weather, so that they did not have to sleep in the boat to keep dry. On the afternoon of the third day Tom, with a critical glance at the sky, remarked:
"I shouldn't be surprised if it rained to-morrow, Ned."
"Me either. It does look sort of hazy, and the wind is in a bad quarter."
"Then what do you say to heading for the hotel? I fancy dad will be glad to see us."
"That suits me. We can start camp life again after the storm passes."
They started for Sandport that afternoon. When within about two miles of the hotel dock Tom saw, just ahead of them, a small motor-boat Ned observed it too and called out:
"S'pose that's Andy looking for another race?"
"No, the boat's too small for his. We'll put over that way and see who it is."
The other craft did not appear to be moving very rapidly and the Arrow was soon overhauling it. As the two chums came nearer they could hear the puffing of the motor. Tom listened with critical ears.
"That machine isn't working right," he remarked to his chum.
At that moment there sounded a loud explosion
