CHAPTER XXIV.
UNEXPECTED HELP
Tom rushed on through the woods. The lighted room into which he hadbeen looking had temporarily blinded him when it came to plunginginto the darkness again, and he could not see where he was going. Hecrashed full-tilt into a tree, and was thrown backward. Bruised andcut, he picked himself up and rushed off in another direction.Fortunately he struck into some sort of a path, probably one made bycows, and then, as his eyes recovered their faculties, he coulddimly distinguish the trees on either side of him and avoid them.
His heart, that was beating fiercely, calmed down after his firstfright, and when he had run on for several minutes he stopped.
"That--that must--have been--the--the man--from the boat," pantedour hero, whispering to himself. "He came back and saw me. I wonderif he's after me yet?"
Tom listened. The only sound he could hear was the trill and chirpof the insects of the woods. The pursuit, which had lasted only afew minutes, was over. But it might be resumed at any moment. Tomwas not safe yet, he thought, and he kept on.
"I wonder where I am? I wonder where my motor-cycle is? I wonderwhat I had better do?" he asked himself.
Three big questions, and no way of settling them; Tom pulled himselfup sharply.
"I've got to think this thing out," he resumed. "They can't find mein these woods to-night, that's sure, unless they get dogs, andthey're not likely to do that. So I'm safe that far. But that'sabout all that is in my favor. I won't dare to go back to the house,even if I could find it in this blackness, which is doubtful. Itwouldn't be safe, for they'll be on guard now. It looks as though Iwas up against it. I'm afraid they may imagine the police are afterthem, and go away. If they do, and take the model and papers withthem, I'll have an awful job to locate them again, and probably Iwon't be able to. That's the worst of it. Here I have everythingright under my hands, and I can't do a thing. If I only had some oneto help me; some one to leave on guard while I went for the police.I'm one against three--no, four, for the man in the boat is back.Let's see what can I do?"
Then a sudden plan came to him.
"The lake shore!" he exclaimed, half aloud. "I'll go down there andkeep watch. If they escape they'll probably go in the boat, for theywouldn't venture through the woods at night. That's it. I'll watchon shore, and if they do leave in the boat--" He paused again,undecided. "Why, if they do," he finished, "I'll sing out, and makesuch a row that they'll think the whole countryside is after them.That may drive them back, or they may drop the box containing thepapers and model, and cut for it. If they do I'll be all right. Idon't care about capturing them, if I can get dad's model back."
He felt more like himself, now that he had mapped out another plan.
"The first thing to do is to locate the lake," reasoned Tom. "Let'ssee; I ran in a straight line away from the house--that is, asnearly straight as I could. Now if I turn around and go straightback, bearing off a little to the left, I ought to come to thewater. I'll do it."
But it was not so easy as Tom imagined, and several times he foundhimself in the midst of almost impenetrable bushes. He kept on,however, and soon had the satisfaction of emerging from the woodsout on the shore of the lake. Then, having gotten his bearings aswell as he could in the darkness, he moved down until he was nearthe deserted house. The light was still showing from the window, andTom judged by this that the men had not taken fright and fled.
"I suppose I could sneak down and set the motor-boat adrift," heargued. "That would prevent them leaving by way of the lake, anyhow.That's what I'll do! I'll cut off one means of escape. I'll set theboat adrift!"
Very cautiously he advanced toward where he had seen the small craftput out. He was on his guard, for he feared the men would be on thewatch, but he reached the dock in safety, and was loosening the ropethat tied the boat to the little wharf when another thought came tohim.
"Why set this boat adrift?" he reasoned. "It is too good a boat totreat that way, and, besides, it will make a good place for me tospend the rest of the night. I've got to stay around here untilmorning, and then I'll see if I can't get help. I'll justappropriate this boat for my own use. They have dad's model, andI'll take their boat."
Softly he got into the craft, and with an oar which was kept in itto propel it in case the engine gave out, he poled it along theshore of the lake until he was some distance away from the dock.
That afternoon he had seen a secluded place along the shore, a spotwhere overhanging bushes made a good hiding place, and for this heheaded the craft. A little later it was completely out of sight, andTom stretched out on the cushioned seats, pulling a tarpaulin overhim. There he prepared to spend the rest of the night.
"They can't get away except through the woods now, which I don'tbelieve they'll do," he thought, "and this is better for me thanstaying out under a tree. I'm glad I thought of it."
The youth, naturally, did not pass a very comfortable night, thoughhis bed was not a half bad one. He fell into uneasy dozes, only toarouse, thinking the men in the old mansion were trying to escape.Then he would sit up and listen, but he could hear nothing. Itseemed as if morning would never come, but at length the stars beganto fade, and the sky seemed overcast with a filmy, white veil. Tomsat up, rubbed his smarting eyes, and stretched his cramped limbs.
"Oh, for a hot cup of coffee!" he exclaimed. "But not for mine,until I land these chaps where they belong. Now the question is, howcan I get help to capture them?"
His hunger was forgotten in this. He stepped from the boat to asecluded spot on the shore. The craft, he noted, was well hidden.
"I've got to go back to where I left my motor-cycle, jump on that,and ride for aid," he reasoned. "Maybe I can get the charcoal-burnerto go for me, while I come back and stand guard. I guess that wouldbe the best plan. I certainly ought to be on hand, for there is notelling when these fellows will skip out with the model, if theyhaven't gone already. I hate to leave, yet I've got to. It's theonly way. I wish I'd done as dad suggested, and brought help. Butit's too late for that. Well, I'm off."
Tom took a last look at the motor-boat, which was a fine one. Hewished it was his. Then he struck through the woods. He had hisbearings now, and was soon at the place where he had left hismachine. It had not been disturbed. He caught a glimpse of the oldmansion on his way out of the woods. There appeared to be no onestirring about it.
"I hope my birds haven't flown!" he exclaimed, and the thought gavehim such uneasiness that he put it from him. Pushing his heavymachine ahead of him until he came to a good road, he mounted it,and was soon at the charcoal-burner's shack. There came no answer tohis knock, and Tom pushed open the door. The old man was not in. Tomcould not send him for help.
"My luck seems to be against me!" he murmured. "But I can getsomething to eat here, anyhow. I'm almost starved!"
He found the kitchen utensils, and made some coffee, also fryingsome bacon and eggs. Then, feeling much refreshed, and having lefton the table some money to pay for the inroad he had made on thevictuals, he started to go outside.
As our hero stepped to the door he was greeted by a savage growlthat made him start in alarm.
"A dog!" he mused. "I didn't know there was one around."
He looked outside and there, to his dismay, saw a big,savage-appearing bulldog standing close to where he had left hismotor-cycle. The animal had been sniffing suspiciously at the machine.
"Good dog!" called Tom. "Come here!"
But the bulldog did not come. Instead the beast stood still, showedhis teeth to Tom and growled in a low tone.
"Wonder if the owner can be near?" mused the young inventor. "Thatdog won't let me get my machine, I am afraid."
Tom spoke to the animal again and again the dog growled and showedhis teeth. He next made a move as if to leap into the house, and Tomquickly stepped back and banged shut the door.
"Well, if this isn't the worst yet!" cried the youth to himself."Here, just at the time I want to be off, I must be held up by sucha brute as that out
side. Wonder how long he'll keep me a prisoner?"
Tom went to a window and peered out. No person had appeared and thelad rightly surmised that the bulldog had come to the cottage alone.The beast appeared to be hungry, and this gave Tom a sudden idea.
"Maybe if I feed him, he'll forget that I am around and give me achance to get away," he reasoned. "Guess I had better try that dodgeon him."
Tom looked around the cottage and at last found the remains of achicken dinner the owner had left behind. He picked up some of thebones and called the bulldog. The animal came up rathersuspiciously. Tom threw him one bone, which he proceeded to crunchup vigorously.
"He's hungry right enough," mused Tom. "I guess he'd like to samplemy leg. But he's not going to do it--not if I can help it."
At the back of the cottage was a little shed, the door to whichstood open. Tom threw a bone near to the door of this shed and thenmanaged to throw another bone inside the place. The bulldog foundthe first bone and then disappeared after the second.
"Now is my time, I guess," the young inventor told himself, andwatching his chance, he ran from the cottage toward his motor-cycle.He made no noise and quickly shoved the machine into the roadway.Just as he turned on the power the bulldog came out of the shed,barking furiously.
"You've missed it!" said Tom grimly as the machine started, andquickly the cottage and the bulldog were left behind. The road wasrough for a short distance and he had to pay strict attention towhat he was doing.
"I've got to ride to the nearest village," he said. "It's a longdistance, and, in the meanwhile, the men may escape. But I can't doanything else. I dare not tackle them alone, and there is no tellingwhen the charcoal-burner may come back. I've got to make speed,that's all."
Out on the main road the lad sent his machine ahead at a fast pace.He was fairly humming along when, suddenly, from around a curve inthe highway he heard the "honk-honk" of an automobile horn. For aninstant his heart failed him.
"I wonder if those are the thieves? Maybe they have left the house,and are in their auto!" he whispered as he slowed down his machine.
The automobile appeared to have halted. As Tom came nearer the turnhe heard voices. At the sound of one he started. The voiceexclaimed:
"Bless my spectacles! What's wrong now? I thought that when I got thisautomobile I would enjoy life, but it's as bad as my motor-cycle wasfor going wrong! Bless my very existence, but has anything happened?"
"Mr. Damon!" exclaimed Tom, for he recognized the eccentricindividual of whom he had obtained the motor-cycle.
The next moment Tom was in sight of a big touring car, containing,not only Mr. Damon, whom Tom recognized at once, but three othergentlemen.
"Oh, Mr. Damon," cried Tom, "will you help me capture a gang ofthieves? They are in a deserted mansion in the woods, and they haveone of my father's patent models! Will you help me, Mr. Damon?"
"Why, bless my top-knots," exclaimed the odd gentleman. "If it isn'tTom Swift, the young inventor! Bless my very happiness! There's mymotor-cycle, too! Help you? Why, of course we will. Bless myshoe-leather! Of course we'll help you!"