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accidents；〃 remarked the automobilist。 〃Bless my very existence； but
you seem to have the most remarkable series of adventures I ever heard
of！〃
〃They are rather odd；〃 admitted Tom。 〃I don't know that I
particularly care for them； either。 But； now that I have my boat back； I
guess everything will be all right。〃
But Tom could not look ahead。 He was destined to have still more
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exciting times； as presently will be related。
Without further incident he arrived at the Lakeview Hotel in Sandport
that evening and found his father and Ned very glad to see him。 Of
course he had to explain everything then； and； with his son safely in his
sight； Mr。 Swift was not so nervous over the recital as he would have been
had Tom not been present。
〃Now for some nice； quiet trips；〃 remarked the lad when he had
finished his account。 〃I feel as if I had cheated you out of part of your
vacation； Ned； staying away as long as I did。〃
〃Well； of course we missed you；〃 answered his chum。 〃But your
father and I had a good time。〃
〃Yes； and I invented a new attachment for a kitchen boiler；〃 added Mr。
Swift。 〃I had a chance for it when I passed through the hotel kitchen one
day； for I wanted to see what kind of a range they used。〃
〃I guess there's no stopping you from inventing；〃 replied his son with a
laugh and a hopeless shake of the head。 〃But don't let it happen again
when you go away to rest。〃
〃Oh； I only just thought of it；〃 said Mr。 Swift。 〃I haven't worked the
details out yet。〃
Then he wanted to know about everything at home and he seemed
particularly anxious lest the Happy Harry gang do some damage。
〃I don't believe they will；〃 Tom assured him。 〃Garret and Mrs。
Baggert will be on guard。〃
The next few days were pleasant ones for Tom； his father and Ned
Newton。 They cruised about the lake； went fishing and camped in the
woods。 Even Mr。 Swift spent one night in the tent and said he liked it
very much。 For a week the three led an ideal existence； going about as
they pleased； Ned taking a number of photographs with his new camera。
The ARROW proved herself a fine boat； and Tom and Ned； when Mr。
Swift did not accompany them； explored the seldom visited parts of Lake
Carlopa。
The three had been out one day and were discussing the necessity of
returning home soon when Ned spoke。
〃I shall hate to give up this life and go to slaving in the bank again；〃 he
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complained。 〃I wish I was an inventor。〃
〃Oh； we inventors don't have such an easy time；〃 said Mr。 Swift。 〃You
never know when trouble is coming；〃 and he little imagined how near the
truth he was。
A little later they were at the hotel dock。 When Tom had tied up his
boat the three walked up the path to the broad veranda that faced the lake。
A boy in uniform met them。
〃Some one has just called you on the telephone； Mr。 Swift；〃 he
reported。
〃Some one wants me？ Who is it？〃
〃I think he said his name is Jackson； sir； Garret Jackson； and he says
the message is very important。〃
〃Tom； something has happened at home！〃 exclaimed the inventor as he
hurried up the steps。 〃I'm afraid there's bad news。〃
Unable to still the fear in his heart； Tom followed his father。
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CHAPTER XX
NEWS OF A ROBBERY
With a hand that trembled so he could scarcely hold the receiver of the
telephone； Mr。 Swift placed it to his ear。
〃Hello！ Hello！〃 he cried into the transmitter。 〃Yes； this is Mr。 Swift…
yes； Garret。 What is it？〃
Then came a series of clicks； which Tom and Ned listened to。 The
inventor spoke again。
〃What's that？ The same men？ Broke in early this evening？ Oh；
that's too bad！ Of course； I'll come at once。〃
There followed more meaningless clicks； which Tom wished he could
translate。 His father hung up the receiver； turned to him and exclaimed：
〃I've been robbed again！〃
〃Robbed again！ How； dad？〃
〃By that same rascally gang； Garret thinks。 This evening； when he
and Mrs。 Baggert were in the house the burglar alarm went off。 The
indicator showed that the electrical shop had been entered； and the
engineer hurried there。 He saw a light inside and the shadows of persons
on the windows。 Before he could reach the shop； however； the thieves
heard him coming and escaped。 Oh； Tom； I should never have come
away！〃
〃But did they take anything； dad？ Perhaps Garret frightened them
away before they had a chance to steal any of your things。 Did you ask
him that？〃
〃I didn't need to。 He said he made a hasty exanimation before he
called me up； and he is sure a number of my electrical inventions are
missing。 Some of them are devices I never have had patented； and if I
lose them I will have no recovery。〃
〃But just what ones are they？ Perhaps we can send out a police alarm
to…night。〃
〃Garret couldn't tell that；〃 answered Mr。 Swift as be paced to and fro in
the hotel office。 〃He doesn't know all the tools and machinery I had in
there。 But it is certain that some of my most valuable things have been
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taken。〃
〃Never mind。 Don't worry； dad；〃 and Tom tried to speak soothingly；
for he saw that his father was much excited。 〃We may be able to get
them back。 How does Garret know the same men who stole the turbine
model broke in the shop this evening？〃
〃He saw them。 One was Happy Harry； he is positive。 The others he
did not know； but he recognized the tramp from our description of him。〃
〃Then we must tell the police at once。〃
〃Yes； Tom； I wish you would telephone。 I'll give you a description of
the things。 No； I can't do that either； for I don't know what was stolen。 I
must go home at once to find out。 It's a good thing the motor…boat is here。
Come； let's start at once。 What is my bill here？〃 and the inventor turned
to the hotel proprietor； who had come into the office。 〃I have suffered a
severe loss and must leave at once。〃
〃I am very sorry； sir。 I'll have it ready for you in a few minutes。〃
〃All right。 Tom； is your boat ready for a quick trip？〃
〃Yes； dad； but I don't like to make it at night with three in。 Of course
it might be perfectly safe； but there's a risk； and I don't like to take it。〃
〃Don't worry about the risk on my account； Tom。 I'm not afraid。 I
must get home and see of what I have been robbed。〃
The young inventor was in a quandary。 He wanted to do as his father
requested and to aid him all he could； yet he knew that an all…night trip in
the boat down the lake would be dangerous； not only from the chance of
running on an unknown shore or into a hidden rock； but because Mr。 Swift
was not physically fitted to stand the journey。
〃Come； Tom；〃 exclaimed the aged inventor impatiently； 〃we must start
at once！〃
〃Won't morning do as well； dad？〃
〃No； I must start now。 I could not sleep worrying over what has
happened。 We will start…〃
At that instant there came a low； rumbling peal of thunder。 Mr。 Swift
started and peered from a window。 There came a flash of lightning and
another vibrant report from the storm…charged clouds。
〃There is your bill； Mr。 Swift；〃 remarked the proprietor； coming up；
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〃but I would not advise you to start to…night。