An hour later, Sandy, taking a stroll on the beach, looked out through the cove. Suddenly she cried out in dismay, “Our ketch is gone!”
Everyone looked. The Sunspot was nowhere in sight. Had it dragged its anchor? Or had the sailboat been stolen by thieves or pranksters?
Tom and Bud sprang up and raced to the water’s edge, followed by the others. The ketch was indeed gonel
Two boys in the party, Pete and Bob, had brought a boat with an outboard motor. It lay beached a short distance away.
“Come onl Take our boat!” Pete offered. “Maybe we can catch up with yours!”
Tom and Bud accepted gratefully. The four boys piled in, gunned the starter, and went roaring out of the cove. As they rounded the point, Bud caught sight of a bare-poled, graceful craft dwindling in the distance.
“I think it’s the Sunspot!” he cried hopefully.
Pete sent his speedboat racing in pursuit. As they shortened the distance, Bud’s guess proved to be correct. The craft was the Sunspot! Apparently whoever had taken the ketch was running it on the auxiliary motor.
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COSMIC ASTRONAUTS
The speedboat rapidly came closer. Tom cupped his hands and shouted, “Ahoy there! Stop!”
No response. The speedboat leaped ahead, its bow planing out of the water.
Within moments, Pete brought it alongside the Sunspot. A huge figure at the wheel turned his head fearfully.
“Moose Wixman!” Bud guessed.
Both he and Tom leaped onto the ketch’s ladder and scrambled to the deck.
“What’s the big idea-stealing our ketch?” Tom demanded furiously. The man was indeed Moose.
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