"Well, dad, a motor-boat certainly would go fine on Lake Carlopa.
There's plenty of room to speed her, and I wonder there aren't
more of them. I was going to see what Mr. Hastings' boat would
sell for, but I didn't exactly think of buying it' Still--"

"But you wouldn't buy a damaged boat, would you?"

"It isn't much damaged," and in his eagerness the young inventor
(for Tom Swift had taken out several patents) stood his
motor-cycle up against the fence and came closer to his father.
"It's only slightly damaged," he went on. "I can easily fix it.
I looked it all over before I gave it in charge of the
authorities, and it's certainly a fine boat. It's worth nine
hundred dollars--or it was when it was new."

"That's a good deal of money for a boat," and Mr. Swift looked
serious, for though he was well off, he was inclined to be
conservative.

"Oh, I shouldn't think of paying that much. In fact, dad, I
really had no idea of bidding at the auction. I only thought I'd
go over and get an idea of what the boat might sell for. Perhaps
some day--"

Tom paused. Since his father had begun to question him some new
plans had come into the lad's head. He looked at his parent and
saw a smile beginning to work around the corners of Mr. Swift's
lips. There was also a humorous look in the eyes of the older
inventor. He understood boys fairly well, even if he only had
one, and he knew Tom perfectly.