n't," replied Tom. "It was one of the new ones I put in
myself and it was nailed fast. You can see where it's been pried
loose. I can't understand it," and Tom thought rapidly of several
mysterious occurrences of late in which the strange man at the auction
and the person he had surprised one night in the boathouse had a part.

"Well, it needn't delay our trip," resumed the young inventor. "Maybe
there's a hoodoo around here, and it will do us good to get away a few
days. Come on, we'll have breakfast, get dad and start."

A little later the ARROW was puffing away up the lake in the direction
of Sandport.

CHAPTER IX

MR. SWIFT IS ALARMED

"Don't you feel better already, dad?" asked Tom that noon as they
stopped under a leaning, overhanging tree for lunch on the shore of the
lake. "I'll leave it to Ned if you don't look more contented and less
worried."

"I believe he does," agreed the other lad. "Well, I must say I
certainly have enjoyed the outing so far," admitted the inventor with a
smile. "And I haven't been bothering about my gyroscope. I think I'll
take another sandwich, Tom, and a few more olives."

"That's the way to talk!" cried the son. "Your appetite is improving,
too. If Mrs. Baggert could see you she'd say so."

"Oh, yes, Mrs. Baggert. I do hope she and Garret will look after the
house and shops well," said Mr. Swift, and the old, worried look came
like a shadow over his face.

"Now don't be thinking of that, dad," advised Tom, "Of course
everything will be all right. Do you think some of those model thieves
will return and try to get some of your other inventions?"

"I don't know, Tom. Those men were unscrupulous scoundrels, and you
can never tell what they might do to revenge themselves on us for
defeating their plans."

"Well, I guess Garret and Mrs. Baggert will look out for them,"
remarked his son. "Don't worry."

"Yes, it's bad for the digestion," added Ned. "If you don't mind, Tom,
I'll have some more coffee and another sandwich myself."

"Nothing the matter with your appetite, either," commented the young
inventor as he passed the coffee pot and the plate.

They were soon on their way again, the ARROW making good time up the
lake. Tom was at the engine, making several minor adjustments to it,
while Ned steered. Mr. Swift reclined on one of the cushioned seats
under the shade of the canopy. The young owner of the ARROW looked
over the stretch of water fro