Part 23 (1/2)

interposed Mr Swift ”Tramps who don't like to work, and who have a jolly disposition, also those who ask for ns tattooed on their hands, are very common”

”Oh, but I'm sure this is the sahborhood until he locates his confederates That's why he's hanging around Now I have an idea that the deserted mansion, where Eradicate used to work, and which once housed General Harkness and his fa of thieves”

”You are taking a great deal for granted, Toot to assu, but I don't think so At any rate, I' to try, if you'll let o to that deserted mansion and see what I can find If I locate the thieves, well--”

”You er”

”Then you adht track, dad?”

”Not at all,” and Mr Swift smiled at the quick manner in which Tom turned the tables on him ”I admit there may be a band of tramps in that house Very likely there is--almost any deserted place would be attractive to them But they may not be the ones you seek In fact, I hardly see how they can be The men who stole my model and patent papers are wealthy They would not be very likely to stay in deserted houses”

”Perhaps soh theet on the track of the principals”

”Well, there is soo, dad?”

”I suppose so We et back the stolen model and papers But I don't want you to run any risks If you would only take some one with you There's your chuo”

”No, I'd rather work it alone, dad I'll be careful Besides, Ned could not get away froone a week, and he has no ht and early He had carefully laid his plans, and had decided that he would not go direct to Pineford, which was the nearest village to the old Harknessthey will probably keep watch on who coht Tom ”The arrival of some one on a motor-cycle will be sure to be reported to theot to come up from another direction, so I think I'll circle around, and reach the mansion from the stretch of woods on the north”

He had inquired froeneral idea of it He knew there was a patch of woodland on one side of the mansion, while the other sides were open

”I h the woods,” mused Tom, ”but I'll take my machine as close as I can, and walk the rest of the way

Once I discover whether or not the gang is in the place, I'll knohat to do”

To follow out the plan he had laid down for himself meant that To a whole day on the road, before he would be near the head of Lake Carlopa, where the Harkness house was located The lake was a large one, and Tom had never been to the upper end

When he ithin a few miles of Pineford, To at night in a lonely faret to the woods that night But a puncture to one of the tires delayed hi with his batteries He had to go five et new cells, and it was dusk when he came to the stretch of woods which he knew lay between hi in there at night,” said Tom to himself

”Guess I'd better stay so, and then venture in But the question is where to stay?”

The country was deserted, and for a mile or more he had seen no houses He kept on for so rapidly, and when he was about to turn back to retrace his way to the last farmhouse he had passed, he saw a slab shanty at the side of the road

”That's better than nothing, provided they'll taketo ask, anyhow”

He found the shanty to be inhabited by an oldcharcoal The place was not very attractive, but To the charcoal-burner a kindly old fellow, soon ht

Tos, and after a si inquired of the oldthe forest