The more Tom tried to reason out the cause of the men's actions, themore he dwelt upon his encounter with the tramp, and the harder heendeavored to seek a solution of the queer puzzle, the morecomplicated it seemed. He rode on until he saw in a valley below himthe buildings of the town of Centreford, and, with a view of them, anew idea came into his mind.
"I'll go get a good dinner," he decided, "and perhaps that will helpme to think more clearly. That's what dad always does when he'spuzzling over an invention." He was soon seated in a restaurant,where he ate a substantial dinner. "I'm just going to stop puzzlingover this matter," he decided. "I'll push an to Albany and tell thelawyer, Mr. Crawford. Perhaps he can advise me."
Once this decision was made Tom felt better.
"That's just what I needed," he thought; "some one to shift theresponsibility upon. I'll let the lawyers do the worrying. That'swhat they're paid for. Now for Albany, and I hope I don't have tostop, except for supper, until I get there. I've got to do somenight riding, but I've got a powerful lamp, and the roads from nowon are good."
Tom was soon on his way again. The highway leading to Albany was ahard, macadam one, and he fairly flew along the level stretches.
"This is making good time," he thought. "I won't be so very late,after all; that is, if nothing delays me."
The young inventor looked up into the sky. The sun, which had beenshining brightly all day, was now hidden behind a mass of hazyclouds, for which the rider was duly grateful, as it was becomingquite warm.
"It's more like summer than I thought," said Tom to himself. "Ishouldn't be surprised if we got rain to-morrow."
Another look at the sky confirmed him in this belief, and he had notgone on many miles farther when his opinion was suddenly changed.This was brought about by a dull rumble in the west, and Tom noticedthat a bank of low-lying clouds had formed, the black, inky massesof vapor being whirled upward as if by some powerful blast.
"Guess my storm is going to arrive ahead of time," he said. "I'dbetter look for shelter."
With a suddenness that characterizes summer showers, the whole skybecame overcast. The thunder increased, and the flashes of lightningbecame more frequent and dazzling. A wind sprang up and blew cloudsof dust in Tom's face.
"It certainly is going to be a thunder storm," he admitted. "I'mbound to be delayed now, for the roads will be mucky. Well, there'sno help for it. If I get to Albany before midnight I'll he doingwell."
A few drops of rain splashed on his hands, and as he looked up tonote the state of the sky others fell in his face. They were bigdrops, and where they splashed on the road they formed littleglobules of mud.
"I'll head for that big tree," thought Tom "It will give me someshelter. I'll wait there--" His words were interrupted by adeafening crash of thunder which followed close after a blindingfl............