按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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。
5
… Page 6…
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。
6
… Page 7…
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。
7
… Page 8…
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