"Well, I guess it's all right," rumbled the salvaging expert, looking down at the sea dubiously. "But to tell you the truth, I'm more at home ON the water than OVER it!" In a short time the nose of the "Winged Arrow" turned inland as Tom set his course direct for home. When they were nearing Shopton, the young inventor, intending to come down on solid ground, grasped the device which lowered the landing wheels. It seemed to work very stiffly, he thought, so he leaned over farther to exert more force. Suddenly there came a snapping noise. [Illustration: The Plane Turned Inland] "What's up, Tom?" called Ned, hearing the noise and seeing his chum fumbling with the now useless mechanism. "Landing gear out of commission. But there's no need to worry as we can descend on Lake Carlopa easily with the pontoons." [Illustration: "Landing Gear out of Commission."] "By George!" exclaimed Ned Newton, banging his fist on the instrument panel. "Ten to one this is the work of the same scoundrel who bored holes in the floats. If I could get my hands on--" "I hope you'll be in a condition to do so," cut in Tom in an oddly strained voice. "Take a look at the fuel gauge." "It--it says zero! But that's impossible. We saw the tanks filled last night." [Illustration: "Look at the Fuel Gauge."] "Sure, and when we took off this morning the gauge showed they were still full. Someone tampered with the pointer of the instrument and all but drained the gas containers when they wrecked the landing gear. Just now you dislodged the jammed needle when you struck the instrument board with your fist." "Then we're in a pretty bad way, eh, Tom?" asked Captain Britten calmly. [Illustration: "We're in a Pretty Bad Way?"] "I'll say," replied young Swift grimly. "We can't hope to reach Carlopa and there is nothing beneath us now but thick woodland. No question about it. A crack-up is the next thing on the program!" As he finished speaking, the starboard motor emitted a groaning cough and stopped. The port engine might run for another five minutes or it might give out within the next five seconds! [Illustration: The Starboard Engine Stopped] CHAPTER VI TOM DRUGGED! Tom had headed the ship up at a steep angle so as to get as much altitude as possible before the other motor should stop. But he knew in his heart that he could not hope to glide so heavy a plane as far as the lake. [Illustration: Tom Headed the Ship Up] In some surprise Ned observed that Captain Britten was fumbling with the straps about his big, old-fashioned valise. Young Newton wondered what the elderly man was looking for so intensely. "Ahoy there, Tom Swift!" boomed the old diver, straightening up with a bottle in his hand. "I've got a drop o' gasoline here that may help ye!" [Illustration: "I've Got a Drop of Gasoline."]