ainly with you where she is concerned. First you save her in a
runaway--"

"After I start the runaway," interrupted Tom.

"Then you take her for a ride in your motor-boat, and, lastly, you come
to her relief when she is stalled in the middle of the lake. Oh you
certainly are a lucky dog!"

"Never mind, I'm giving you a show. Now let's get to bed early, as I
want to get a good start."

Tom awoke to find a nasty, drizzling rainstorm in progress, and the
lake was almost hidden from view by a swirling fog. Still he was not
to be daunted from his trip to Shopton by the weather, and, after a
substantial breakfast, he bade his father and Ned good-by and started
off in the ARROW.

The canopy he had provided was an efficient protection against the
rain, a celluloid window in the forward hanging curtains affording him
a view so that he could steer.

Through the mist puffed the boat, the motor being throttled down to
medium speed, for Tom was not as familiar with the lake as he would
like to have been, and he did not want to run aground or into another
craft.

He was thinking over what his father had told him about the presence of
the men and vainly wondering what might be their reference to the
"sparkler." His thoughts also dwelt on the curious removal of the
bracing block from under the gasoline tank of his boat.

"I shouldn't be surprised but what Andy Foger did that," he mused.
"Some day he and I will have a grand fight, and then maybe he'll let me
alone. Well, I've got other things to think about now. The hotel
detective can keep a lookout for the men around the hotel, after the
warning I gave him, and I'll see that all is right at home."

The fog lifted somewhat and Tom put on more speed. As he was steering
the boat along near shore he heard, off to the woods at his right, the
report of a gun. It came so suddenly that he jumped involuntarily. A
moment later there sounded, plainly through the damp air, a cry for
help.

"Some one's hurt--shot!" cried the youth aloud.

He turned the boat in toward the bank. As he shut off the power from
the motor he heard the cry again:

"Help! Help! Help!"

"I must go ashore!" he exclaimed. "Probably some one is badly wounded
by a gun."

He paused for a moment as the fear came to him that it might be some of
the patent thieves. Then, dismissing that idea as the ARROW's prow
touched the gravel, Tom sprang out, drew the boat up a little way,
fastened the rope to