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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 neighborhood。 〃I'll give you a few lessons in managing a
boat； if you like；〃 he added。
〃Oh； will you？ That will be lovely！ I won't tell Dick about it； and
I'll surprise him some day by showing him how well I can run his boat。〃
〃Good idea；〃 commented Tom。
He started the motor for Miss Nestor； having stopped it after his first
test； and then； with the DOT； which was the name of the small boat Miss
Nestor was in； following the larger ARROW； the run back to the hotel was
made。 The young lady turned off near the Lakeview dock to go to the
cottage where she was stopping and the lads tied up at the hotel boathouse。
〃Yes； we are in for a storm；〃 remarked Tom as he and his chum walked
up toward the hotel。 〃I wonder how dad is？ I hope the outing is doing
him good。〃
〃There he comes now；〃 observed Ned； and； looking up； Tom saw his
father approaching。 The young inventor was at once struck by the
expression on his parent's face。 Mr。 Swift looked worried and Tom
anxiously hastened forward to meet him。
〃What's the matter dad？〃 he asked as cheerfully as he could。 〃Have
you been figuring over that gyroscope problem again； against my express
orders？〃 and be laughed a little。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃No； Tom； it's not the gyroscope that's worrying me。〃
〃What is it then？〃
〃Those scoundrels are around again； Tom！〃 and Mr。 Swift looked
apprehensively about him。
〃You mean the men who stole the turbine model？〃
〃Yes。 I was walking in the woods near the hotel yesterday and I saw
Anson Morse。 He did not see me； for I turned aside as quickly as I had a
glimpse of him。 He was talking to another man。〃
〃What sort of a man？〃
〃Well； an ordinary enough individual； but I noticed that he had
tattooed on the little finger of his left hand a blue ring。〃
〃Happy Harry； the tramp！〃 exclaimed Tom。 〃What can he and Morse
be doing here？〃
〃I don't know； Tom； but I'm worried。 I wish I was back home。 I'm
afraid something may happen to some of my inventions。 I want to go
back to Shopton； Tom。〃
〃Nonsense； dad。 Don't worry just because you saw some of your
former enemies。 Everything is all right at home。 Mrs。 Baggert and
Garret Jackson will look after things。 But； if you like； I； can find out for
you how matters are。〃
〃How； Tom？〃
〃By taking a run down there in my motor…boat。 I can do it to…
morrow and get back by night； if I start early。 Then you will not worry。〃
〃All right； Tom； I wish you would。 Come up to my room and we will
talk it over。 I'd rather leave you go than telephone； as I don't like to talk
of my business over the wire if I can avoid it。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER X
A CRY FOR HELP
〃Now； dad； tell me all about it；〃 requested Tom when he and Ned were
in Mr。 Swift's apartment at the hotel； safe from the rain that was falling。
〃How did you happen to see Anson Morse and Happy Harry？〃 My old
readers will doubtless remember that the latter was the disguised tramp
who was so vindictive toward Tom； while Morse was the man who
endeavored to sneak in Mr。 Swift's shop and steal a valuable invention。
〃Well； Tom；〃 proceeded the inventor； 〃there isn't much to tell。 I was
out walking in the woods yesterday； and when I was behind a clump of
bushes I heard voices。 I looked out and there I saw the two men。〃
〃At first I thought they were trailing me； but I saw that they had not
seen me； and I didn't see how they could know I was in the neighborhood。
So I quietly made my way back to the hotel。〃
〃Could you hear what they were saying？〃
〃Not all； but they seemed angry over something。 The man with the
blue ring on his finger asked the other man whether Murdock had been
heard from。〃
〃Who is Murdock？〃
〃I don't know； unless he is another member of the gang or unless that
is an assumed name。〃
〃It may be that。 What else did you hear？〃
〃The man we know as Morse replied that he hadn't heard from him；
but that he suspected Murdock was playing a double game。 Then the
tramp…Happy Harry…asked this question： 'Have you any clew to the
sparkler？' And Morse answered： 'No； but I think Murdock has hid it
somewhere and is trying to get away with it without giving us our share。'
Then the two men walked away； and I came back to the hotel；〃 finished
Mr。 Swift。
〃Sparkler；〃 murmured Tom。 〃I wonder what that can be？〃
〃That's a slang word for diamonds；〃 suggested Ned。
〃So it is。 In that case； dad； I think we have nothing to worry about。
Those fellows must be going to commit a diamond robbery or perhaps it
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
has already taken place。〃
The inventor seemed relieved at this theory of his son。 His face
brightened and he said： 〃If they are going to commit a robbery； Tom； we
ought to notify the police。〃
〃But if they said that 'Murdock；' whoever he is； had the sparkler and
was trying to get away with it without giving them their share； wouldn't
that indicate that the robbery had already taken place？〃 asked Ned。
〃That's so；〃 agreed Tom。 〃But it won't do any harm to tell the hotel
detective that suspicious characters are around； no matter if the has been
committed。 Then he can be on the lookout。 But I don't think we have
anything to worry about； dad。 Still； if you like； I'll take a run down to the
house to see that everything is all right； though I'm sure it will be found
that we have nothing to be alarmed over。〃
〃Well； I will be more relieved if you do；〃 said the inventor； 〃However；
suppose we have a good supper now and you boys can stay at the hotel to…
night。 Then you and Ned can start off early in the morning。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed Tom； but there was a thoughtful look on his face
and he appeared to be planning something that needed careful attention to
details。
After supper that night Tom took his chum to one side and asked：
〃Would you mind very much if you didn't make the trip to Shopton with
me？〃
〃No； Tom； of course not； if it will help you any。 Do you want me to
stay here？〃
〃I think it will be a good plan。 I don't like to leave dad alone if those
scoundrels are around。 Of course he's able to look after himself； but
sometimes he gets absent minded from thinking too much about his
inventions。〃
〃Of course I'll stay here at the hotel。 This is just as good a vacation
as I could wish。〃
〃Oh； I don't mean all the while。 Just a day or so…until I come back。
I may be here again by to…morrow night and find that my father is
needlessly alarmed。 Then something may have happened at home and I
would be delayed。 If I should be； I'd feel better to know that you were
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
here。〃
〃Then I'll stay； and if I see any of those men…〃
〃You'd better steer clear of them；〃 advised Tom quickly。 〃They are
dangerous customers。〃
〃All right。 Then I'll go over and give Miss Nestor lessons on how to
run a motor…boat；〃 was the smiling response。 〃I fancy； with what she and
I know； we can make out pretty well。〃
〃Hold on there！〃 cried Tom gaily。 〃No trespassing； you know。〃
〃Oh； I'll just say I'm your agent；〃 promised Ned with a grin。 〃You can't
object to that。〃
〃No； I s'pose not。 Well； do the best you can。 She is certainly a nice
girl。〃
〃Yes； but you do seem to turn up at mo