Tom Fairfield in Camp; or, The Secret of the Old Mill

row that forward sw

m. Going any pla

iver, and on my way back I gue

I go

you see anything

e best chums of Tom Fairfield, threw in the connecting swit

sily, or if I've got to break my

d Dick. "Hasn't she been

get her started. She's like all the other motorboats, good at times, and off her feed occasionally. Tha

only a sort of sigh from the engine, as if it did not

d at the engine to see if all attachments were in

nd. But, save for a more pronounced sigh,

ry," sugg

imes, and if anyone but the regular trainer monkeys wi

otor do its work, and again there c

seat rather exhausted. "But she's speaking better than at first.

"But say, are you sure

ns last night, and d

ure it's t

ourse

djusted the

bad as a chap at Elmwood Hall-George Abbot. We call him 'Why,' beca

ure you'd done everything you

s would get stuck once in a while, and then some greenhorn could come along, scatter a little talcum p

rying to read its mind, and then, with a sigh himself, he once mor

in!" commented Tom. "I

ne, from the batteries and magneto to the gasolene tank and vibrator coil. He started up in the bow

t is!" h

asked

hough the switch was connected I didn't get any spark.

xpert," declared Dick. "All

oking there first. I must have jarred that wire loose when I came in last

on. Then, with a single turn of the flywheel, the Tag was in operation, and Tom steered

ommented Dick, who, at a no

good time, too," and Tom glanced over toward

shore, and, following it, Tom and Dick saw a lad running alo

ilcox," said

," commented Tom. "I wonder how he ever got out of h

wn as the laziest lad in Briartown. "Probably he wants a

e came t

ive me a rid

called bac

illford for a man. I've g

," answered Tom. "It's

nd take me aboar

hen it's going good. You walk!" and as Dick steered the boat out from shore Tom opened wider hi

as the craft got farther and farther from sho

ed Dick, glancing an

s not smart enough to think up something to do to me, and if he is, he'

r toward the main part of the town,

an run on one even if some of them give out, and one set I've got now is running pretty low. This motor

a public dock. Having purchased the batteries, and s

Fairfield box, and as Tom looked t

isn't from Jack Fitch I'm a cowbird. I wonder what's up?

he glanced through it he gave utt

ked Dick, who st

folks, and he didn't go to Europe after all. And now here it is, just at the beginning of the sum

o traveling toge

s another page to Jack's letter. I didn't see it at

ws?" ask

ow, at Elmwood Hall-Bert will come with Jack and me if we go somewhe

s the

we couldn't seem to make our plans fit in. Now this will be just the cheese. Jack, Bert an

l," said Dic

of his chum's voice at

d suddenly. "Wouldn't you lik

, just give m

suppose your f

y would. When

e summer, instead of at the end. I'm going home, tell dad and mothe

m, as he was anxious to get back and tell the news. But finally he did reach his house, and, whil

bject to him. "Why of course. That will be a good way to spend

amping at the seashore. Mountains and a lake for mine

better place than up in the northern part of New York state. It's wild enough there to suit anyone, and you

ed Tom. "Tell me all about it.

hen I was a boy. So did your mother.

e to the fellows at once. I'm going to take

oom at that minute, and at the

peated. "What ab

'm going camping

think that's safe for Tom?" and the lad

n't it be safe?"

s mother went on, "but there's a sort of wild man-a half insane char

u hear that

n Wilden years ago," explained Mrs. Fairfield. "She wrote me t

Let's see, didn't Mrs. Henderson say he

d that's one reason why he acts so strange, as if he was crazy. Oh,

ose attractions-a wild man-a mysterious old mill? I g

Tom's mother. "He knows t

man in camp! Maybe the boys won't like that! I must write and tell 'em to hurry u