Tom Swift And His Motor-Boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)

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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

TOM SWIFT AND HIS

MOTOR-BOAT

(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

VICTOR APPLETON

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

CHAPTER I

A MOTOR-BOAT AUCTION

"Where are you going, Tom?" asked Mr. Barton Swift of his son as the

young man was slowly pushing his motor-cycle out of the yard toward the

country 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 boat

over 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 your

turbine model invention, dad. The one they used at the old General

Harkness mansion, in the woods near the lake, and the same boat that

fellow 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 old

mansion, the time Mr. Damon and I raided the place, they left the boat on

the lake. I turned it over to the county authorities, and they found out it

belonged to Mr. Hastings. He has it back now, but I understand it's

somewhat damaged, and he wants to get rid of it. He's going to sell it at

auction today, and I thought I'd go over and take a look at it. You see---"

"Yes, I see, Tom," exclaimed Mr. Swift with a laugh. "I see what

you're aiming at. You want a motor-boat, and you're going all around

Robin Hood's barn to get at it."

"No, dad, I only---"

"Oh, I know you, Tom, my lad!" interrupted the inventor, shaking his

finger at his son, who seemed somewhat confused. "You have a nice

rowing 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 of

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

them. I was going to see what Mr. Hastings' boat would sell for, but I

didn'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 (for

Tom Swift had taken out several patents) stood his motor- cycle up against

the fence and came closer to his father. "It's only slightly damaged," he

went on. "I can easily fix it. I looked it all over before I gave it in

charge of the authorities, and it's certainly a fine 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 had

no idea of bidding at the auction. I only thought I'd go over and get an

idea of what the boat might sell for. Perhaps some day---"

Tom paused. Since his father had begun to question him some new

plans had come into the lad's head. He looked at his parent and saw a

smile beginning to work around the corners of Mr. Swift's lips. There

was also a humorous look in the eyes of the older inventor. He

understood boys 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 knew

what 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 in it. It isn't like a motor-cycle, only useful for one. What do you

suppose the boat will go for, Tom?"

"I hardly know. Not a high price, I believe, for motor-boats are so

new on our lake that few persons will take a chance on them. But if Mr.

Hastings is getting another, he will not be so particular about insisting on a

high price for the old one. Then, too, the fact that it is damaged will help

to keep the price down, though I know I can easily put it in good shape. I

would like to make a bid, if you think it's all right."

Well, I guess you may, Tom, if you really want it. You have money

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

of your own and a motor-boat is not a bad investment. What do you

think ought 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 several

matters in his mind, and not the least of them was the pluck his son had

shown in getting back some valuable papers and a model from a gang of

thieves. The lad certainly was entitled to some reward, and to allow him

to get a boat might properly be part of it

"I think you could safely go as high as two hundred dollars, Tom," said

Mr. Swift at length. "That would be my limit on a damaged boat for it

might be better to pay a little more and get a new one. However, use

your own judgment, but don't go over two hundred. So the thieves who

made 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 the

engine, but the hull is in good shape. I'm ever so glad you'll let me bid

on it. I'll start right off. The auction is at ten o'clock and I haven't more

than time to get there."

"Now be careful how you bid. Don't raise your own figures, as I've

sometimes seen women, and men too, do in their excitement. Somebody

may go over your head; and if he does, let them. If you get the boat I'll

be very glad on your account. But don't bring any of Anson Morse'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 the gate

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. The young inventor had

not gone far before he turned back, leaving his machine standing on the

side path.

"What's the matter?" asked his father, who had started toward one of

several machine shops on the premises---shops where Mr. Swift and his

son did inventive work.

"Guess I'd better get a blank check and some money," replied Tom as

he entered 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 a

new kind of storage battery, the inventor went on to his workroom. Tom

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

got some cash and his checkbook from a small safe he owned and was

soon speeding over the road to Lanton, his motor- cycle making quite a

cloud of dust. While he is thus hurrying along to the auction I will tell

you something about him.

Tom Swift, son of Barton Swift, lived with his father and a motherly

housekeeper, Mrs. Baggert, in a large house on the outskirts of the town of

Shopton, in New York State. Mr. Swift had acquired considerable wealth

from his many inventions and patents, but he did not give up working out

his ideas simply because he had plenty of money. Tom followed in the

footsteps of his parent and had already taken out several patents.

Shortly before this story opens the youth had become possessed of a

motor-cycle in a peculiar fashion. As told in the first volume of this

series, entitled "Tom Swift and His Motor-cycle," Tom was riding to the

town of Mansburg on an errand for his father one day when he was nearly

run down by a motorcyclist. A little later the same motorcyclist, who

was a Mr. Wakefield Damon, of Waterfield, collided with a tree near Tom'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 was an

eccentric individual, was so disheartened by his attempts to ride the motor-

cycle that he sold it to Tom for fifty dollars, though it had cost much more.

About the same time that Tom bought the motor-cycle a firm of

rascally lawyers, Smeak & Katch by name, had, in conjunction with

several men, made an attempt to get control of an invention of a turbine

motor perfected by Mr. Swift. The men, who were Ferguson Appleson,

Anson Morse, Wilson Featherton, alias Simpson, and Jake Burke, alias

Happy Harry, who sometimes disguised himself as a tramp, tried several

times to steal the model.

Their anxiety to get it was due to the fact that they had invested a large

sum in a turbine motor invented by another man, but their motor would

not work and they sought to steal Mr. Swift's. Tom was sent to Albany

on his motor-cycle to deliver the model and some valuable papers to Mr.

Crawford, of the law firm of Reid & Crawford, of Washington, attorneys

for Mr. Swift. Mr. Crawford had an errand in Albany and had agreed to

meet Tom there with the model.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

But, on the way, Tom was attacked by the gang of unscrupulous men

and the model was stolen. He was assaulted and carried far away in an

automobile. 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 a

month previous as he spun along the road leading to Lanton.

"I hope I don't meet Happy Harry or any of his gang today," mused the

lad as he turned on a little more power to enable his machine to mount a

hill. "I don't believe they'll attend the auction, though. It would be too

risky for them."

As Tom swung along at a rapid pace he heard, behind him, the puffing

of an automobile, with the muffler cut out. He turned and cast a hasty

glance behind.

"I hope that ain't Andy Foger or any of his cronies," he said to himself.

"He might try to run me down just for spite. He generally rushes along

with the muffler open so as to attract attention and make folks think he has

a racing car."

It was not Andy, however, as Tom saw a little later, as a man passed

him 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 much else. He

and his cronies, including Sam Snedecker, nearly ran Tom down one day,

when the latter was on his bicycle, as told in the first volume of this series.

Andy had been off on a tour with his chums during the time when Tom

was having such strenuous adventures and had recently returned.

"If I can only get that boat," mused Tom as he swung back into the

middle of the road after the auto had passed him, "I certainly will have lots

of fun. I'll make a week's tour of Lake Carlopa and take dad and Ned

Newton with me." Ned was Tom's most particular chum, but as young

Newton was employed in the Shopton bank, the lad did not have much

time for pleasure. Lake Carlopa was a large body of water, and it would

take a moderately powered boat several days to make a complete circuit of

the shore, so cut up into bays and inlets was it.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

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 throng going

down toward the boathouse.

"There'll be some lively bidding," thought Tom as he got off his

machine and pushed it ahead of him through the drive and down toward

the river. I hope they don't go above two hundred dollars, though."

"Get out the way there!" called a sudden voice, and looking back, Tom

saw that an automobile had crept up silently behind him. In it were Andy

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 Andy

would never dare to speed up his machine on the slope leading down to

the 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 ever

had!" 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," retorted the

squint-eyed bully. "Dad gave me the money to get it."

"All right," answered Tom non-committally. "Go ahead. It's a free

country."

He stood his motor-cycle up against a tree and went toward a group of

persons who were surrounding the auctioneer. The time had arrived to

start the sale. As Tom edged in closer he brushed against a man who

looked at him sharply. The lad was just wondering if he had ever seen

the individual before, as there seemed to be something strangely familiar

about him, when the man turned quickly away, as if afraid of being

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 address the

gathering.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

CHAPTER II

SOME LIVELY BIDDING

"Attention, people!" cried the auctioneer. "Give me your attention

for a few minutes, and we will proceed with the business in hand. As

you all know, I am about to dispose of a fine motor- boat, the property of

Mr. Bently Hastings. The reason for disposing of it at auction is known

to most of you, but for the benefit of those who do not, I will briefly state

them. The boat was stolen by a gang of thieves and recovered recently

through the efforts of a young man, Thomas Swift, son of Barton Swift,

our fellow-townsman, of Shopton." At that moment the auctioneer, Jacob

Wood, caught sight of Tom in the press, and, looking directly at the lad,

continued:

"I understand that young Mr. Swift is here to-day, and I hope he

intends to bid on this boat. If he does, the bidding will be lively, for Tom

Swift is a lively young man. I wish I could say that some of the men who

stole the boat were here to-day."

The auctioneer paused and there were some murmurs from those in the

throng as to why such a wish should be uttered. Tom felt some one

moving near him, and, looking around, he saw the same man with whom

he had come in contact before. The person seemed desirous of getting

out on the edge of the crowd, and Tom felt a return of his vague suspicions.

He looked closely at the fellow, but could trace no resemblance to any of

the men who had so daringly stolen his father's model.

"The reason I wish they were here to-day," went on Mr. Wood, "is that

the men did some slight damage to the boat, and if they were here to-day

we would make them pay for it. However, the damage is slight and can

easily be repaired. I mention that, as Mr. Hastings desired me to. Now

we will proceed with the bidding, and I will say that an opportunity will

first be given all to examine the boat. Perhaps Tom Swift will give us his

opinion on the state it is in as we know he is well qualified to talk about

machinery."

All eyes were turned on Tom, for many knew him.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

"Humph! I guess I know as much about boats and motors as he does,"

sneered Andy Foger. 'He isn't the only one in this crowd! Why didn't the

auctioneer ask me?"

"Keep quiet," begged Sam Snedecker. "People are laughing at you,

Andy."

"I don't care if they are," muttered the sandy haired youth. "Tom

Swift needn't think he's everything."

"If you will come down to the dock," went on the auctioneer, "you can

all see the boat, and I would be glad to have young Mr. Swift give us the

benefit of his advice."

The throng trooped down to the lake, and, blushing somewhat, Tom

told what was the matter with the motor and how it could be fixed. It was

noticed that there was less enthusiasm over the matter than there had been,

for certainly the engine, rusty and out of order as it was, did not present an

attractive sight. Tom noted that the man, who had acted so strangely, did

not come down to the dock.

"Guess he can't be much interested in the motor," decided Tom.

"Now then, if it's all the same to you folks, I'll proceed with the

auction here," went on Mr. Wood. "You can all see the boat from here.

It is, as you see, a regular family launch and will carry twelve persons

comfortably. With a canopy fitted to it a person could cruise all about the

lake and stay out over night, for you could sleep on the seat cushions. It

is twenty-one feet in length and has a five-and-a-half-foot beam, the

design being what is known as a compromise stern. The motor is a

double- cylinder two-cycle one, of ten horsepower. It has a float-feed

carburetor, mechanical oiler, and the ignition system is the jump- spark---

the best for this style of motor. The boat will make ten miles an hour,

with twelve in, and, of course, more than that with a lighter load. A good

deal will depend on the way the motor is managed.

"Now, as you know, Mr. Hastings wishes to dispose of the boat partly

because he does not wish to repair it and partly because he has a newer

and larger one. The craft, which is named CARLOPA by the way, cost

originally nine hundred dollars. It could not be purchased new to day, in

many places, for a thousand. Now what am I offered in its present

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)

condition? Will any one make an offer? Will you give me five hundred

dollars?"

The auctioneer paused and looked critically at the throng. Several

persons smiled. Tom looked worried. He had no idea that the price

would start so high.

"Well, perhaps that is a bit stiff," went on Mr. Wood. "Shall we say

four hundred dollars? Come now, I'm sure it's worth four hundred.

Who'll start it at four hundred?"

No one would, and the auctioneer descended to three hundred, then to

two and finally, as if impatient, he called out:

"Well, will any one start at fifty dollars?"

Instantly there were several cries of "I will!" "I thought you would,"

went on the auctioneer. "Now we will get down to work. I'm offered

fifty dollars for this twenty-one foot, ten horsepower family launch. Will

any one make it sixty?"

"Sixty!" called out Andy Foger in a shrill voice. Several turned to

look at him.

"I didn't know he was going to bid," thought Tom. "He may go above

me. He's got plenty of money, and, while I have too, I'm not going to pay

too much for a damaged boat."

"Sixty I'm bid, sixty---sixty!" cried Mr. Wood in a sing-song tone,

"who'll make it seventy?"

"Sixty-five!" spoke a quiet voice at Tom's elbow, and he turned to see

the mysterious man who had joined the crowd at the edge of the lake.

"Sixty-five from the gentleman in the white straw hat!" called Mr.

Wood with a smile at his wit, for there were many men wearing white

straw hats, the day being a warm one in June.

"Here, who's bidding above me?" exclaimed Andy, as if it was against

the law.

"I guess you'll find a number going ahead of you, my young friend,"

remarked the auctioneer. "Will you have the goodness not to interrupt

me, except when you want to bid?"

"Well, I offered sixty," said the squint-eyed bully, while his crony, Sam

Snedecker, was vainly, pulling at his sleeve.

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TOMSWIFTANDHISMOTOR-BOAT(OrTheRivalsofLakeCarlopa)1TOMSWIFTANDHISMOTOR-BOAT(OrTheRivalsofLakeCarlopa)VICTORAPPLETONTOMSWIFTANDHISMOTOR-BOAT(OrTheRivalsofLakeCarlopa)2CHAPTERIAMOTOR-BOATAUCTION"Whereareyougoing,Tom?"askedMr.BartonSwiftofhissonastheyoungmanwasslowlypushinghismotor-cycleoutoftheyardtow...

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Tom Swift And His Motor-Boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)

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