Damon,
calming himself after an effort, resumed:
"I was out for an early spin in my auto," he said, "and was
traveling along a road that bordered the lake, about fifteen miles
above here. I heard a motor-boat puffing along near shore, and,
looking through the trees, I saw one containing three men. It had
a red arrow on the bow, and that's why I noticed it, because I
recalled that your boat was named the DART."
"ARROW," corrected Tom.
"The ARROW. Oh, yes, I knew it was something like that. Well of
course at the time I didn't think that it was your boat, but I
associated it in my mind with yours. Do you catch my meaning?"
Tom did and said so, wishing Mr. Damon would hurry and get to the
point. But the eccentric character had to do things in his own
way.
"Exactly," he resumed. "Well, I didn't think that was your boat,
but, at the same time, I watched the men out of curiosity, and I
was struck with their behavior. They seemed to be quarreling,
and, from what I could hear, two of them seemed to be
remonstrating with the third one for having taken some sort of a
piece of wood from the forward compartment. I believe that is
the proper term."
"Yes!" Tom almost shouted. "But where did they go? What became
of them? What was the man doing to the forward compartment--where
the gasoline tank is?"
"Exactly.
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