e done. "I can fix it in about an hour if
Garret helps me."

Going up to the house to get some tools and to tell the engineer that
he had returned, Tom looked out over the lake and saw Andy's boat
moving slowly off.

"They've got her fixed up in some kind of shape," he murmured. "It's a
shame for a chump like Andy to have a good boat like that. He'll spoil
it in one season. He's getting altogether too reckless. First thing
he knows, he and I will have a clash and I'll pay back some of the old
scores."

Mr. Jackson was much surprised to see the young inventor home again so
soon, as was also Mrs. Baggert. Tom explained what had happened, and
he and the engineer went to work repairing the damage done by the RED
STREAK. As the owner of the ARROW had anticipated, the work did not
take long, and, shortly before dinner time, the boat was ready to
resume the interrupted trip to Sandport.

"Better stay and have lunch," urged Mrs. Baggert. "You can hardly get
to the hotel by night, anyhow, and maybe it would be better not to
start until to-morrow."

"No, I must get back to-night or dad would be worried," declared Tom.
"I've been gone longer now than I calculated on. But I will have
dinner here, and, if necessary, I can do the last half of the trip
after dark. I know the way now and I have a compass and a good
searchlight."

The ARROW was let down into the water again and tied outside the
boathouse ready for a quick start. The dinner Mrs. Baggert provided
was so good that Tom lingered over it longer than he meant to, and he
asked for a second apple dumpling with hard sauce on. So it was with a
very comfortable feeling indeed and with an almost forgiving spirit
toward Andy Foger that our hero started down the path to the lake.

"Now for a quick run to Sandport," he said aloud. "I hope I shan't see
any more of those men and that dad hasn't been bothered by them. His
suspicions about the house weren't altogether unfounded, for I did see
the tramp and some one else sneaking around, but I don't believe
they'll come back now."

Tom swung around the path that led to the dock. As he came in sight of
the water, he stared as if he could not believe what he saw, or,
rather, what he did not see. For there was no craft tied to the
string-piece, where he had fastened his motor-boat. He looked again,
rubbed his eyes to make sure and then cried out:

"The ARROW is gone!"

There was no doubt of it. The craft was not