CHAPTER I
A MOTOR-BOAT AUCTION
"Where are you going, Tom?" asked Mr. Barton Swift of his son as the
young man was slowly pushing his motor-cycle out of the yard toward the
country road. "You look as though you had some object in view."
"So I have, dad. I\'m going over to Lanton."
"To Lanton? What for?"
"I want to have a look at that motor-boat."
"Which boat is that, Tom? I don\'t recall your speaking about a boat
over at Lanton. What do you want to look at it for?"
"It\'s the motor-boat those fellows had who tried to get away with your
turbine model invention, dad. The one they used at the old General
Harkness mansion, in the woods near the lake, and the same boat that
fellow used when he got away from me the day I was chasing him here."
"Oh, yes, I remember now. But what is the boat doing over at
Lanton?"
"That\'s where it belongs. It\'s the property of Mr. Bently Hastings.
The thieves stole it from him, and when they ran away from the old
mansion, the time Mr. Damon and I raided the place, they left the boat on
the lake. I turned it over to the county authorities, and they found out it
belonged to Mr. Hastings. He has it back now, but I understand it\'s
somewhat damaged, and he wants to get rid of it. He\'s going to sell it at
auction today, and I thought I\'d go over and take a look at it. You see---"
"Yes, I see, Tom," exclaimed Mr. Swift with a laugh. "I see what
you\'re aiming at. You want a motor-boat, and you\'re going all around
Robin Hood\'s barn to get at it."