“Now for some nice, quiet trips,” remarked the lad when he had finished his account.  “I feel as if I had cheated you out of part of your vacation, Ned, staying away as long as I did.”

“Well, of course we missed you,” answered his chum.  “But your father and I had a good time.”

“Yes, and I invented a new attachment for a kitchen boiler,” added Mr. Swift.  “I had a chance for it when I passed through the hotel kitchen one day, for I wanted to see what kind of a range they used.”

“I guess there’s no stopping you from inventing,” replied his son with a laugh and a hopeless shake of the head.  “But don’t let it happen again when you go away to rest.”

“Oh, I only just thought of it,” said Mr. Swift.  “I haven’t worked the details out yet.”

Then he wanted to know about everything at home and he seemed particularly anxious lest the Happy Harry gang do some damage.

“I don’t believe they will,” Tom assured him.  “Garret and Mrs. Baggert will be on guard.”

The next few days were pleasant ones for Tom, his father and Ned Newton.  They cruised about the lake, went fishing and camped in the woods.  Even Mr. Swift spent one night in the tent and said he liked it very much.  For a week the three led an ideal existence, going about as they pleased, Ned taking a number of photographs with his new camera.  The arrow proved herself a fine boat, and Tom and Ned, when Mr. Swift did not accompany them, explored the seldom visited parts of Lake Carlopa.

The three had been out one day and were discussing the necessity of returning home soon when Ned spoke.

“I shall hate to give up this life and go to slaving in the bank again,” he complained.  “I wish I was an inventor.”

“Oh, we inventors don’t have such an easy time,” said Mr. Swift.  “You never know when trouble is coming,” and he little imagined how near the truth he was.

A little later they were at the hotel dock.  When Tom had tied up his boat the three walked up the path to the broad veranda that faced the lake.  A boy in uniform met them.

“Some one has just called you on the telephone, Mr. Swift,” he reported.

“Some one wants me?  Who is it?”

“I think he said his name is Jackson, sir, Garret Jackson, and he says the message is very important.”

“Tom, something has happened at home!” exclaimed the inventor as he hurried up the steps.  “I’m afraid there’s bad news.”

Unable to still the fear in his heart, Tom followed his father.

CHAPTER XX

NEWS OF A ROBBERY

With a hand that trembled so he could scarcely hold the receiver of the telephone, Mr. Swift placed it to his ear.

“Hello!  Hello!” he cried into the transmitter.  “Yes, this is Mr. Swift—­yes, Garret.  What is it?”

Then came a series of clicks, which Tom and Ned listened to.  The inventor spoke again.