tried with the other to adjust the motor to get rid of the
trouble, but he only made it worse. Andy's boat began to fall
back and Tom's to creep up. Frantically Andy worked the gasoline
and sparking levers, but without avail. At last one cylinder went
completely out of service.

The two boats were now on even terms and were racing along side by
side toward the wooded, point, which marked the finish.

"I'll beat you yet!" exclaimed Andy fiercely.

"Better hurry up!" retorted Tom.

But the young inventor was not to have it all his own way. With a
freakishness equal to that with which it had ceased to explode the
dead cylinder came to life again, and the RED STREAK shot ahead.
Once more Andy's boat had the lead of a length and the finish of
the race was close at hand. The squint-eyed lad turned and
shouted: "I told you I'd beat you! Want a tow now?"

It began to look as though Tom would need it, but he still had
something in reserve. One of the improvements he had put in the
ARROW was a new auxiliary ignition system. This he now decided to
use.

With a quick motion Tom threw over the switch that put it into
operation. A hotter, "fatter" spark was at once produced, and
adjusting his gasoline cock so that a little more of the fluid
would be drawn in, making a "richer" mixture, the owner of the
ARROW saw the craft shoot forward as if, like some weary runner,