"Well, have you caught any more runaway horses lately?""Runaway horses---why---what? Oh, it's Miss Nestor!" exclaimed the lad, recognizing the young lady whose steed he had frightened one day when he was on his bicycle.As told in the first volume of this series, the horse had run away, being alarmed at the flashing of Tom's wheel, and Miss Mary Nestor, of Mansburg, was in grave danger.
"So you've given up the bicycle for the motor-boat," went on the young lady.
"Yes," replied Tom with a smile, shutting off the power, "and I haven't had a chance to save any girls since I've had it."The two boats had drifted close together, and Miss Nestor introduced her two companions to Tom.
"Don't you want to come in and take a ride?" he asked."Is it safe?" asked Jennie Haddon, one of the trio.
"Of course it is, Jennie, or he wouldn't be out in it," said Miss Nestor hastily."Come on, let's get in.I'm just dying for a motor-boat ride.""What will we do with our boat?" asked Katie Carson.
"Oh, I can tow that," replied the youth."Get right in and I'll take you all around the lake.""Not too far," stipulated the girl who had figured in the runaway."We must be back for lunch, which will be served in about an hour.Our church and Sunday-school are having a picnic.""Maybe Mr.Swift will come and have some lunch with us," suggested Miss Carson, blushing prettily.
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure," answered Tom, and then he laughed at his formal reply, the girls joining in.
"We'd be glad to have you," added Miss Haddon."Oh!" she suddenly screamed, "the boat's tipping over!""Oh, no," Tom hastened to assure her, coming, to the side to help her in."It just tilts a bit, with the weight of so many on one side.It couldn't capsize if it tried."In another moment the three were in the roomy cockpit and Tom had made the empty rowboat fast to the stern.He was about to start up when from another boat, containing two little girls and two slightly larger boys, came a plaintive cry:
"Oh, mister, give us a ride!"
"Sure!" agreed Tom pleasantly."Just fasten your boat to the other rowboat and I'll tow you."One of the boys did this, and then, with three pretty girls as his companions in the ARROW and towing the two boats, Tom started off.
The girls were very much interested in the craft and asked all sorts of questions about how the engine operated.Tom explained as clearly as he could how the gasoline exploded in the cylinders, about the electric spark and about the propeller.Then, when he had finished, Miss Haddon remarked naively:
"Oh, Mr.Swift, you've explained it beautifully, and I'm sure if our teacher in school made things as clear as you have that I could get along fine.I understand all about it, except I don't see what makes the engine go.""Oh," said Tom faintly, and he wondering what would be the best remark to make under the circumstances, when Miss Nestor created a diversion by looking at her watch and exclaiming:
"Oh, girls, it's lunch time! We must go ashore.Will you kindly put about, Mr.Swift---I hope that is the proper term---and---land us---is that right?" and she looked archly at Tom.
"That's perfectly right," he admitted with a laugh and a glance into the girl's brown eyes."I'll put you ashore at once," and he headed for a small dock.
"And come yourself to take lunch with us, added Miss Haddon.
"I'm afraid I might be in the way," stammered Tom."I---I have a pretty good appetite, and---""I suppose you think that girls on a picnic don't take much lunch,"finished Miss Nestor."But I assure you that we have plenty, and that you will be very welcome," she added warmly.
"Yes, and I'd like to have him explain over again how the engine works," went on Miss Haddon."I am so interested."Tom helped the girls out, receiving their thanks as well as those of the children in the second boat.But as he walked with the young ladies through the grove the young inventor registered a mental vow that he would steer clear of explaining again how a gasoline engine worked.
"Now come right over this way to our table," invited Miss Nestor."I want you to meet papa and mamma."Tom followed her.As he stepped from behind a clump of trees he saw, standing not far away, a figure that seemed strangely familiar.A moment later the figure turned and Tom saw Andy Foger confronting him.At the sight of our hero the bully turned red and walked quickly away, while Tom's fingers touched the ring of keys in his pocket.
