on the young
bank employee. "It's just as well to start back now."

Tom took the shortest route he knew, keeping in as close to shore as he
dared, for now he was as anxious to get home as was his father. On and
on speeded the ARROW, yet fast as it was, it seemed slow to Mr. Swift,
who, like all nervous persons, always wanted to go wherever he desired
to go instantly.

Tom headed his boat around a little point of land, and was urging the
engine to the top notch of speed, for now he was on a clear course,
with no danger from shoals or hidden rocks, when he saw, darting out
from shore, a tiny craft which somehow seemed familiar to him. He
recognized a peculiar put-putter of the motor.

"That's the DOT," he remarked in a low voice to Ned, "Miss Nestor's
cousin's boat."

"Is she in it now?" asked Ned.

"Yes," answered Tom quickly.

"You've got good eyesight," remarked Ned dryly, "to tell a girl at that
distance. It looks to me like a boy."

"No, it's Mary--I mean Miss Nestor," the youth quickly corrected
himself, and a close observer would have noticed that he blushed a bit
under his coat of tan.

Ned laughed, Tom blushed still more, and Mr. Swift, who was in a stern
seat, glanced up quickly.

"It looks as if that boat wanted to hail us," the inventor remarked.

Tom was thinking the same thing, for, though he had changed his course
slightly since sighting the DOT, the little craft was put over so as to
meet him. Wondering what Miss Nestor could want, but being only too
willing to have a chat with her, the young inventor shifted his helm.
In a short time the two craft were within hailing distance.

"How do you do?" called Miss Nestor, as she slowed down her motor.
"Don't you think I'm improving, Mr. Swift?"

"What's that? I--er--I beg your pardon, but I didn't catch that,"
exclaimed the aged inventor quickly, coming out of a sort of day-dream.
"I beg your pardon." He thought she had addressed him.

Miss Nestor blushed and looked questioningly at Tom.

"My father," he explained as he introduced his parent. Ned needed
none, having met Miss Nestor before. "Indeed you have improved very
much," went on our hero. "You seem able to manage the boat all alone."

"Yes, I'm doing pretty well. Dick lets me take the DOT whenever I want
to, and I thought I'd come out for a little trial run this morning.
I'm getting ready for the races. I suppose you are going to enter
them?" and she steered her boat alongsid