"Would you mind very much if you didn't make the trip to Shopton with me?"
"No, Tom, of course not, if it will help you any. Do you want me to stay here?"
"I think it will be a good plan. I don't like to leave dad alone if those scoundrels are around. Of course he's able to look after himself, but sometimes he gets absent minded from thinking too much about his inventions."
"Of course I'll stay here at the hotel. This is just as good a vacation as I could wish."
"Oh, I don't mean all the while. Just a day or so—until I come back. I may be here again by to-morrow night and find that my father is needlessly alarmed. Then something may have happened at home and I would be delayed. If I should be, I'd feel better to know that you were here."
"Then I'll stay, and if I see any of those men"
"You'd better steer clear of them," advised Tom quickly. "They are dangerous customers."
"All right. Then I'll go over and give Miss Nestor lessons on how to run a motor-boat," was the smiling response. "I fancy, with what she and I know, we can make out pretty well."
"Hold on there!" cried Tom gaily. "No trespassing, you know."
