CHAPTER XXV.
THE CAPTURE--GOOD-BY
Tom's story was soon told, and Mr. Damon quickly explained to hisfriends in the automobile how he had first made the acquaintance ofthe young inventor.
"But how does it happen that you are trusting yourself in a car likethis?" asked Tom. "I thought you were done with gasolene machines,Mr. Damon."
"I thought so, too, Tom, but, bless my batteries, my doctor insistedthat I must get out in the open air. I'm too stout to walk, and Ican't run. The only solution was in an automobile, for I never woulddream of a motor-cycle. I wonder that one of mine hasn't run awaywith you and killed you. But there! My automobile is nearly as bad.We went along very nicely yesterday, and now, just when I have aparty of friends out, something goes wrong. Bless my liver! I doseem to have the worst luck!"
Tom lost no time in looking for the trouble. He found it in theignition, and soon had it fixed. Then a sort of council of war washeld.
"Do you think those scoundrels are there yet?" asked Mr. Damon.
"I hope so," answered Tom.
"So do I," went on the odd character. "Bless my soul, but I want achance to pummel them. Come, gentlemen, let's be moving. Will youride with us, Tom Swift, or on that dangerous motor-cycle?"
"I think I'll stick to my machine, Mr. Damon. I can easily keep upwith you."
"Very well. Then we'll get along. We'll proceed until we get closeto the old mansion, and then some of us will go down to the lakeshore, and the rest of us will surround the house. We'll catch thevillains red-handed, and I hope we bag that tramp among them."
"I hardly think he is there," said Tom.
In a short time the auto and the motor-cycle had carried therespective riders to the road through the woods. There the machineswere left, and the party proceeded on foot. Tom had a revolver withhim, and one member of Mr. Damon's party also had a small one, moreto scare dogs than for any other purpose. Tom gave his weapon to oneof the men, and cut a stout stick for himself, an example followedby those who had no firearms.
"A club for mine!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "The less I have to do withmachinery the better I like it. Now, Tom Swift is just the other wayaround," he explained to his friends.
Cautiously they approached the house, and when within seeingdistance of it they paused for a consultation. There seemed to be noone stirring about the old mansion, and Tom was fearful lest the menhad left. But this could not be determined until they came closer.Two of Mr. Damon's friends elected to go down to the shore of thelake and prevent any escape in that direction, while the others,including Tom, were to approach from the wood side. When the two whowere to form the water attacking party were ready, one of them wasto fire his revolver as a signal. Then Tom, Mr. Damon and the otherswould rush in.
The young inventor, Mr. Damon, and his friend, whom he addressed asMr. Benson, went as close to the house as they considered prudent.Then, screening themselves in the bushes, they waited. Theyconversed in whispers, Tom giving more details of his experiencewith the patent thieves.
Suddenly the silence of the woods was broken by some one advancingthrough the underbrush.
"Bless my gaiters, some one is coming!" exclaimed Mr. Damon in ahoarse whisper. "Can that be Munson or Dwight coming back?" Hereferred to his two friends who had gone to the lake.
"Or perhaps the fellows are escaping," suggested Mr. Benson."Suppose we take a look."
At that moment the person approaching, whoever he was, began tosing. Tom started.
"I'll wager that's Happy Harry, the tramp!" he exclaimed. "I knowhis voice."
Cautiously Tom peered over the screen of bushes.
"Who is it?" asked Mr. Damon.
"It's Happy Harry!" said Tom. "We'll get them all, now. He's goingup to the house."
They watched the tramp. All unconscious of the eyes of the men andboy in the bushes, he kept on. Presently the door of the houseopened, and a man came out. Tom recognized him as Anson Morse--theperson who had dropped the telegram.
"Say, Burke," called the man at the door, "have you taken themotor-boat?"
"Motor-boat? No," answered the tramp. "I just came here. I've had ahard time--nearly got caught in Swift's house the other night bythat cub of a boy. Is the boat gone?"
"Yes. Appleson came back in it last night and saw some one lookingin the window, but we thought it was only a farmer and chased himaway. This morning the boat's gone. I thought maybe you had taken itfor a joke."
"Not a bit of it! Something's wrong!" exclaimed Happy Harry. "We'dbetter light out. I think the police are after us. That young Swiftis too sharp for my liking. We'd better skip. I don't believe thatwas a farmer who looked in the window. Tell the others, get thestuff, and we'll leave this locality."
"They're here still," whispered Tom. "That's good!"
"I wonder if Munson and Dwight are at the lake yet?" asked Mr.Damon. "They ought to be--"
At that instant a pistol shot rang out. The tramp, after a hastyglance around, started on the run for the house. The man in thedoorway sprang out. Soon two others joined him.
"Who fired that shot?" cried Morse.
"Come on, Tom!" cried Mr. Damon, grabbing up his club and springingfrom the bushes. "Our friends have arrived!" The young inventor andMr. Benson followed him.
No sooner had they come into the open space in front of the housethan they were seen. At the same instant, from the rear, in thedirection of the lake, came Mr. Munson and Mr. Dwight.
"We're caught!" cried Happy Harry.
He made a dash for the house, just as a man, carrying a box, rushedout.
"There it is! The model and papers are in that box!" cried Tom."Don't let them get away with it!"
The criminals were taken by surprise. With leveled weapons theattacking party closed in on them. Mr. Damon raised his clubthreateningly.
"Surrender! Surrender!" he cried. "We have you! Bless my stars, butyou're captured! Surrender!"
"It certainly looks so," admitted Anson Morse. "I guess they haveus, boys."
The man with the box made a sudden dash toward the woods, but Tomwas watching him. In an instant he sprang at him, and landed on thefellow's back. The two went down in a heap, and when Tom arose hehad possession of the precious box.
"I have it! I have it!" he cried. "I've got dad's model back!"
The man who had had possession of the box quickly arose, and, beforeany one could stop him, darted into the bushes.
"After him! Catch him! Bless my hat-band, stop him!" shouted Mr.Damon.
Instinctively his friends turned to pursue the fugitive, forgetting,for the instant, the other criminals. The men were quick to takeadvantage of this, and in a moment had disappeared in the densewoods. Nor could any trace be found of the one with whom Tom hadstruggled.
"Pshaw! They got away from us!" cried Mr. Damon regretfully. "Let'ssee if we can't catch them. Come on, we'll organize a posse and runthem down." He was eager for the chase, but his companions dissuadedhim. Tom had what he wanted, and he knew that his father wouldprefer not to prosecute the men. The lad opened the box, and sawthat the model and papers were safe.
"Let those fellows go," advised the young inventor, and Mr. Damonreluctantly agreed to this. "I guess we've seen the last of them,"added the youth, but he and Mr. Swift had not, for the criminalsmade further trouble, which will be told of in the second volume ofthis series, to be called "Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat; or, TheRivals of Lake Carlopa." In that our hero will be met in adventureseven more thrilling than those already related, and Andy Foger, whoso nearly ran Tom down in the automobile, will have a part in them.
"Now," said Mr. Damon, after it had been ascertained that no one wasinjured, and that the box contained all of value that had beenstolen, "I suppose you are anxious to get back home, Tom, aren'tyou? Will you let me take you in my car? Bless my spark plug, butI'd like to have you along in case of another accident!"
The lad politely declined, however, and, with the valuable model andpapers safe on his motor-cycle, he started
for Shopton. Arriving atthe first village after leaving the woods, Tom telephoned the goodnews to his father, and that afternoon was safely at home, to thedelight of Mr. Swift and Mrs. Baggert.
The inventor lost no time in fully protecting his invention bypatents. As for the unprincipled men who made an effort to secureit, they had so covered up their tracks that there was no way ofprosecuting them, nor could any action be held against Smeak &Katch, the unscrupulous lawyers.
"Well," remarked Mr. Swift to Tom, a few nights after the recoveryof the model, "your motor-cycle certainly did us good service. Hadit not been for it I might never have gotten back my invention."
"Yes, it did come in handy," agreed the young inventor. "There'sthat motor-boat, too. I wish I had it. I don't believe those fellowswill ever come back for it. I turned it over to the countyauthorities, and they take charge of it for a while. I certainly hadsome queer adventures since I got this machine from Mr. Damon,"concluded Tom. I think my readers will agree with him.
THE END
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