on the craft. He overhauled the ignition system, which was the
jump-spark style, cleaned the magneto and adjusted the gasoline
and compression taps so that they fitted better. Then he
readjusted the rudder lines, tightening them on the steering
wheel, and looked over the piping from the gasoline tank.

The tank was in the forward compartment, and, upon inspecting
this, the lad concluded to change the plan by which the big
galvanized iron box was held in place. He took out the old wooden
braces and set them closer together, putting in a few new ones.

"The tank will not vibrate so when I'm going at full speed," he
explained to his father.

"Is that where the strange man was tampering with the lock the day
of the auction?" asked Mr. Swift.

"Yes, but I don't see what he could want in this compartment, do
you dad?"

The inventor got into the boat and looked carefully into the
rather dark space where the tank fitted. He went over every inch
of it, and, pointing to one of the thick wooden blocks that
supported the tank, asked:

"Did you bore that hole in there, Tom?"

"No, it was there before I touched the braces. But it isn't a
hole, or rather, someone bored it and stopped it up again. It
doesn't weaken the brace any."