. I've a good notion to
have Andy Foger arrested!"

The sailing craft swiftly approached the motor-boat. Tom could see the
three occupants looking at him, apprehensively as well as curiously, he
thought.

"Guess they didn't think I'd keep after 'em," mused the young inventor,
and a little later he was beside the RED STREAK.

"Well," cried Tom angrily, "it's about time you came back!"

"We've had a breakdown," remarked Andy, and he seemed quite humiliated.
He was beginning to find out that he didn't know as much about a
motor-boat as he thought he did.

"I've been waiting for you," went on Tom.

"Waiting for us? What for?" asked Sam Snedecker.

"What for? As if you didn't know!" blurted out the owner of the ARROW.
"I want my boat, Andy Foger, the one you stole from me and hid! Tell
me where it is at once or I'll have you arrested!"

"Your boat!" repeated the bully, and there was no mistaking the
surprise in his tones.

"Yes, my boat! Don't try to bluff me like that."

"I'm not trying to bluff you. We've been away, three days and just got
back."

"Yes, I know you have. You took my boat with you, too."

"Are you crazy?" demanded Pete Bailey.

"No, but you fellows must have been to think you could take my boat and
me not know it," and Tom, filled with wrath, grasped the gunwale of the
RED STREAK as if he feared it would suddenly shoot away.

"Look here!" burst out Andy, and he spoke sincerely, "we didn't touch
your boat. Did we, fellows?"

"No!" exclaimed Sam and Pete at once, and they were very much in
earnest.

"We didn't even know it was stolen, did we?" went on Andy.

"No," agreed his chums. Tom looked unconvinced.

"We haven't taken your boat and we can prove it," continued the bully.
"I know you and I have had quarrels, but I'm telling you the truth, Tom
Swift. I never touched your boat."

There was no mistaking the sincerity of Andy. He was not a skilful
deceiver, and Tom, looking into his squint-eyes, which were opened
unusually wide, could not but help believing the fellow.

"We haven't seen it since the day we had the collision," added Andy,
and his chums confirmed this statement.

"We went off on a little cruise," continued the red-haired bully, "and
broke down several times. We had bad luck. Just as we were nearing
home something went wrong with the engine again. I never saw such a
poor motor. But we never took your boat, Tom Swift, and we can prove
it."

Tom was in