ere?"
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,
"but I would not advise you to start to-night. There is a bad storm in
the west, and it will reach here in a few minutes. Storms on Lake
Carlopa, especially at this open and exposed end, are not to be
despised, I assure you."

"But I must get home!" insisted Tom's father.

The lace curtain over the window blew almost straight out with a sudden
breeze, and a flash of lightning so bright that it reflected even in
the room where the incandescent electrics were glowing made several
others jump. Then came a mighty crash, and with that the flood-gates
of the storm were opened, and the rain came down in torrents. Tom
actually breathed a sigh of relief. The problem was solved for him.
It would be impossible to start to-night, and he was glad of it, much
as he wanted to get on the trail of the thieves.

There was a scurrying on the part of the hotel attendants to close the
windows, and the guests who had been enjoying the air out on the
porches came running in. With a rush, a roar and a muttering, as peal
after peal of thunder sounded, the deluge continued.

"It's a good thi