Tom Swift and His Airship
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Victor Appleton >> Tom Swift and His Airship
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"Probably they thought you'd smash them," observed Tom with a laugh.
"But why did they follow you?"
"Can't imagine! Haven't the least idea. Bless my spark-plug, but they
might have imagined I had money. Anyhow I'm glad I escaped them!"
"It's lucky you weren't hurt," said Mr. Sharp.
"Oh, me? Bless my existence! I'm always having narrow escapes." Mr.
Damon caught sight of the Red Cloud which was out in front of the big
shed. "Bless my heart! What's that?" he added.
"Our new airship," answered Tom proudly. "We are just planning a long
trip in it, but we can't find a third member of the party to go
along."
"A third member!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Do you really mean it?"
"We do."
"Bless my shoe laces! Will you take me along?"
"Do you mean that?" asked Tom in turn, foreseeing a way out of their
difficulties.
"I certainly do," answered the eccentric man. "I am much interested in
airships, and I might as well die up in the clouds as any other way.
Certainly I prefer it to being smashed up in an auto. Will you take
me?"
"Of course!" cried Tom heartily, and Mr. Sharp nodded an assent. Then
Tom drew Mr. Damon to one side. "We'll arrange the trip in a few
minutes," the lad said. "Tell me more about those mysterious men,
please."
Chapter 10 - A Bag of Tools
Wakefield Damon glanced at Mr. Swift. The inventor was oblivious to
his surroundings, and was busy figuring away on some paper. He seemed
even to have forgotten the presence of the eccentric autoist.
"I don't want father to hear about the men," went on Tom, in a low
tone. "If he hears that Happy Harry and his confederates are in this
vicinity, he'll worry, and that doesn't agree with him. But are you
sure the men you saw are the same ones who stole the turbine model?"
"Very certain," replied Mr. Damon. "I had a good view of them as I
came from the bank, and I was surprised to see them, until I
remembered that they were out of jail."
"But why do you think they pursued you?"
"Bless my eyes! I can't say. Perhaps they weren't after me at all. I
may have imagined it, but they certainly hurried off in their auto as
soon as I left the bank, after leaving my money there. I'm glad I
deposited it before I saw them. I was so nervous, as it was, that I
couldn't steer straight. It's too bad, the way I've damaged your
house."
"That doesn't matter. But how about the trip in the airship? I hope
you meant it when you said you would go."
"Of course I did. I've never traveled in the air, but it can't be much
worse than my experience with my motor-cycle and the auto. At least I
can't run up any stoop, can I?" and Mr. Damon looked at Mr. Sharp.
"No," replied the aeronaut, as he scratched his head, "I guess you'll
be safe on that score. But I hope you won't get nervous when we reach
a great height."
"Oh, no. I'll just calm myself with the reflection that I can't die
but once," and with this philosophical reflection Mr. Damon went back
to look at the auto, which certainly looked odd, stuck up on the
veranda.
"Well, you'd better make arrangements to go with us then," went on
Tom. "Meanwhile I'll see to getting your car down. You'll want to send
it home, I suppose?"
"No, not if you'll keep it for me. The fact is that all my folks are
away, and will be for some time. I don't have to go home to notify
them, and it's a good thing, as my wife is very nervous, and might
object, if she heard about the airship. I'll just stay here, if you've
no objection, until the Red Cloud sails, if sails is the proper term."
" 'Sails' will do very well," answered Mr. Sharp. "But, Tom, let's see
if you and I can't get that car down. Perhaps Mr. Damon would like to
go in the house and talk to your father," for Mr. Swift had left the
piazza.
The eccentric individual was glad enough not to be on hand when his
car was eased down from the veranda and disappeared into the house.
Tom and Mr. Sharp, with the aid of Garret Jackson, then released the
auto from its position. They had to take down the rest of the broken
railing, and their task was easy enough. The machine was stored in a
disused shed, and Mr. Damon had no further concern until it was time
to undertake the trip through the air.
"It will fool those men if I mysteriously disappear," he said, with a
smile. "Bless my hat band, but they'll wonder what became of me. We'll
just slip off in the Red Cloud, and they'll never be the wiser."
"I don't know about that," commented Tom. "I fancy they are keeping
pretty close watch in this vicinity, and I don't like it. I'm afraid
they are up to some mischief. I should think the bank authorities
would have them locked upon suspicion. I think I'll telephone Ned
about it."
He did so, and his chum, in turn, notified the bank watchman. But the
next day it was reported that no sign of the men had been seen, and,
later it was learned that an auto, answering the description of the
one they were in, had been seen going south, many miles from Shopton.
The work of preparing the Red Cloud for the long trip was all but
completed. It had been placed back in the shed while a few more
adjustments were made to the machinery.
"Bless my eyelashes!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, a few days before the one
set for the start, "but I haven't asked where we are bound for. Where
are we going, anyhow, Mr. Sharp?"
"We're going to try and reach Atlanta, Georgia," replied the
balloonist. "That will make a fairly long trip, and the winds at this
season are favorable in that direction."
"That suits me all right," declared Mr. Damon. "I'm all ready and
anxious to start."
It was decided to give the airship a few more trials around Shopton
before setting out, to see how it behaved with the car heavier loaded
than usual. With this in view a trip was made to Rocksmond, with Mr.
Swift, Mr. Damon and Ned, in addition to Mr. Sharp and Tom, on board.
Then, at Tom's somewhat blushing request, a stop was made near the
Seminary, and, when the pupils came trooping out, the young inventor
asked Miss Nestor if she didn't want to take a little flight. She
consented, and with two pretty companions climbed rather hesitatingly
into the car. No great height was attained, but the girls were fully
satisfied and, after their first alarm really enjoyed the spin in the
air, with Tom proudly presiding at the steering wheel, which Mr. Sharp
relinquished to the lad, for he understood Tom's feelings.
Three days later all was in readiness for the trip to Atlanta. Mr.
Swift was earnestly invited to undertake it, both Tom and Mr. Sharp
urging him, but the veteran inventor said he must stay at home, and
work on his submarine plans.
The evening before the start, when the aeronaut and Tom were giving a
final inspection to the craft in the big shed, Mr. Sharp exclaimed "I
declare Tom, I believe you'll have to take a run into town."
"What for?"
"Why to get that kit of special tools I ordered, which we might need
to make repairs. There are some long-handled wrenches, some spare
levers, and a couple of braces and bits. Harrison, the hardware
dealer, ordered them for me from New York, and they were to be ready
this afternoon, but I forgot them. Take an empty valise with you, and
you can carry them on your motorcycle. I'm sorry to have forgotten it,
but-"
"That's all right, Mr. Sharp, I'd just as soon go as not. It will make
the time pass more quickly. I'll start right off."
An hour later, having received the tools, which made quite a bundle,
the lad put them in the valise, and started back toward home. As he
swung around the corner on which the bank was located-the same bank in
which Ned Newton worked-one of the valves on the motor-cycle began to
leak. Tom dismounted to adjust it, and had completed the work, being
about to ride on, when down the street came Andy Foger and Sam
Snedecker. They started at the sight of our hero.
"There he is now!" exclaimed Sam, as if he and the red-haired bully
had been speaking of the young inventor.
"Let's lick him!" proposed Andy. "Now's our chance to get even for
throwing that paint and soot on us."
Tom heard their words. He was not afraid of both the lads, for, though
each one matched him in size and strength, Tom knew they were cowards.
"If you're looking for anything I guess I can accommodate you," he
said, coolly.
"Come on, Andy," urged Sam. But, somehow Andy hung back. Perhaps he
didn't like the way Tom squared off. The young inventor had let down
the rear brace of his motor-cycle, and was not obliged to hold it, so
he had both hands free.
"We ought to lick him good and proper," growled the squint-eyed lad.
"Well, why don't you?" invited Tom.
He moved to one side, so as not to be hampered by his wheel. As he did
so he knocked from the handle bars the valise of tools. They fell with
a clatter and a thud to the pavement, and the satchel came open. It
was under a gas lamp, and the glitter of the long-handled wrenches and
other implements caught the eyes of Andy and his crony.
"Huh! If we fought you, maybe you'd use some of them on us," sneered
Andy, glad of an excuse not to fight.
Tom quickly picked up his valise, shutting it, but he was aware of the
close scrutiny of the two vindictive lads.
"I don't fight with such things," he said, somewhat annoyed, and he
hung the tools back on the handle bars.
"What you doing around the bank at this hour?" asked Sam, as if to
change the subject. "First thing you know the watchman will order you
to move on. He might think you were a suspicious character."
"The same to you," retorted Tom, "but I'm going to ride on now, unless
you want to have a further argument with me."
"You'd better be careful how you hang around a bank," added Andy. "The
police are on the lookout here. There's been some mysterious men seen
about."
Tom did not care to go into that, and, seeing that the two bullies had
lost all desire to attack him, he put up the brace and mounted his
wheel.
"Good-by," he called to Andy and Sam, as he rode off, the tools
rattling and jingling in the valise, but it was a sarcastic farewell,
and the two cronies did not reply.
"I hope I didn't damage any of the tools when I let them fall that
time," mused the young inventor. "My, the way Sam and Andy stared at
them it would make it seem as if I had a lot of weapons in the bag!
They certainly took good note of them."
The time was to come, and very shortly, when Andy's and Sam's
observation of the tools was to prove disastrous for our hero. As Tom
turned the corner he looked back, and saw, still standing in front of
the bank, the two cronies.
Chapter 11 - The Red Cloud Departs
"Well, dad, I wish you were going along with us," said Tom to his
father next morning. "You don't know what you're going to miss. A fine
trip of several hundred miles through the air, seeing strange sights,
and experiencing new sensations."
"Yes, I wish you would reconsider your determination, and accompany
us," added Mr. Damon. "I would enjoy your company."
"There's plenty of room. We can carry six persons with ease," said Mr.
Sharp.
Mr. Swift shook his head, and smiled.
"I have too much work to do here at home," he replied. "Perhaps I may
astonish you with something when you come back. I have nearly
perfected my latest invention."
There was no combating such a resolution as this, and Tom and the
others considered the decision of the aged inventor as final. The
airship was ready for the start, and every one had arisen earlier than
usual on this account. The bag of tools, for which Tom had gone to
town, were put in their proper place, the last of the supplies were
taken abroad, final tests were made of the various apparatus, the
motor had been given a trial spin, disconnected from the propellers,
and then the balloonist announced
"Well, Tom and Mr. Damon, you had better begin to think of starting.
We've had breakfast here, but there's no telling where we will eat
dinner."
"Bless my soul! Don't you talk that way!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You
make me exceedingly nervous. Why shouldn't we know where we are going
to eat dinner?"
"Oh, I meant we couldn't tell over just what part of the United States
we would be when dinner time came," explained the aeronaut.
"Oh, that's different. Bless my pocket knife, but I thought you meant
we might be dashed to pieces, and incapable of eating any dinner."
"Hardly," remarked Mr. Sharp. "The Red Cloud is not that kind of an
airship, I hope. But get aboard, if you please."
Tom and Mr. Damon entered the car. It was resting on the ground, on
the small wheels used to start the airship when the gas inflation
method was not used. In this case, however, it had been decided to
rise in the air by means of the powerful vapor, and not to use the
wings and planes until another time. Consequently the ship was swaying
slightly, and tugging at the restraining cables.
As Tom and Mr. Damon entered the cabin there drove into the Swift yard
a dilapidated wagon, drawn by a bony mule, and it did not need the
addition of a colored man's voice, calling: "Whoa, dar, Boomerang!" to
tell Tom that his friend Eradicate Sampson was on hand. As for
Eradicate, as soon as he saw the great airship, which he had never
before beheld fully rigged, all ready for a flight, his eyes became
big with wonder.
"Is dat yo' flyin' machine, Mistah Swift?" he asked.
"That's it, Rad," answered Tom. "Don't you want to come and take a
ride with us?"
"Me? Good land a' massy! No indeedy, Mistah Swift," and the
whitewasher, who had descended from his wagon, edged away, as if the
airship might suddenly put out a pair of hands and grab him. "No
indeedy I doant! I come t' do a little whitewashin' an' when I do dat
I'se gwine on mah way. But dat's a pow'ful fine ship; it suah am!"
"Better come and try a flight, Rad," added Mr. Damon. "I'll look after
you."
"No, sag, an' I doan't take it kind ob yo' all t' tempt me dat way,
nuther," spoke Eradicate. But, when he saw that the craft was
stationary, he ventured to approach closer. Gingerly he put out one
hand and touched the framework of the wheels, just forward of the
cabin. The negro grasped the timber, and lifted it slightly. To his
astonishment the whole front of the airship tilted up, for it was
about ready to fly, and a child might have lifted it, so buoyant was
it. But Eradicate did not know this. Wonderingly he looked at the
great bulk of the ship, looming above him, then he glanced at his arm.
Once more, noting that the attention of his friends was elsewhere, he
lifted the craft. Then he cried "Look yeah, Mistah Swift! Look yeah!
No wonder day calls me Sampson. I done lifted dis monstrousness
airship wif one hand, See, I kin do it! I kin do it!"
Once more he raised the Red Cloud slightly, and a delighted grin, not
unmixed with a look of awe, spread over his honest countenance.
"I suppose you'll give up whitewashing and join a circus as a strong
man, now," observed Mr. Sharp, with a wink at his companions.
"Days what I will!" announced Eradicate proudly. "I neber knowed I was
dat strong, but ob course I allers knowed I had some muscle. Golly, I
must hab growed strong ober night! Now, Boomerang, yo' suah has got t'
look out fo' yo' sef. No mo' ob yo' cuttin' up capers, or I'll jest
lift you up, an' sot yo' down on yo' back, I suah will," and the negro
feeling of his biceps walked over to where the mule stood, with its
eyes closed.
"I guess you can cast off, Tom," called Mr. Sharp, as he entered .the
car, having seen that everything was all right. "We'll not go up very
far at first, until Mr. Damon gets used to the thin air."
"Bless my soul, I believe I'm getting nervous," announced the
eccentric man. "Bless my liver, but I hope nothing happens."
"Nothing will happen," Mr. Sharp assured him. "Just keep calm, when it
feels as if the bottom was dropping out of everything and you'll soon
get over it. Are you casting off those ropes, Tom? Is all clear?"
"All but the bow and stern lines."
"You attend to the bow line, and I'll go to the stern," and, going
over to the gas generator, Mr. Sharp started it so as to force more
vapor into the red aluminum container. This had the effect of
rendering the airship more bouyant, and it tugged and strained harder
than ever at the ropes.
"Good-by, Tom," called Mr. Swift, reaching up to shake hands with his
son. "Drop me a line when you get a chance."
"Oh, Tom, do be careful," implored Mrs. Baggert, her kind face showing
her anxiety. "May I kiss you good-by?"
"Of course," answered the young inventor, though the motherly
housekeeper had not done this since he was a little chap. She had to
stand on a soap box, which Eradicate brought in order to reach Tom's
face, and, when she had kissed him she said:
"Oh, I'm so worried! I just know you'll be killed, risking your lives
in that terrible airship!"
"Ha! Not a very cheerful view to take, madam," observed Mr. Damon.
"Don't hold that view, I beg of you. Bless my eyelashes, but you'll
see us coming home, covered with glory and star dust."
"I'm sure I hope so," answered Mrs. Baggert, laughing a little in
spite of herself.
The last ropes were cast off. Good-bys were shouted as the airship
shot into the air, and Mr. Sharp started the motor, to warm it up
before the propellers were thrown into gear. The twenty cylinders
began exploding with a terrific racket, as the muffler was open, and
Tom, looking down, saw Boomerang awaken with a jump. The mule was so
frightened that he started off on a dead run, swinging the rickety,
old wagon along behind him.
Eradicate Sampson, who had been feeling his muscle since he discovered
what he thought was his marvelous strength, saw what was happening.
"Whoa, dar, Boomerang!" he shouted. Then, as the tailboard of the
wagon swung past him, he reached out and grabbed it. Perhaps he
thought he could bring the runaway mule up standing, but, if he did,
he was grievously disappointed. Boomerang pulled his master along the
gravel walk, and kept running in spite of Eradicate's command to
"whoa, dar!"
It might have gone hard with him, had not Garret Jackson, the
engineer, running in front of Boomerang, caught the animal. Eradicate
picked himself up, and gazed sadly at his arms. The navigators of the
air could not hear what he said, but what he thought was evident to
them.
Then, as Mr. Sharp deadened the explosions of the powerful motor. Tom,
looking at a gauge, noted that their height was seven hundred feet.
"High enough!" called Mr. Sharp, and it was time, for Mr. Damon, in
spite of his resolution, was getting pale.
The gas was shut off, the propellers thrown into gear, and, with a
rush the Red Cloud shot toward the south, passing over the Swift
homestead, and high above the heads of the crowd that had gathered to
witness the start. The eventful voyage of the air had begun.
Chapter 12 - Some Startling News
"Well, there they go," remarked Mrs. Baggert to Mr. Swift, as she
strained her eyes toward the sky, against the blue of which the
airship was now only a large, black ball.
"Yes, and a fine start they made," replied the inventor. "I almost
wish I had accompanied them, but I must not stop work on my submarine
invention."
"I do hope nothing will happen to them," went on the housekeeper. "I
declare, though, I feel just as if something was going to happen."
"Nervousness, pure nervousness," commented Mr. Swift. "Better take a
little-er-I suppose catnip tea would be good."
"Catnip tea! The very idea!" exclaimed Mrs. Baggert. "That shows how
much you know about nervousness, Mr. Swift," and she seemed a little
indignant.
"Ha! Hum I Well, maybe catnip tea wouldn't be just the thing. But
don't worry about Tom. I'm sure he can look after himself. As for Mr.
Sharp he has made too many ascensions to run into any unnecessary
danger."
"Nervous!" went on the housekeeper, who seemed to resent this state
being applied to her. "I'm sure I'm not half as nervous as that Mr.
Damon. He gives me the fidgets."
"Of course. Well, I must get back to my work," said the inventor. "Ah,
are you hurt, Eradicate?" he went on, as the colored man came back,
driving Boomerang, who had been stopped just before reaching the road.
"No, Mistah Swift, I ain't exactly damaged, but mah feelin's am suah
hurted."
"How's that?"
"Well, I thought I had growed strong in de night, when I lifted dat
airship, but when I went to stop mah mule I couldn't do it. He won't
hab no respect fo' me now."
"Oh, I wouldn't let that worry me," commented Mr. Swift, and he
explained to Eradicate how it was that he had so easily lifted the end
of the bouyant ship, which weighed very little when filled with gas.
The colored man proceeded with his work of whitewashing, the inventor
was in his library, puzzling over tables of intricate figures, and
Mrs. Baggert was in the kitchen, sighing occasionally as she thought
of Tom, whom she loved almost as a son, high in the air, when two men
came up the walk, from the street, and knocked at the side door. Mrs.
Baggert, who answered the summons, was somewhat surprised to see Chief
of Police Simonson and Constable Higby.
"They probably came to see the airship start," she thought, "but
they're too late."
"Ah, good morning, Mrs. Baggert," greeted the chief. "Is Mr. Swift and
his son about this morning?"
"Mr. Swift is in his library, but Tom is gone."
"He'll be back though, won't he?" asked Constable Higby quickly-
anxiously, Mrs. Baggert thought.
"Oh, yes," she replied. "He and-"
"Just take us to see Mr. Swift," interrupted the chief, with a look of
caution at his aide. "We'll explain matters to him."
Wondering what could be the mission of the two officers, Mrs. Baggert
led them to the library.
"It's queer," she thought, "that they don't ask something about the
airship. I suppose that was what they came for. But maybe it's about
the mysterious men who robbed Mr. Swift."
"Ah, gentlemen, what can I do for you?" asked the inventor, as he rose
to greet the officials.
"Ahem, Mr. Swift. Ahem-er-that is-well, the fact is, Mr. Swift,"
stammered the chief, "we have come upon a very painful errand."
"What's that?" cried Tom's father. "I haven't been robbed again, have
I?'
"There has been a robbery committed," spoke the constable quickly.
"But you are not the victim," interposed the chief.
"I'm glad of that," said Mr. Swift.
"Where is your son, Tom?" asked the head of the Shopton police force,
sharply.
"What do you want with him?" inquired the inventor, struck by some
strange tone in the other's voice.
"Mr. Swift," went on the chief, solemnly, "I said we came upon a very
painful errand. It is painful, as I have known Tom since he was a
little lad. But I must do my duty, no matter how painful it is. I have
a warrant for the arrest of your son, Thomas Swift, and I have come to
serve it. I need not tell you that it is your duty to give him up to
us-the representatives of the law. I call upon you to produce your
son."
Mr. Swift staggered to his feet.
"My son! You have come to arrest my son?" he stammered.
The chief nodded grimly.
"Upon what charge?" faltered the father.
"On a charge of breaking into the Shopton National Bank last night,
and stealing from the vault seventy-five thousand dollars in
currency!"
"Seventy-five thousand dollars! Tom accused of robbing the bank!"
faltered Mr. Swift.
"That is the charge, and we've come to arrest him," broke in Constable
Higby.
"Where is he?" added the chief.
"This charge is false! Absolutely false!" shouted the aged inventor.
"That may be," admitted the chief shaking his head. "But the charge
has been made, and we hold the warrant. The courts will settle it. We
must now arrest Tom. Where is he?"
"He isn't here!" cried Mr. Swift, and small blame to him if there was
a note of triumph in his voice. "Tom sailed away not half an hour ago
in the airship Red Cloudl You can't arrest him!"
"He's escaped!" shouted the constable. "I told you, chief, that he was
a slippery customer, and that we'd better come before breakfast!"
"Dry up!" commanded the chief testily. "So he's foiled us, eh? Run
away when he knew we were coming? I think that looks like guilt, Mr.
Swift."
"Never!" cried the inventor. "Tom would never think of robbing the
bank. Besides, he has all the money he wants. The charge is
preposterous! I demand to be confronted with the proof."
"You shall be," answered Chief Simonson vindictively. "If you will
come to the bank you can see the rifled vault, and hear the testimony
of a witness who saw your son with burglar tools in his possession
last night. We also have a warrant for Mr. Wakefield Damon. Do you
know anything of him?"
"He has gone with my son in the airship."
"Ha! The two criminals with their booty have escaped together!" cried
the chief. "But we'll nab them if we have to scour the whole country.
Come on, Higby! Mr. Swift, if you'll accompany me to the bank, I think
I can give you all the proof you want," and the officials, followed by
the amazed and grief-stricken inventor, left the house.
Chapter 13 - Mr. Damon In Danger
The sensations of the voyagers in the airship, who meanwhile, were
flying along over the country surrounding Shopton, were not very
different than when they had undertaken some trial flights. In fact
Mr. Damon was a little disappointed after they had waved their
farewells to Mr. Swift and Mrs. Baggert.
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