swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第10节
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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；〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
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 Haddon。 〃I am so interested。〃
Tom helped the girls out； receiving their thanks as well as those of the
children in the second boat。 But as he walked with the young ladies
through the grove the young inventor registered a mental vow that he
would steer clear of explaining again how a gasoline engine worked。
〃Now come right over this way to our table；〃 invited Miss Nestor。 〃I
want you to meet papa and mamma。〃
Tom followed her。 As he stepped from behind a clump of trees he
saw； standing not far away； a figure that seemed strangely familiar。 A
moment later the figure turned and Tom saw Andy Foger confronting him。
At the sight of our hero the bully turned red and walked quickly away；
while Tom's fingers touched the ring of keys in his pocket。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER VII
A BRUSH WITH ANDY
So unexpected was his encounter with Andy that the young inventor
hardly knew how to act； especially since he was a guest of the young
ladies。 Tom did not want to do or say anything to embarrass them or
make a scene； yet he did want to have a talk； and a very serious talk； with
Andy Foger。
Miss Nestor must have noticed Tom's sudden start at his glimpse of
Andy； for she asked： 〃Did you see some one you knew； Mr。 Swift？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Tom； 〃I did…er…that is…〃 He paused in some
confusion。
〃Perhaps you'd likethat is prefer…to go with them instead of taking
lunch with girls who don't know anything about engines？〃 she persisted。
〃Oh； no indeed；〃 Tom hastened to assure her。 〃He…that is…the
person I saw wouldn't care to have me lunch with him；〃 and the youth
smiled grimly。
〃Would you like to bring him over to our table？〃 inquired Miss Carson。
〃We have plenty for him。〃
〃No； I think that would hardly do；〃 continued the lad； who tried not to
smile at the picture of the red…haired and squint…eyed Andy Foger making
one of a party with the girls。 The young ladies fortunately had not
noticed the bully； who was out of view by this time。
Tom was presented to Mr。 and Mrs。 Nestor； who told him how glad
they were to meet the young man who had been instrumental in saving
their daughter from injury； if not death。 Tom was a bit embarrassed； but
bore the praise as well as he could； and he was very glad when a diversion；
in the shape of lunch； occurred。
After a meal on tables under the trees in the grove Tom took the girls
and some of their friends out in his motor…boat again。 They covered
several miles around the lake before returning to the picnic ground。
As Tom was starting toward home in his boat； wondering what had
become of Andy and trying to think of a reason why the bully should
attend anything as 〃tame〃 as a church picnic； the object of his thoughts
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
came strolling through the trees down to the shore of the lake。 The
moment he saw Tom the red…haired lad started back； but the young
inventor； leaping out of his boat； called out：
〃Hold on there； Andy Foger； I want to see you！〃 and there was menace
in Tom's tone。
〃But； I don't want to see you！〃 retorted the other sulkily。 〃I've got no
use for you。〃
〃No more have I for you；〃 was Tom's quick reply。 〃But I want to
return you these keys。 You dropped them in my boat the other night
when you tried to set it afire。 If I ever catch you…〃
〃My keys！ Your boat！ On fire！〃 gasped Andy； so plainly astonished
that Tom knew his surprise was genuine。
〃Yes； your keys。 You were a little； too quick for me or I'd have
caught you at it。 The next time you pick a lock don't leave your keys
behind you；〃 and he held out the jingling ring。
Andy Foger advanced slowly。 He took the bunch of keys and looked
at the tag。
〃They are mine；〃 he said slowly； as if there was some doubt about it。
〃Of course they are；〃 declared Tom。 〃I found them where you
dropped them…in my boat。〃
〃Do you mean over at the auction？〃
〃No； I mean down in my boathouse； where you sneaked in the other
night and tried to do some damage。
〃The other night！〃 cried Andy。 〃I never was near your boathouse any
night and I never lost my keys there！ I lost these the day of the auction；
on Mr。 Hastings' ground； and I've been looking for them ever since。〃
〃Didn't you sneak in my boathouse the other night and try to do some
mischief？ Didn't you drop them then？〃
〃No； I didn't；〃 retorted Andy earnestly。 〃I lost those keys at the
auction； and I can prove it to you。 Look； I advertised for them in the
weekly Gazette。〃
The red…haired lad pulled a crumpled paper from his pocket and
showed Tom an advertisement offering a reward of two dollars for a bunch
of keys on a ring； supposed to have been lost at the auction on Mr。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
Hastings' grounds in Lanton。 The finder was to return them to Andy
Foger。
〃Does that look as if I lost the keys in your boathouse？〃 demanded the
bully sneeringly。 〃I wouldn't have advertised them that way if I' been
trying to keep my visit quiet。 Besides； I can prove that I was out of town
several nights。 I' was over to an entertainment in Mansburg one night
and I didn't get home until two o'clock in the morning； because my
machine broke down。 Ask Ned Newton。 He saw me at the
entertainment。
Andy's manner was so earnest that Tom could not help believing him。
Then there was the evidence of the advertisement。 Clearly the squint…
eyed youth had not been the mysterious visitor to the boathouse and had
not unlocked the forward compartment。 But if it was not he； who could it
have been and how did the keys get there？ These were questions which
racked Tom's brain。
〃You can ask Ned Newton；〃 repeated Andy。 〃He'll prove that I
couldn't have been near your place； if you don't believe me。〃
〃Oh； I believe you all right；〃 answered Tom； for there could be no
doubting Andy's manner； even though he and the young inventor were not
on good terms。 〃But how did your keys get in my boat？〃
〃I don't know； unless you found them； kept them and dropped them
there；〃 was the insolent answer。
〃You know better than that；〃 exclaimed Tom。
〃Well； I owe you a reward of two dollars for giving them back to me；〃
continued the bully patronizingly。 〃Here it is
