ed, and that trouble, if not, indeed,
danger, was imminent, was at once apparent to the young inventor and
the other occupant of the swiftly moving airship.

For as Tom shut off his motor, to volplane down, thus reducing all
noise on his craft, they could dimly hear the shouts and calls for
help, coming from the water craft below them.

"Help! Help!" came the impassioned appeals, floating up to Tom and Ned.

"We're coming!" Tom answered, though it is doubtful if his voice was
heard. Sound does not seem to carry downward as well as upward, and
though Tom's craft was making scarcely any noise, save that caused by
the rush of wind through the struts and wires, there was so much
confusion on the motor boat, to say nothing of the engine which was
going, that Tom's encouraging call must have been unheard.

"What are you going to do, Tom?" asked Ned, "You can't land on the
water!"

"I know it; worse luck! If I only had the hydroplane, now, we could
make a thrilling rescue--land right beside the other boat and take 'em
all off. But, as it is, I'll have to land as near as I can and then we
will look for a boat to go out to them in."

Ned saw, now, what Tom's object was. On one shore of the lake was a
large, level field, suitable for a landing place for the craft of the
air. At least it looked to be a suitable place, but Tom would be
obliged to take a chance on that. This field sloped down to the beach
of the lake, and as Ned and his chum came nearer to earth they could
see several boats on shore, though no persons were near them. Had there
been, probably they would have gone to the rescue.

Tom cast a rapid look across the sheet of water, to make sure his
services were really needed. The motor boat was lower in the lake now,
and was, undoubtedly, sinking. And no other craft was near enough to
render help. Though distant whistles, seeming to come from approaching
craft, told of help on the way.

"Hold fast, Ned!" cried Tom, as they neared the earth. "We may bump!"

But Tom Swift was too skillful a pilot to cause his craft to sustain
much of a crash. He made an almost perfect "three point landing," and
there would have been no unusual shaking, except for the fact that the
field was a bit bumpy, and the craft more heavily laden than usual.

"Good work, Tom!" cried Ned, as the Lucifer slackened her speed, the
young inventor having sent her around in a half circle so that she now
faced the lake. Then Tom and Ned climbed fr