rain, a celluloid window in the forward hanging curtains affording
him a view so that he could steer.

Through the mist puffed the boat, the motor being throttled down
to medium speed, for Tom was not as familiar with the lake as he
would like to have been, and he did not want to run aground or
into another craft.

He was thinking over what his father had told him about the
presence of the men and vainly wondering what might be their
reference to the "sparkler." His thoughts also dwelt on the
curious removal of the bracing block from under the gasoline tank
of his boat.

"I shouldn't be surprised but what Andy Foger did that," he mused.
"Some day he and I will have a grand fight, and then maybe he'll
let me alone. Well, I've got other things to think about now.
The hotel detective can keep a lookout for the men around the
hotel, after the, warning I gave him, and I'll see that all is
right at home."

The fog lifted somewhat and Tom put on more speed. As he was
steering the boat along near shore he heard, off to the woods at
his right, the report of a gun. It came so suddenly that he
jumped involuntarily. A moment later there sounded, plainly
through the damp air, a cry for help.

"Some one's hurt--shot" cried the youth aloud.

He turned the boat in toward the bank. As he shut off the power