CHAPTER XVI
STILL ON THE SEARCH
"You seem to have lots of trouble with your boat, Andy," said Tom aftera few moments of rather embarrassed silence.
"I do," admitted the owner of the RED STREAK. "I've had bad luck eversince I got it, but usually I've been able to fix it by looking in thebook. This time I can't find out what the trouble is, nor can any ofthe fellows. It stopped when we were out in the middle of the lake andwe had to row. I'm sick of motor boating."
"Suppose I fix it for you?" went on Tom.
"If you do, I'll pay you well."
"I wouldn't do it for pay--not the kind you mean," continued the younginventor.
"What do you mean then?" and Andy's face, that had lighted up, becameglum again.
"Well, if I fix your boat for you, will you let me run it a littlewhile?"
"You mean show me how to run it?"
"No, I mean take it myself. Look here, Andy, my boat's been stolen,and I thought you took it to get even with me. You say you didn't--"
"And I didn't touch it," interposed the squint-eyed lad quickly.
"All right, I believe you. But somebody stole it, and I think I knowwho."
"Who?" asked Sam Snedecker.
"Well, you wouldn't know if I told you, but I suspect some men withwhom I had trouble before," and Tom referred to Happy Harry and hisgang. "I think they have my boat on this lake, and I'd like to getanother speedy craft to cruise about it and make a further search. Howabout it, Andy? If I fix your boat, will you let me take it to lookfor my boat?"
"Sure thing!" agreed the bully quickly, and his voice for once wasfriendly toward Tom. "Fix the engine so it will run, and you can usethe RED STREAK as long as you like."
"Oh, I probably wouldn't want it very long. I could cover the lake inabout three days, and I hope by that time I could locate the thieves.Is it a bargain?"
"Sure," agreed Andy again, and Tom got into the motor-boat to look atthe engine. He found that it would require some time to adjust itproperly and that it would be necessary to take the motor apart.
"I think I'd better tow you to my dock," the young inventor said toAndy. "I can use some tools from the shop then, and by to-night I'llhave the RED STREAK in running order."
The breeze was in the right quarter, fortunately, and with themotor-boat dragging behind, the ARROW's owner put the nose of thesailing craft toward his home dock.
When Tom reached his house he found that Mrs. Baggert had receivedanother telephone message from Mr. Swift, inquiring why his son had notreturned to Sandport.
"He says if you don't come back by to-morrow," repeated thehousekeeper, "that he'll come home by train. He's getting anxious, Ibelieve."
"Shouldn't wonder," admitted Tom. "But I want him to stay there. Thechange will do him good. I'll soon have my boat back, now that I cango about the lake swiftly, and then I'll join him. I'll tell him to bepatient."
Tom talked with his father at some length, assuring him that everythingwas well at the Shopton house and promising to soon be with him. Thenthe young inventor began work on the motor of the RED STREAK. He foundit quite a job and had to call on Mr. Jackson to help him, for one ofthe pistons had to be repaired and a number of adjustments made to thecylinders.
But that night the motor was fully mended and placed back in the boat.It was in better shape than it had been since Andy had purchased thecraft.
"There," remarked Tom, "now I'm ready to hunt for those scoundrels.Will you leave your boat at my dock to-night, Andy?"
"Yes, so you can start out early in the morning. I'm not going."
"Why not?" demanded Tom quickly.
"Well--er--you see I've had enough of motoring for a while," explainedAndy. "Besides, I don't believe my mother would like me to go out on achase after thieves. If we had to shoot I might hit one of them, and--"
"Oh, I see," answered Tom. "But I don't like to take your boat alone.Besides, I don't fancy there will be much shooting. I know I'm notgoing to take a gun. In fact, the one Mr. Duncan gave me is in theboat. All I want is to get the ARROW back."
"That's all right," went on Andy. "You take my boat and use it as longas you like. I'll rest up a few days. When you find your boat you canbring mine back."
Tom understood. He was just as glad not to have Andy accompany him inthe chase, as he and the red-haired lad had never been good friends andprobably never would be. So it would cause some embarrassment to betogether in a boat all day. Then again Tom knew he could manage theRED STREAK better alone, but, of course, he did not want to mentionthis when he asked for the loan of the craft. Andy's own suggestion,however, had solved the difficulty. Tom had an idea that Andy felt alittle timid about going in pursuit of the thieves, but naturally itwould not do to mention this, for the squint-eyed lad consideredhimself quite a fighter.
Early the next morning, alone in the RED STREAK, Tom continued thesearch for his stolen boat. He started out from his home dock andmapped out a course that would take him well around the lake.
"I s'pose I could take a run to Sandport now," mused the youth as heshot in and out of the little bays, keeping watch for the ARROW. "Butif I do dad will have to be told all about it, and, he'll worry. Then,too, he might want to accompany me, and I think I can manage thisbetter alone, for the RED STREAK will run faster with only one in. Iought to wind up this search in two days, if my boat is still on thelake. And if those scoundrels have sunk her I'll make them pay for it."
On shot the speedy motor-boat, in and out along the winding shoreline,with the lad in the bow at the steering-wheel peering with eager eyesinto every nook and corner where his craft might be hidden.