybe I'll be lucky to findmy boat in that time. But dad won't worry then, and, when I see him, Ican 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 himand Ned, but there was no help for it, and, with as cheerful voice ashe could assume, the lad promised to start for Sandport at the earliestopportunity.
"Now to find Andy and my boat!" Tom exclaimed as he hung up thetelephone receiver.