ome lunch with us," suggested Miss
Carson, blushing prettily.

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure," answered Tom, and then he
laughed at his formal reply, the girls joining in.

"We'd be glad to have you," added Miss Haddon. "Oh!" she suddenly
screamed, "the boat's tipping over!"

"Oh, no," Tom hastened to assure her, coming, to the side to help her
in. "It just tilts a bit, with the weight of so many on one side. It
couldn't capsize if it tried."

In another moment the three were in the roomy cockpit and Tom had made
the empty rowboat fast to the stern. He was about to start up when
from another boat, containing two little girls and two slightly larger
boys, came a plaintive cry:

"Oh, mister, give us a ride!"

"Sure!" agreed Tom pleasantly. "Just fasten your boat to the other
rowboat and I'll tow you."

One of the boys did this, and then, with three pretty girls as his
companions in the ARROW and towing the two boats, Tom started off.

The girls were very much interested in the craft and asked all sorts of
questions about how the engine operated. Tom explained as clearly as
he could how the gasoline exploded in the cylinders, about the electric
spark and about the propeller. Then, when he had finished, Miss Haddon
remarked naively:

"Oh, Mr. Swift, you've explained it beautifully, and I'm sure if our
teacher in school made things as clear as you have that I could get
along fine. I understand all about it, except I don't see what makes
the engine go."

"Oh," said Tom faintly, and he wondering what would be the best remark
to make under the circumstances, when Miss Nestor created a diversion
by looking at her watch and exclaiming:

"Oh, girls, it's lunch time! We must go ashore. Will you kindly put
about, Mr. Swift--I hope that is the proper term--and--land us--is that
right?" and she looked archly at Tom.

"That's perfectly right," he admitted with a laugh and a glance into
the girl's brown eyes. "I'll put you ashore at once," and he headed
for a small dock.

"And come yourself to take lunch with us, added Miss Haddon.

"I'm afraid I might be in the way," stammered Tom. "I--I have a pretty
good appetite, and--"

"I suppose you think that girls on a picnic don't take much lunch,"
finished Miss Nestor. "But I assure you that we have plenty, and that
you will be very welcome," she added warmly.

"Yes, and I'd like to have him explain over again how the engine
works," went on Miss Ha