Tom Swift and his house on wheels

by Victor Appleton

With much buzzing talk the party left the houseboat, having enough news, with what was to follow, to keep gossip busy for months. Tom and Mary entered the little living room of the House on Wheels.

"Oh, Tom," said Mary again, "I'm so glad you came when you did! It was providential!"

"If I had been a little longer, would I have been too late?" asked Tom, with a smile, as he sat down beside the girl.

"Too late for what?"

"Too late to ask you to marry me at once and have done with all this worry?"

"Why Tom! Marry you at once? Oh—Tom—I—I——"

"Well, I heard, while I was held a prisoner in the castle, that you were soon going to marry Barton. And so——"

"Going to marry him! Oh, never, Tom! Never! Of course he was very nice to me at first—but——"

"But what?" asked Tom, as she hesitated.

"Well—I—er—I——"