"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.
CHAPTER XIX
A QUIET CRUISE
"Have they done any damage?" asked Mr. Damon as he stood in the
bow of the RED STREAK.
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