"What for?" panted Bert, as he struggled with the oars, trying to
swing the boat out of danger. "There's nobody aboard to steer the boat
out of the way."

But Vincent yelled anyhow, and, to the surprise of the boys, a figure
suddenly showed itself in the motor boat. It was that of a man, and he
had been lying down in the craft, adjusting some of the machinery
while the engine was running.

His sudden exclamation, as he sat up on hearing Vincent's yell, showed
that he was not aware how close he was to a collision. He jumped to
his feet, leaped forward to the wheel, and with a few quick turns sent
his boat to one side.

And it was only just in time, for the freeboard of his craft grazed
the extended oars that Tom and Bert had thrust out to dip in the
water, in order to further swing their boat around.

"I didn't see you!" exclaimed the man, as his boat rushed past. "I was
fixing my engine. I'm sorry!"

"Whose boat is that?" asked Bert.

But the man returned no answer, and in a few seconds he was too far
off to enable the boys to repeat the question.

"Do any of you fellows know him?" asked Bert of his chums.

"Seems to me I saw him in the village the other day," replied Tom. "He