"They're up to something!" suddenly exclaimed Mr.Damon a moment later."I believe they're going to fire on us, Tom.They are pointing something this way."The lad stood up and gazed earnestly at his boat, which seemed to be slipping away from him so fast.One of the occupants was in the stern, aiming some glittering object at those in the RED STREAK.For a moment Tom thought it might be a gun.Then, as the man turned, he saw what it was.
"A pair of marine glasses," cried the lad."They're trying to make out who we are.""I guess they know well enough," rejoined Mr.Damon."Can't yougo any faster, Tom?"
"I'm afraid not.But we'll land them, sooner or later.They can't go very far in this direction without running ashore and we'll have them.They're cutting across the lake now.""They may escape us if it gets dark.Probably that's what they're working for.They want to keep ahead of us until nightfall."The young inventor thought of this too, but there was little he could do.The motor was running at top speed.It could be made to go faster, Tom knew, with another ignition system, but that was out of the question now.
The man with the glasses had resumed his seat, and the efforts of the trio seemed concentrated on the motor of the ARROW.They, too, wished to go faster.But they had not skill enough to accomplish it, and in about ten minutes, when Tom took another long and careful look to ascertain if possible whether or not he was overhauling the thieves, he was delighted to see that the distance between the boats had lessened.
"We're catching them! We're creeping up on them!" cried Mr.Damon."Keep it up, Tom." There was nothing to do, however, save wait.The boat ahead had shifted her course somewhat and was now turning in toward the shore, for the lake was narrow at this point, and abandoning their evident intention of keeping straight up the lake, the thieves seemed now bent on something else.
"I believe they're going to run ashore and get out!" cried Mr.Damon."If they do, it's just what I want," declared the lad."I don't care forthe men.I want my boat back!"
The occupants of the ARROW were looking to the rear again, and one---Happy Harry, Tom thought---shook his fist.
"Ah, wait until I get hold of you!" cried Mr.Damon, following his example."I'll make you wish you'd behaved yourselves, you scoundrels! Bless my overcoat! Catch them if you can, Tom."There was now no doubt of the intention of the fleeing ones.The shore was looming up ahead and straight for it was headed the ARROW.Tom sent Andy's boat in the same direction.He was rapidly overhauling the escaping ones now, for they had slowed down the motor.Three minutes later the foremost boat grated on the beach of the lake.The menleaped out, one of them pausing an instant in the bow.
"Here, don't you damage my boat!" cried Tom involuntarily, for the man seemed to be hammering something.
The fellow leaped over the side, holding something in his hand."There they go!Catch them!" yelled Mr.Damon.
"Let them go!" answered the lad as the men ran toward the wood."I want my boat.I'm afraid they've damaged her.One of them tore something from the bow."At the same instant the two companions of the fellow who had paused in the forward part of the ARROW saw that he had something in his hand.With yells of rage they dashed at him, but he, shaking his fist at them, plunged into the bushes and could be heard breaking his way through, while his companions were in pursuit.
"They've quarreled among themselves," commented Mr.Damon as high and angry voices could be heard from the woods."There's some mystery here, Tom.""I don't doubt it, but my first concern is for my boat.I want to see if they have damaged her."Tom had run so closely in shore with the RED STREAK that he had to reverse to avoid damaging the craft against the bank.In a mass of foam he stopped her in time, and then springing ashore, he hurried to his motor- boat.
