Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat | Page 6

saw quite a throng
going down toward the boathouse.

"There'll be some lively bidding," thought Tom as he got off his
machine and pushed it ahead of him through the drive and down toward
the river. I hope they don't go above two hundred dollars, though."
"Get out the way there!" called a sudden voice, and looking back, Tom
saw that an automobile had crept up silently behind him. In it were
Andy Foger and Sam Snedecker. "Why don't you get out the way?"
petulantly demanded the red-haired lad.
"Because I don't choose to," replied Tom calmly, knowing that Andy
would never dare to speed up his machine on the slope leading down to
the lake.
"Go ahead, bump him!" the young inventor heard Sam whisper.
"You'd better try it, if you want to get the best trouncing you ever had!"
cried Tom hotly.
"Hu! I s'pose you think you're going to bid on the boat?" sneered Andy.
"Is there any law against it?" asked Tom.
"Hu! Well, you'll not get it. I'm going to take that boat," retorted the
squint-eyed bully. "Dad gave me the money to get it."
"All right," answered Tom non-committally. "Go ahead. It's a free
country."
He stood his motor-cycle up against a tree and went toward a group of
persons who were surrounding the auctioneer. The time had arrived to
start the sale. As Tom edged in closer he brushed against a man who
looked at him sharply. The lad was just wondering if he had ever seen
the individual before, as there seemed to be something strangely
familiar about him, when the man turned quickly away, as if afraid of
being recognized.
"That's odd," thought Tom, but he had no further time for speculation,
as the auctioneer was mounting on a soapbox and had begun to address

the gathering.
CHAPTER II
SOME LIVELY BIDDING
"Attention, people!" cried the auctioneer. "Give me your attention for a
few minutes, and we will proceed with the business in hand. As you all
know, I am about to dispose of a fine motor- boat, the property of Mr.
Bently Hastings. The reason for disposing of it at auction is known to
most of you, but for the benefit of those who do not, I will briefly state
them. The boat was stolen by a gang of thieves and recovered recently
through the efforts of a young man, Thomas Swift, son of Barton Swift,
our fellow-townsman, of Shopton." At that moment the auctioneer,
Jacob Wood, caught sight of Tom in the press, and, looking directly at
the lad, continued:
"I understand that young Mr. Swift is here to-day, and I hope he intends
to bid on this boat. If he does, the bidding will be lively, for Tom Swift
is a lively young man. I wish I could say that some of the men who
stole the boat were here to-day."
The auctioneer paused and there were some murmurs from those in the
throng as to why such a wish should be uttered. Tom felt some one
moving near him, and, looking around, he saw the same man with
whom he had come in contact before. The person seemed desirous of
getting out on the edge of the crowd, and Tom felt a return of his vague
suspicions. He looked closely at the fellow, but could trace no
resemblance to any of the men who had so daringly stolen his father's
model.
"The reason I wish they were here to-day," went on Mr. Wood, "is that
the men did some slight damage to the boat, and if they were here
to-day we would make them pay for it. However, the damage is slight
and can easily be repaired. I mention that, as Mr. Hastings desired me
to. Now we will proceed with the bidding, and I will say that an
opportunity will first be given all to examine the boat. Perhaps Tom
Swift will give us his opinion on the state it is in as we know he is well

qualified to talk about machinery."
All eyes were turned on Tom, for many knew him.
"Humph! I guess I know as much about boats and motors as he does,"
sneered Andy Foger. 'He isn't the only one in this crowd! Why didn't
the auctioneer ask me?"
"Keep quiet," begged Sam Snedecker. "People are laughing at you,
Andy."
"I don't care if they are," muttered the sandy haired youth. "Tom Swift
needn't think he's everything."
"If you will come down to the dock," went on the auctioneer, "you can
all see the boat, and I would be glad to have young Mr. Swift give us
the benefit of his advice."
The throng trooped down to the lake, and, blushing somewhat, Tom
told what was the matter with the motor and how it