but the latter only smiled. It was no
easy task for Sam and Andy to pull the log out of the way, as they
could hardly lift it to slip the rope under. But they finally managed
it, and, by the power of the car, hauled it to one side. Then they
speed off.

"I 'clar t' gracious, dem young fellers am most as mean an' contrary as
mah mule Boomerang am sometimes," observed Eradicate. "Only Boomerang
ain't quite so mean as dat."

"I should hope not, Rad," observed Tom. "I'm ever so much obliged for
your warning. I guess I'll be getting, home now. Come around next
week; we have some work for you."

"'Deed an' I will," replied the colored man. "I'll come around an'
eradicate all de dirt on yo' place, Mistah Swift. Yais, sah, I's
Eradicate by name, and dat's my perfession--eradicatin' dirt. Much
obleeged, I'll call around. Giddap, Boomerang!"

The mule lazily flicked his ears, but did not stir, and Tom, knowing
the process of arousing the animal would take some time, hurried up the
hill to where he had left his motor-cycle. Eradicate was still engaged
on the task of trying to arouse his steed to a sense of its duty when
the young inventor flashed by on his way home.

"So now you own a broken motor-boat," observed Mr. Swift when Tom had
related the circumstances of the auction. "Well, now you have it, what
are you going to do with it?"

"Fix it, first of all," replied his son. "It needs considerable
tinkering up, but nothing but what I can do, if you'll help me."

"Of course I will. Do you think you can get any speed out of it?"

"Well, I'm not so anxious for speed. I want a good, comfortable boat,
and the ARROW will be that. I've named it, you see. I'm going back to
Lanton this afternoon, take some tools along, and repair it so I can
run the boat over to here. Then I'll get at it and fix it up. I've
got a plan for you, dad."

"What is it?" asked the inventor, his rather tired face lighting up
with interest.

"I'm going to take you on a vacation trip."

"A vacation trip?"

"Yes, you need a rest. You've been working, too hard over that
gyroscope invention."

"Yes, Tom, I think I have," admitted Mr. Swift. "But I am very much
interested in it, and I think I can get it to work. If I do it will
make a great difference in the control of aeroplanes. It will make
them more stable able to fly in almost any wind. But I certainly have
puzzled my brains over some features of it. However, I don't qui