CHAPTER V
A TEST OF SPEED
Whether Tom or Andy was the most surprised at the happening would be hard to say. The former had not meant to hit so hard and he certainly did not intend to knock the squint-eyed youth down. The latter"s fall was due, as much as anything, to his senseless, rushing tactics and to the fact that he slipped on the green gra.s.s. The bully was up in a moment, however, but he knew better than to try conclusions with Tom again. Instead he stood out of reach and spluttered:
"You just wait, Tom Swift! You just wait!"
"Well, I"m waiting," responded the other calmly.
"I"ll get even with you," went on Andy. "You think you"re smart because you got ahead of me, but I"ll get square!"
"Look here!" burst out the young inventor determinedly, taking a step toward his antagonist, at which Andy quickly retreated, "I don"t want any more of that talk from you, Andy Foger. That"s twice you"ve made threats against me to-day. You put that log across the road, and if you try anything like it for your second attempt I"ll make you wish you hadn"t. That applies to you, too, Sam," he added, glancing at the other lad.
"I--I ain"t gone" to do nothin"," declared Sam.
"I told Andy not to put that tree--"
"Keep still, can"t you!" shouted the bully. "Come on. We"ll get even with him, that"s all," he muttered as he went back into the bushes where the auto was. Andy cranked up and he and his crony getting into the car were about to start off.
"Hold on!" cried Tom. "You"ll take that log from across the road or I"ll have you arrested for obstructing traffic, and that"s a serious offense."
"I"m goin" to take it away!" growled Andy. "Give a fellow a show can"t you?"
He cast an ugly look at Tom, 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 circ.u.mstances 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 and able to fly in almost any wind. But I certainly have puzzled my brains over some features of it. However, I don"t quite see what you mean."
"You need a rest, dad," said Mr. Swift"s son kindly. "I want you to forget all about patents, invention, machinery and even the gyroscope for a week or two. When I get my motor-boat in shape I"m going to take you and Ned Newton up the lake for a cruise. We can camp out, or, if we had to, we could sleep in the boat. I"m going to put a canopy on it and arrange some bunks. It will do you good and perhaps new ideas for your gyroscope may come to you after a rest."
"Perhaps they will, Tom. I am certainly tired enough to need a vacation. It"s very kind of you to think of me in connection with your boat. But if you"re going to get it this afternoon you"d better start if you expect to get back by night. I think Mrs. Baggert has dinner ready."
After the meal Tom selected a number of tools from his own particular machine shop and carried them down to the dock on the lake, where his two small boats were tied.
"Aren"t you going back on your motor-cycle?" asked his father.
"No, Dad, I"m going to row over to Lanton, and, if I can get the ARROW fixed, I"ll tow my rowboat back."
"Very well, then you won"t be in any danger from Andy Foger. I must speak to his father about him."
"No, dad, don"t," exclaimed the young inventor quickly. "I can fight my own battles with Andy. I don"t fancy he will bother me again right away."
Tom found it more of a task than he had antic.i.p.ated to get the motor in shape to run the ARROW back under her own power. The magneto was out of order and the batteries needed renewing, while the spark coil had short-circuited and took considerable time to adjust. But by using some new dry cells, which Mr. Hastings gave him, and cutting out the magneto, or small dynamo which produces the spark that exploded the gasoline in the cylinders, Tom soon had a fine, "fat" hot spark from the auxiliary ignition system. Then, adjusting the timer and throttle on the engine and seeing that the gasoline tank was filled, the lad started up his motor. Mr. Hastings helped him, but after a few turns of the flywheel there were no explosions. Finally, after the carburetor (which is the device where gasoline is mixed with air to produce an explosive mixture) had been adjusted, the motor started off as if it had intended to do so all the while and was only taking its time about it.
"The machine doesn"t run as smooth as it ought to," commented Mr.
Hastings. "No, it needs a thorough overhauling," agreed the owner of the ARROW. "I"ll get at it to-morrow," and with that he swung out into the lake, towing his rowboat after him.
"A motor-boat of my own!" exulted Tom as he twirled the steering wheel and noted how readily the craft answered her helm. "This is great!"
He steered down the lake and then, turning around, went up it a mile or more before heading for his own dock, as he wanted to see how the engine behaved.
"With some changes and adjustments I can make this a speedy boat,"
thought Tom. "I"ll get right at it. I shouldn"t wonder if I could make a good showing against Mr. Hastings" new CARLOPA, though his boat"s got four cylinders and mine has but two."
The lad was proceeding leisurely along the lakesh.o.r.e, near his home, with the motor throttled down to test it at low speed, when he heard some one shout. Looking toward the bank, Tom saw a man waving his hands.
"I wonder what he wants?" thought our hero as he put the wheel over to send his craft to sh.o.r.e. He heard a moment later, for the man on the bank cried:
"I say, my young friend, do you know anything about automobiles? Of course you do or you wouldn"t be running a motor-boat. Bless my very existence, but I"m in trouble! My machine has stopped on a lonely road and I can"t seem to get it started. I happened to hear your boat and I came here to hail you. Bless my coat-pockets but I am in trouble! Can you help me? Bless my soul and gizzard!"
"Mr. Damon!" exclaimed Tom, shutting off the power, for he was now near sh.o.r.e. "Of course I"ll help you, Mr. Damon," for the young inventor had recognized the eccentric man of whom he had purchased the motor-cycle and who had helped him in rounding up the thieves.
"Why, bless my shoe-laces, if it isn"t Tom Swift!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, who seemed very fond of calling down blessings upon himself or upon articles of his dress or person.
"Yes! I"m here," admitted Tom with a laugh.
"And in a motor-boat, too! Bless my pocketbook, but did that run away with some one who sold it to you cheap?"
"No, not exactly," and the lad explained how he had come into possession of it. By this time he was ash.o.r.e and had tied the ARROW to an overhanging tree. Then Tom proceeded to where Mr. Damon had left his stalled automobile. The eccentric man was wealthy and his physician had instructed him to ride about in the car for his health.
Tom soon located the trouble. The carburetor had become clogged, and it was soon in working order again.