swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第15节
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girl。〃
〃Yes； but you do seem to turn up at most opportune times。 Luck is
certainly with you where she is concerned。 First you save her in a
runaway…〃
〃After I start the runaway；〃 interrupted Tom。
〃Then you take her for a ride in your motor…boat； and； lastly； you come
to her relief when she is stalled in the middle of the lake。 Oh you certainly
are a lucky dog！〃
〃Never mind； I'm giving you a show。 Now let's get to bed early； as I
want to get a good start。〃
Tom awoke to find a nasty； drizzling rainstorm in progress； and the
lake was almost hidden from view by a swirling fog。 Still he was not to
be daunted from his trip to Shopton by the weather； and； after a substantial
breakfast； he bade his father and Ned good…by and started off in the
ARROW。
The canopy he had provided was an efficient protection against the
rain； a celluloid window in the forward hanging curtains affording him a
view so that he could steer。
Through the mist puffed the boat； the motor being throttled down to
medium speed； for Tom was not as familiar with the lake as he would like
to have been； and he did not want to run aground or into another craft。
He was thinking over what his father had told him about the presence
of the men and vainly wondering what might be their reference to the
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
〃sparkler。〃 His thoughts also dwelt on the curious removal of the bracing
block from under the gasoline tank of his boat。
〃I shouldn't be surprised but what Andy Foger did that；〃 he mused。
〃Some day he and I will have a grand fight； and then maybe he'll let me
alone。 Well； I've got other things to think about now。 The hotel detective
can keep a lookout for the men around the hotel； after the； warning I gave
him； and I'll see that all is right at home。〃
The fog lifted somewhat and Tom put on more speed。 As he was
steering the boat along near shore he heard； off to the woods at his right；
the report of a gun。 It came so suddenly that he jumped involuntarily。
A moment later there sounded； plainly through the damp air； a cry for
help。
〃Some one's hurt…shot〃 cried the youth aloud。
He turned the boat in toward the bank。 As he shut off the power from
the motor he heard the cry again：
〃Help！ Help！ Help！〃
〃I must go ashore！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Probably some one is badly
wounded by a gun。〃
He paused for a moment as the fear came to him that it might be some
of the patent thieves。 Then； dismissing that idea as the ARROW's prow
touched the gravel； Tom sprang out； drew the boat up a little way； fastened
the rope to a tree and hurried off into the dripping woods in the direction
of the voice that was calling for aid。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR…BOAT（Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa）
CHAPTER XI
A QUICK RUN
〃Where are you？〃 cried Tom。 〃Are you hurt？ Where are you？〃
Uttering these words after he had hurried into the woods a short
distance； the young inventor paused for an answer。 At first he could hear
nothing but the drip of water from the branches of the trees； then； as he
listened intently； he became aware of a groan not far away。
〃Where are you？〃 cried the lad again。 〃I've come to help you。
Where are you？〃
He had lost what little fear he had had at first； that it might be one of
the unscrupulous gang； and came to the conclusion that he might safely
offer to help。
Once more the groan sounded and it was followed by a faint voice
speaking：
〃Here I am； under the big oak tree。 Oh； whoever you are； help me
quickly！ I'm bleeding to death！〃
With the sound of the voice to guide him； Tom swung around。 The
appeal had come from the left and； looking in that direction； he saw；
through the mist； a large oak tree。 Leaping over the underbrush toward it
he caught sight of the wounded man at its foot。 Beside him lay a gun and
there was a wound in the man's right arm。
〃Who shot you？〃 cried Tom； hurrying to the side of the man。 〃Was
it some of those patent thieves？〃 Then； realizing that a stranger would
know nothing of the men who had stolen the model； Tom prepared to
change the form of his question。 But； before he had an opportunity to do
this； the man； whose eyes were closed； opened them； and； as he got a
better sight of his face； Tom uttered a cry。
〃Why； it's Mr。 Duncan！〃 exclaimed the lad。 He had recognized the
rich hunter； whom he had first met in the woods that spring shortly after
Happy Harry； the tramp； had disabled Tom's motor… cycle。 〃Mr。
Duncan；〃 the young inventor repeated； 〃how did you get shot？〃
〃Is that you； Tom Swift？〃 asked the gunner。 〃Help me； please。 I
must stop this bleeding in my arm。 I'll tell you about it afterward。 Wind
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something around it tight…your handkerchief will do。〃
The man sighed weakly and his eyes closed again。 The lad saw the
blood spurting from an ugly wound。
〃I must make a tourniquet；〃 the youth exclaimed。 〃That will check
the bleeding until I can get him to a doctor。〃
With Tom to think was to act。 He took out his knife and cut off Mr。
Duncan's sleeves below the injury； slashing through coat and shirts。
Then he saw that part of a charge of shot had torn away some of the large
muscular development of the upper arm。 The hunter seemed to have
fainted and the youth worked quickly。 Tying his handkerchief above the
wound and inserting a small stone under the cloth； so that the pebble
would press on the main artery； Tom put a stick in the handkerchief and
began to twist it。 This had the effect of tightening the linen around the
arm； and in a few seconds the lad was glad to see that the blood had
stopped spurting out with every beat of the heart。 Giving the tourniquet a
few more twists to completely stop the flow of blood； Tom fastened the
stick…lever in place by a bit of string。
〃That's…that's better；〃 murmured Mr。 Duncan。 〃Now if you can go
for a doctor…〃 He had to pause for breath。
〃I'll not leave you here alone while I go for a doctor；〃 declared Tom。
〃I have my motor…boat on the lake。 Do you think I could get you down
to it and take you home？〃
〃Perhaps…maybe。 I'll be stronger in a moment； now that the
bleeding has stopped。 But not…not home…frighten my wife。 Take me to
the sanitarium if you can…sanitarium up the lake； a few miles from here。〃
The unfortunate man； who had tried to sit upright； had to lean back
against the tree again。 Tom understood what he meant in spite of the
broken sentences。 Mr。 Duncan did not want to be taken home in the
condition he was then in； for fear of alarming his wife。 He wanted to be
taken to the sanitarium； and Tom knew where this was； a well…known
resort for the treatment of various diseases and surgical cases。 It was
about five miles away and on the opposite shore of the lake。
〃Water…a drink！〃 murmured Mr。 Duncan。
Seeing that his patient would be all right； for a few minutes at least；
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Tom hurried to his motorboat； got a cup and； filling it with water from a
jug he carried； he hastened with it to the hunter。 The fluid revived the
man wonderfully and now that the bleeding had almost completely
stopped； Mr。 Duncan was much stronger
