e trying to make out
who we are."

"I guess they know well enough," rejoined Mr. Damon. "Can't you go any
faster, Tom?"

"I'm afraid not. But we'll land them, sooner or later. They can't go
very far in this direction without running ashore and we'll have them.
They're cutting across the lake now."

"They may escape us if it gets dark. Probably that's what they're
working for. They want to keep ahead of us until nightfall."

The young inventor thought of this too, but there was little he could
do. The motor was running at top speed. It could be made to go
faster, Tom knew, with another ignition system, but that was out of the
question now.

The man with the glasses had resumed his seat, and the efforts of the
trio seemed concentrated on the motor of the ARROW. They, too, wished
to go faster. But they had not skill enough to accomplish it, and in
about ten minutes, when Tom took another long and careful look to
ascertain if possible whether or not he was overhauling the thieves, he
was delighted to see that the distance between the boats had lessened.

"We're catching them! We're creeping up on them!" cried Mr. Damon.
"Keep it up, Tom." There was nothing to do, however, save wait. The
boat ahead had shifted her course somewhat and was now turning in
toward the shore, for the lake was narrow at this point, and abandoning
their evident intention of keeping straight up the lake, the thieves
seemed now bent on something else.

"I believe they're going to run ashore and get out!" cried Mr. Damon.

"If they do, it's just what I want," declared the lad. "I don't care
for the men. I want my boat back!"

The occupants of the ARROW were looking to the rear again, and
one--Happy Harry, Tom thought--shook his fist.

"Ah, wait until I get hold of you!" cried Mr. Damon, following his
example. "I'll make you wish you'd behaved yourselves, you scoundrels!
Bless my overcoat! Catch them if you can, Tom."

There was now no doubt of the intention of the fleeing ones. The shore
was looming up ahead and straight for it was headed the ARROW. Tom
sent Andy's boat in the same direction. He was rapidly overhauling the
escaping ones now, for they had slowed down the motor. Three minutes
later the foremost boat grated on the beach of the lake. The men
leaped out, one of them pausing an instant in the bow.

"Here, don't you damage my boat!" cried Tom involuntarily, for the man
seemed to be hammering something.

T