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days。 Come on； we'll have breakfast； get dad and start。〃
A little later the ARROW was puffing away up the lake in the direction
of Sandport。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER IX
MR。 SWIFT IS ALARMED
〃Don't you feel better already； dad？〃 asked Tom that noon as they
stopped under a leaning； overhanging tree for lunch on the shore of the
lake。 〃I'll leave it to Ned if you don't look more contented and less
worried。〃
〃I believe he does；〃 agreed the other lad。 〃Well； I must say I certainly
have enjoyed the outing so far；〃 admitted the inventor with a smile。
〃And I haven't been bothering about my gyroscope。 I think I'll take
another sandwich； Tom； and a few more olives。〃
〃That's the way to talk！〃 cried the son。 〃Your appetite is improving；
too。 If Mrs。 Baggert could see you she'd say so。〃
〃Oh； yes； Mrs。 Baggert。 I do hope she and Garret will look after the
house and shops well；〃 said Mr。 Swift； and the old； worried look came like
a shadow over his face。
〃Now don't be thinking of that； dad；〃 advised Tom； 〃Of course
everything will be all right。 Do you think some of those model thieves
will return and try to get some of your other inventions？〃
〃I don't know； Tom。 Those men were unscrupulous scoundrels； and
you can never tell what they might do to revenge themselves on us for
defeating their plans。〃
〃Well； I guess Garret and Mrs。 Baggert will look out for them；〃
remarked his son。 〃Don't worry。〃
〃Yes； it's bad for the digestion；〃 added Ned。 〃If you don't mind； Tom；
I'll have some more coffee and another sandwich myself。〃
〃Nothing the matter with your appetite； either；〃 commented the young
inventor as he passed the coffee pot and the plate。
They were soon on their way again； the ARROW making good time up
the lake。 Tom was at the engine； making several minor adjustments to it；
while Ned steered。 Mr。 Swift reclined on one of the cushioned seats
under the shade of the canopy。 The young owner of the ARROW looked
over the stretch of water from time to time for a possible sight of Andy
Foger； but the RED STREAK was not to be seen。 The Lakeview Hotel
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
was reached late that afternoon and the boat was tied up to the dock； while
Tom and Ned accompanied Mr。 Swift to see him comfortably established
in his room。
〃Won't you stay to supper with me？〃 invited the inventor to his son
and the latter's chum。 〃Or do you want to start right in on camp life？〃
〃I guess we'll stay to supper and remain at the hotel to…night；〃 decided
Tom。 〃We got here a little later than I expected； and Ned and I hardly
have time to go very far and establish a temporary camp。 We'll live a life
of luxurious ease to…night and begin to be 'wanderlusters' and get back to
nature to…morrow。〃
In the morning Tom and his chum； full of enthusiasm for the pleasures
before them； started off； promising to come back to the hotel in a few days
to see how Mr。 Swift felt。 The trip had already done the man good and
his face wore a brighter look。
Tom and Ned； in the speedy ARROW； cruised along the lakeshores all
that morning。 At noon they； went ashore； made a temporary camp and
arranged to spend the night there in the tent。 After this was erected they
got out their fishing tackle and passed the afternoon at that sport； having
such good luck that they provided their own supper without having to
depend on canned stuff。
They lived this life for three days； making a new camp each night；
being favored with good weather； so that they did not have to sleep in the
boat to keep dry。 ' On the afternoon of the third day Tom； with a critical
glance at the sky； remarked：
〃I shouldn't be surprised if it rained to…morrow； Ned。〃
〃Me either。 It does look sort of hazy； and the wind is in a bad
quarter。〃
〃Then what do you say to heading for the hotel？ I fancy dad will be
glad to see us。〃 〃That suits me。 We can start camp life again after the
storm passes。〃
They started for Sandport that afternoon。 When within about two
miles of the hotel dock Tom saw； just ahead of them； a small motor…boat。
Ned observed it too and called out：
〃S'pose that's Andy looking for another race？〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃No； the boat's too small for his。 We'll put over that way and see who
it is。〃
The other craft did not appear to be moving very rapidly and the
ARROW was soon overhauling it。 As the two chums came nearer they
could hear the puffing of the motor。 Tom listened with critical ears。
〃That machine isn't working right；〃 he remarked to his chum。
At that moment there sounded a loud explosion from the other boat
and at the same time there came over the water a shrill cry of alarm。
〃That's a girl in that boat！〃 exclaimed Ned。 〃Maybe she's hurt。〃
〃No； the motor only backfired；〃 observed Tom。 〃But we'll go over
and see if we can help her。 Perhaps she doesn't understand it。 Girls don't
know much about machinery。〃
A little later the ARROW shot up alongside the other craft； which had
come to a stop。 The two lads could see a girl bending over the motor；
twirling the flywheel and trying to get it started。 〃Can I help you？〃 asked
Tom； shutting off the power from his craft。
The young lady glanced up。 Her face was red and she seemed ill at
ease。 At the sight of the young inventor she uttered an exclamation of
relief。
〃Why； Mr。 Swift！〃 she cried。 〃Oh； I'm in such trouble。 I can't make
the machine work； and I'm afraid it's broken； it exploded。〃
〃Miss Nestor！〃 blurted out Tom； more surprised evidently to see his
acquaintance of the runaway again than she was at beholding him。 〃I
didn't know you ran a motor…boat；〃 he added。 〃I don't；〃 said she simply
and helplessly。 〃That's the trouble； it won't run。〃
〃How comes it that you are up here？〃 went on Tom。
〃I am stopping with friends； who have a cottage near the Lakeview
Hotel。 They have a motor…boat and I got Dick Blythe…he's the owner of
this…to show me how to run it。 I thought I knew； and I started out a
little while ago。 At first it went beautifully； but a few minutes ago it blew
up； or…or something dreadful happened。〃
〃Nothing very dreadful； I guess；〃 Tom assured her。 〃I think I can fix
it。〃 He got into the other boat and soon saw what the trouble was。 The
carburetor had gotten out of adjustment and the gasoline was not feeding
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
properly。 The young inventor soon had it in order； and； testing the motor；
found that it worked perfectly。
〃Oh； I can't thank you enough；〃 cried Miss Nestor with a flash from
her brown eyes that made Tom's heart beat double time。 〃I was afraid I
had damaged the boat； and I knew Dick； who is a sort of second cousin of
mine； would never forgive me。〃
〃There's no harm done；〃 Tom assured her。 〃But you had better keep
near us on your way back； that is； if you are going back。〃
〃Oh； indeed I am。 I was frightened when I found I'd come so far
away from shore； and then； when that explosion took place…well； you can
imagine how I felt。 Indeed I will keep near you。 Are you stopping near
here？ If you are； I wish you'd come and see me； you and Mr。 Newton〃
she added； for Tom had introduced his chum。
〃I'll be very glad to；〃 answered our hero； and he told how he happened
to be in the neig