Produced by Ronald Benninghoff, Erin Hartshorne and George Joseph.
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT
Or
The Rivals of Lake Carlopa
By
VICTOR APPLETON
CONTENTS
I A Motor-boat Auction II Some Lively Bidding III A Timely Warning IV Tom And Andy Clash V A Test Of Speed VI Towing Some Girls VII A Brush With Andy VIII Off On A Trip IX Mr. Swift Is Alarmed X A Cry For Help XI A Quick Run XII Suspicious Characters XIII Tom In Danger XIV The ARROW Disappears XV A Damaging Statement XVI Still On The Search XVII "There She Is!" XVIII The Pursuit XIX A Quiet Cruise XX News Of A Robbery XXI The Balloon On Fire XXII The Rescue XXIII Plans For An Airship XXIV The Mystery Solved XXV Winning A Race
CHAPTER I
A MOTOR-BOAT AUCTION
"Where are you going, Tom?" asked Mr. Barton Swift of his son as theyoung man was slowly pushing his motor-cycle out of the yard toward thecountry road. "You look as though you had some object in view."
"So I have, dad. I'm going over to Lanton."
"To Lanton? What for?"
"I want to have a look at that motor-boat."
"Which boat is that, Tom? I don't recall your speaking about a boatover at Lanton. What do you want to look at it for?"
"It's the motor-boat those fellows had who tried to get away with yourturbine model invention, dad. The one they used at the old GeneralHarkness mansion, in the woods near the lake, and the same boat thatfellow used when he got away from me the day I was chasing him here."
"Oh, yes, I remember now. But what is the boat doing over at Lanton?"
"That's where it belongs. It's the property of Mr. Bently Hastings.The thieves stole it from him, and when they ran away from the oldmansion, the time Mr. Damon and I raided the place, they left the boaton the lake. I turned it over to the county authorities, and theyfound out it belonged to Mr. Hastings. He has it back now, but Iunderstand it's somewhat damaged, and he wants to get rid of it. He'sgoing to sell it at auction to-day, and I thought I'd go over and takea look at it. You see--"
"Yes, I see, Tom," exclaimed Mr. Swift with a laugh. "I see whatyou're aiming at. You want a motor-boat, and you're going all aroundRobin Hood's barn to get at it."
"No, dad, I only--"
"Oh, I know you, Tom, my lad!" interrupted the inventor, shaking hisfinger at his son, who seemed somewhat confused. "You have a nicerowing skiff and a sailboat, yet you are hankering for a motor-boat.Come now, own up. Aren't you?"
"Well, dad, a motor-boat certainly would go fine on Lake Carlopa.There's plenty of room to speed her, and I wonder there aren't more ofthem. I was going to see what Mr. Hastings' boat would sell for, but Ididn't exactly think of buying it' Still--"
"But you wouldn't buy a damaged boat, would you?"
"It isn't much damaged," and in his eagerness the young inventor (forTom Swift had taken out several patents) stood his motor-cycle upagainst the fence and came closer to his father. "It's only slightlydamaged," he went on. "I can easily fix it. I looked it all overbefore I gave it in charge of the authorities, and it's certainly afine boat. It's worth nine hundred dollars--or it was when it was new."
"That's a good deal of money for a boat," and Mr. Swift looked serious,for though he was well off, he was inclined to be conservative.
"Oh, I shouldn't think of paying that much. In fact, dad, I really hadno idea of bidding at the auction. I only thought I'd go over and getan idea of what the boat might sell for. Perhaps some day--"
Tom paused. Since his father had begun to question him some new planshad come into the lad's head. He looked at his parent and saw a smilebeginning to work around the corners of Mr. Swift's lips. There wasalso a humorous look in the eyes of the older inventor. He understoodboys fairly well, even if he only had one, and he knew Tom perfectly.
"Would you really like to make a bid on that boat Tom?" he asked.
"Would I, dad? Well--" The youth did not finish, but his father knewwhat he meant.
"I suppose a motor-boat would be a nice thing to have on Lake Carlopa,"went on Mr. Swift musingly. "You and I could take frequent trips init. It isn't like a motor-cycle, only useful for one. What do yousuppose the boat will go for, Tom?"
"I hardly know. Not a high price, I believe, for motor-boats are sonew on our lake that few persons will take a chance on them. But ifMr. Hastings is getting another, he will not be so particular aboutinsisting on a high price for the old one. Then, too, the fact that itis damaged will help to keep the price down, though I know I can easilyput it in good shape. I would like to make a bid, if you think it'sall right."
"Well, I guess you may, Tom, if you really want it. You have money ofyour own and a motor-boat is not a bad investment. What do you thinkought to be the limit?"
"Would you consider a hundred and fifty dollars too high?"
Mr. Swift looked at Tom critically. He was plainly going over severalmatters in his mind, and not the least of them was the pluck his sonhad shown in getting back some valuable papers and a model from a gangof thieves. The lad certainly was entitled to some reward, and toallow him to get a boat might properly be part of it.
"I think you could safely go as high as two hundred dollars, Tom," saidMr. Swift at length. "That would be my limit on a damaged boat for itmight be better to pay a little more and get a new one. However, useyour own judgment, but don't go over two hundred. So the thieves whomade so much trouble for me stole that boat from Mr. Hastings, eh?"
"Yes, and they didn't take much care of it either. They damaged theengine, but the hull is in good shape. I'm ever so glad you'll let mebid on it. I'll start right off. The auction is at ten o'clock and Ihaven't more than time to get there."
"Now be careful how you bid. Don't raise your own figures, as I'vesometimes seen women, and men too, do in their excitement. Somebodymay go over your head; and if he does, let them. If you get the boatI'll be very glad on your account. But don't bring any of AnsonMorse's gang back in it with you. I've seen enough of them."
"I'll not dad!" cried Tom as he trundled his motor-cycle out of thegate and into the country road that led to the village of Shopton,where he lived, and to Lanton, where the auction was to be held. Theyoung inventor had not gone far before he turned back, leaving hismachine standing on the side path.
"What's the matter?" asked his father, who had started toward one ofseveral machine shops on the premises--shops where Mr. Swift and hisson did inventive work.
"Guess I'd better get a blank check and some money," replied Tom as heentered the house. "I'll need to pay a deposit if I secure the boat."
"That's so. Well, good luck," and with his mind busy on a plan for anew kind of storage battery, the inventor went on to his workroom. Tomgot some cash and his checkbook from a small safe he owned and was soonspeeding over the road to Lanton, his motor-cycle making quite a cloudof dust. While he is thus hurrying along to the auction I will tellyou something about him.
Tom Swift, son of Barton Swift, lived with his father and a motherlyhousekeeper, Mrs. Baggert, in a large house on the outskirts of thetown of Shopton, in New York State. Mr. Swift had acquiredconsiderable wealth from his many inventions and patents, but he didnot give up working out his ideas simply because he had plenty ofmoney. Tom followed in the footsteps of his parent and had alreadytaken out several patents.
Shortly before this story opens the youth had become possessed of amotor-cycle in a peculiar fashion. As told in the first volume of thisseries, entitled "Tom
Swift and His Motor-cycle," Tom was riding to thetown of Mansburg on an errand for his father one day when he was nearlyrun down by a motorcyclist. A little later the same motorcyclist, whowas a Mr. Wakefield Damon, of Waterfield, collided with a tree nearTom's home and was severely cut and bruised, the machine being broken.Tom and his father cared for the injured rider, and Mr. Damon, who wasan eccentric individual, was so disheartened by his attempts to ridethe motor-cycle that he sold it to Tom for fifty dollars, though it hadcost much more.
About the same time that Tom bought the motor-cycle a firm of rascallylawyers, Smeak & Katch by name, had, in conjunction with several men,made an attempt to get control of an invention of a turbine motorperfected by Mr. Swift. The men, who were Ferguson Appleson, AnsonMorse, Wilson Featherton, alias Simpson, and Jake Burke, alias HappyHarry, who sometimes disguised himself as a tramp, tried several timesto steal the model.
Their anxiety to get it was due to the fact that they had invested alarge sum in a turbine motor invented by another man, but their motorwould not work and they sought to steal Mr. Swift's. Tom was sent toAlbany on his motor-cycle to deliver the model and some valuable papersto Mr. Crawford, of the law firm of Reid & Crawford, of Washington,attorneys for Mr. Swift. Mr. Crawford had an errand in Albany and hadagreed to meet Tom there with the model.
But, on the way, Tom was attacked by the gang of unscrupulous men andthe model was stolen. He was assaulted and carried far away in anautomobile. In an attempt to capture the gang in a deserted mansion,in the woods on the shore of Lake Carlopa, Tom was aided by Mr. Damon,of whom he had purchased the motor-cycle. The men escaped, however,and nothing could be done to punish them.
Tom was thinking of the exciting scenes he had passed through about amonth previous as he spun along the road leading to Lanton.
"I hope I don't meet Happy Harry or any of his gang to-day," mused thelad as he turned on a little more power to enable his machine to mounta hill. "I don't believe they'll attend the auction, though. It wouldbe too risky for them."
As Tom swung along at a rapid pace he heard, behind him, the puffing ofan automobile, with the muffler cut out. He turned and cast a hastyglance behind.
"I hope that ain't Andy Foger or any of his cronies," he said tohimself. "He might try to run me down just for spite. He generallyrushes along with the muffler open so as to attract attention and makefolks think he has a racing car."
It was not Andy, however, as Tom saw a little later, as a man passedhim in a big touring car. Andy Foger, as my readers will recollect,was a red-haired, squinty-eyed lad with plenty of money and not muchelse. He and his cronies, including Sam Snedecker, nearly ran Tom downone day, when the latter was on his bicycle, as told in the firstvolume of this series. Andy had been off on a tour with his chumsduring the time when Tom was having such strenuous adventures and hadrecently returned.
"If I can only get that boat," mused Tom as he swung back into themiddle of the road after the auto had passed him, "I certainly willhave lots of fun. I'll make a week's tour of Lake Carlopa and take dadand Ned Newton with me." Ned was Tom's most particular chum, but asyoung Newton was employed in the Shopton bank, the lad did not havemuch time for pleasure. Lake Carlopa was a large body of water, and itwould take a moderately powered boat several days to make a completecircuit of the shore, so cut up into bays and inlets was it.
In about an hour Tom was at Lanton, and as he neared the home of Mr.Hastings, which was on the shore of the lake, he saw quite a thronggoing down toward the boathouse.
"There'll be some lively bidding," thought Tom as he got off hismachine and pushed it ahead of him through the drive and down towardthe river. "I hope they don't go above two hundred dollars, though."
"Get out the way there!" called a sudden voice, and looking back, Tomsaw that an automobile had crept up silently behind him. In it wereAndy Foger and Sam Snedecker. "Why don't you get out the way?"petulantly demanded the red-haired lad.
"Because I don't choose to," replied Tom calmly, knowing that Andywould never dare to speed up his machine on the slope leading down tothe lake.
"Go ahead, bump him!" the young inventor heard Sam whisper.
"You'd better try it, if you want to get the best trouncing you everhad!" cried Tom hotly.
"Hu! I s'pose you think you're going to bid on the boat?" sneered Andy.
"Is there any law against it?" asked Tom.
"Hu! Well, you'll not get it. I'm going to take that boat," retortedthe squint-eyed bully. "Dad gave me the money to get it."
"All right," answered Tom non-committally. "Go ahead. It's a freecountry."
He stood his motor-cycle up against a tree and went toward a group ofpersons who were surrounding the auctioneer. The time had arrived tostart the sale. As Tom edged in closer he brushed against a man wholooked at him sharply. The lad was just wondering if he had ever seenthe individual before, as there seemed to be something strangelyfamiliar about him, when the man turned quickly away, as if afraid ofbeing recognized.
"That's odd," thought Tom, but he had no further time for speculation,as the auctioneer was mounting on a soapbox and had begun to addressthe gathering.