Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice

V >> Victor Appleton >> Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice

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"What's that?" asked Abe.

"Start for Alaska as soon as possible, and be first on hand at the
valley of gold."

"Good!" cried the miner. "That's the way to talk! We'll start off at
once. I know my way around that country pretty well, an' even though
winter is coming on, I think we can travel in th' airship. That's
one reason why I wanted t' go in one of these flyin' machines.
Winter is no time to be in Alaska, but if we have an airship we
won't mind it, an' it's the best time t' keep other people away, for
th' ordinary miner or prospector can't do anythin' in Alaska in
winter--that is away up north where we're goin'."

"Exactly where are we going?" asked Tom. "I have been so excited
about discovering Andy's trick that I haven't had much time to
consider where we're bound for nor what will be the best plan to
follow."

"Well, we're goin' to a region about seven hundred an' fifty miles
northwest from Sitka," explained the old miner, as he pointed out
the location on the map. "We'll head for what they call th' Snow
Mountains, an' th' valley of gold is in their midst. It's just over
th' Arctic circle, an' pretty cold, let me tell you!"

"You'll be warm enough in Tom's airship, with the electric stoves
going," commented Mr. Jackson.

"Well, we'll need t' be," went on the miner. "Th' valley is full of
caves of ice, an' it's dangerous for th' ordinary traveler. In fact
an airship was the only way I saw out of th' difficulty when I was
there."

"Then you have been to the valley of gold?" asked Tom.

"Well, not exactly TO it," was the reply, "but I was where I could
see it. That was in th' summer, though of course the summer there
isn't like here. I'll tell you how it was."

The miner settled himself more comfortably in his chair, and resumed
his story.

"It was two year ago," he said, "that me an' Jim Mace started to
prospect in Alaska. We didn't have much luck, an' we kept on workin'
our way farther north until we come to these Snow Mountains. Then
our supplies gave out, an' if it hadn't been for some friendly
Eskimos I don't know what we would have done. Jim and me we gave 'em
some trinkets an' sich, and th' Indians began talkin' of a wonderful
valley of gold, where th' stuff lay around in chunks on top of the
ground."

"Me and Jim pricked up our ears at that, so to speak, an' we wanted
to see th' place. After some delay we was taken to th' top of a big
crag, some distance away from where we had been stopping with the
friendly Eskimos, or Indians, as I call 'em. There, away down below,
was a valley--an' a curious sort of a valley it were. It seemed
filled with big bubbles--bubbles made of solid banks of snow or ice,
an' we was told, me an' Jim was, that these were caves of ice, an'
that th' gold was near these caves."

"Well, of course me an' my partner wanted to go down the worst way,
an' try for some gold, but th' Indians wouldn't let us. They said it
was dangerous, for th' ice caves were constantly fallin' in, an'
smashin' whoever was inside. But to prove what they said about th'
gold, they sent one of their number down, while we waited on th'
side of th' mountain."

"Did he get any gold?" asked Tom, eagerly.

For answer the old miner pulled from his pocket a few yellow
pebbles--little stones of dull, gleaming yellow.

"There's some of th' gold from amid th' caves of ice," he remarked
simply. "I kept 'em for a souvenir, hopin' some day I might git back
there. Well, Jim an' me watched th' Indian going down into th'
valley. He come back in about three hours, havin' only gone to th'
nearest cave, an' he had two pockets filled with these little chunks
of solid gold. They gave me an' Jim some, but they wouldn't hear of
us goin' t' th' valley by ourselves."

"Then a bad storm come up, an' we had t' hit th' trail for home--the
Indians' home, I mean--for Jim an' I was far enough away from ours."

"Well, t' make a long story short, Jim an' me tried every way we
knowed t' git t' that valley, but we couldn't. It come off colder
an' colder, an' th' tribe of Indians with whom we lived was attacked
by some of their enemies, an' driven away from their campin'
grounds. Jim an' me, we went too, but not before Jim had drawed this
map on a piece of dog-skin we found in one of the huts. We had an
idea we might get back, some day, an' find the valley, so we'd need
a map t' go by. But poor Jim never got back. He got badly frozen
when the Indians drove us an' our friends away, an' he never got
over it. He died up there in th' ice, an' we buried him. I took th'
map, an' when spring come, I made a hike out of that country. From
then until now I've been plannin' how t' git t' that valley, an' th'
only way I seen was an airship. Then, when I was prospectin' around
out in Colorado I saw Tom's machine hidden in th' trees, an' I
waited until he come along, which part you know as well as I do,"
finished Abe.

"And that's the story of the valley of gold," spoke Mr. Swift.

"That's all there is to it," assented Abe, simply.

"Do you think there is much gold there?" asked Tom.

"Plenty of it--for th' pickin' up," replied the miner. "Around th'
caves of ice it's full of it, but, of course, it's dangerous. An'
th' only way t' git t' it, an' pass th' savage Indians that are all
around in th' mountains about th' valley, is t' fly over their heads
in th' airship."

"Then that's what we'll do," decided Tom.

"Will you go all the way in the RED CLOUD?" inquired Mr. Jackson.

"No, I think I'll send the airship on ahead to some point in
Washington--say Seattle," replied Tom, "put it together there, and
start for the Snow Mountains. In Seattle we can get plenty of
supplies and stores. It will be a good point to start from, and will
save us a long, and perhaps dangerous, flight across the United
States."

"I think that will be the best plan," agreed Mr. Swift. "But what
about Andy--do you think he'll try to follow--or try to get ahead of
you now that he has a copy of the map?"

"He may," answered Tom. "But I have a little trick I'm going to work
on Andy. I will try to learn whether he really has a copy of the
map, though I'm practically certain of it. Then I'll decide what's
best to do."

"In th' meanwhile, will you be gettin' ready?" asked Abe. "I'd like
t' start as soon as we can, for it's awful cold there, the longer
you wait, at this time of th' year."

"Yes, I'll start right to work, getting the RED CLOUD in readiness
to be shipped," promised Tom.

CHAPTER VI

ANDY'S AIRSHIP FLIES

"Hello, Tom, have you heard the news?" asked Ned Newton, of the
young inventor, a few days later.

"What news, Ned? I declare I've been so busy thinking out the best
plan to ship the RED CLOUD to Seattle that I haven't been over to
town. What's going on? Have they decided to build a new church in
Shopton, or something like that?"

"Oh, this about Andy Foger's airship."

"Andy's airship, eh? Is he still working on it?"

"It's all done, so Sam Snedecker was telling me last night, and to-
day Andy is going to try to fly it."

"You don't mean it!"

"Sure thing. Let's go over and watch him."

"He might make a fuss, same as he did when we looked in the window
of his shed."

"He can't make any fuss now. He's got to take his machine out to fly
it, and anybody that wants to can look on. Didn't he watch you make
flights often enough?"

"That's so. Where is the trial flight going to take place?"

"In the big meadow. Come on over."

"Guess I will. I can't do much more now. I've been getting some
boxes and crates made in which to pack the RED CLOUD. I'll have to
take her all apart."

"Then you're really going to hunt for the valley of gold?"

"Sure thing. How about you going, Ned? I spoke to dad about it, and
he said he'd see that you could have a leave of absence."

"Yes, that part's all right. The bank president told me today I
could take a vacation any time I wanted it. In fact that's what I
came over to see you about. I want to thank your father."

"Then you're going?"

"I sure am, Tom! Won't it be great! I hope I can get a little gold
for myself! My folks didn't take very much to the notion of me going
off in an airship, but I told them how often you'd gone on trips,
and come safely back, so they finally gave their consent. When are
you going to start?"

"Oh, in about two weeks. Did I tell you about Andy and the map?"

"No. What trick has he been up to now?"

Thereupon Tom related his suspicions concerning the bully, and also
hinted to Ned of a certain ruse he intended to work on Andy when he
got the chance.

"Well, if you're ready, suppose we go over and see if Andy's airship
will really fly," suggested Ned, after a while. "I'm doubtful
myself, and I'd just like to see him come to grief, after the many
mean things he's done to you."

"Well," spoke Tom slowly, "I don't know as I wish him any bad luck,
but I certainly hope he doesn't use his airship to try to beat us
out in the hunt for the valley of gold."

"Do you think he might?"

"It's possible. But never mind about that now. Come on, we'll go
over to the big meadow."

The two chums walked along together, talking of many things. Tom
told of some communication he had had with Mr. Damon, in which
letters the eccentric man had inquired as to when the trip for
Alaska would be undertaken.

"Then he's going?" asked Ned.

"Oh, yes, it wouldn't seem natural to go without some of Mr. Damon's
blessings. But I think he's going to bring a friend with him."

"Who?"

"Mr. Ralph Parker."

"That gloomy scientist, who is always predicting such terrible
things going to happen?"

"That's the gentleman. You met him once, I believe Mr. Damon says
Mr. Parker wants to do some scientific studying in the far north, so
I've already counted on him as one of our party. Well, perhaps he
won't do so much predicting this trip."

A little later Tom and Ned came to a big open field. They saw quite
a crowd gathered in it, but no sign of an airship.

"Guess Andy hasn't arrived," spoke Tom.

"No; very likely he's found out that something is wrong with his
machine, and he isn't going to risk it."

But almost as Ned spoke, there sounded cries of excitement from the
crowd, and, a little later, something big and white, with many wing-
shaped stretches of canvas sticking out from all sides, was seen
turning into the big meadow from the broad highway that led to
Andy's house.

"There she is!" cried Ned.

"There's something, at any rate," conceded Tom, as he hastened his
steps. "It's a queer-looking aeroplane, though. My! he's got enough
wings to it!"

"Yes, it's Andy's sure enough," went on Ned "There he is in front,
giving orders like a major-general, and Sam and Pete are helping
him. Let's get closer."

They followed the crowd, which was thronging about the airship that
Andy Foger had made, Tom had a glimpse of the machine. It was a form
of triplane, with three tiers of main wings, and several other sets
of planes, some stationary and some capable of being moved. There
was no gas-bag feature, but amidships was a small, enclosed cabin,
which evidently held the machinery, and was designed to afford
living quarters. In some respects the airship was not unlike Tom's,
and the young inventor could see that Andy had copied some of his
ideas. But Tom cared little about this.

"Do you think it will go up?" asked Ned.

"It looks to me to be too heavy, and his propellers seem too small,"
answered Tom. "He's got to have a very powerful motor to make all
that bulk fly."

The people were crowding in closer around the airship, for the news
that Andy was to attempt a flight had spread about town.

"Now keep back--all of you!" ordered the bully, with a show of
anger. "If any one damages my airship I'll have him arrested! Keep
back, now, or I won't fly!"

"Reminds me of a little kid saying he won't play if he can't have
his own way," whispered Ned to Tom.

"Hello, Andy, give us a ride!"

"Going above the clouds?"

"When are you coming back?"

"Bring down a snowstorm!"

"Be careful that you don't fall!"

These were some of the things shouted at Andy, for he had few
friends among the town lads, on account of his mean ways.

"Keep quiet--all of you!" he ordered. "Get back. You might get hurt
when I start the motor. I'm going to make a flight soon," he added
proudly. "Sam, you come over here and hold this end. Pete, you go
back to the rear. Simpson, you get inside and help me with the
motor. Henderson, you get ready to shove when I tell you."

These last orders were to the two machinists whom Andy had engaged
to help him, and the bully gave himself no end of airs and
importance as he bustled about

Tom could not help but admit that Andy's machine was a big affair.
There was a great stretch of wings and planes, several rudders other
appliances for which the young inventor could not exactly fathom a
use. He did not think the machine would fly far, if at all. But Andy
was hurrying here and there, getting the triplane in place on a
level stretch of ground, as if he intended to capture some great
prize.

"Are you going to tackle him about stealing a copy of that map?"
asked Ned.

"I will if I get a chance," answered Tom, in a low voice.

He got his opportunity a few minutes later. Andy, hurrying here and
there, came face to face with the young inventor.

"Hello, Andy," spoke Tom, good-naturedly. "So you're going to make a
flight, eh?"

"Yes, I am, and I s'pose you came around to see if you could get any
ideas; didn't you?" sneered Andy.

"Of course," admitted Tom, with an easy laugh. "My airship doesn't
fly, you know, Andy, and I want to see what's wrong with it."

There was a laugh in the crowd, at this, for Tom's success was well
known.

"Are you going to Alaska?" suddenly asked Tom, in a low voice, of
the bully.

"To Alaska? I--I don't--I don't know what you mean?" stammered Andy,
as he turned aside.

"Yes, you do know what I mean," insisted Tom. "And I want to tell
you that the map you have won't be of much use to you. Why, do you
think," he went on, "that Abe would carry the real map around with
him that way? It's easy to make a copy look like an original, Andy,
and also very easy to put false distances and directions on a map
that may fall into the hands of an enemy."

The shot told. Andy's face turned first red and then pale.

"A--a false map!" he stammered. "Wrong directions?"

"Yes--on the copy you made of the map you took from Mr.
Abercrombie," went on Tom.

"I--I didn't make any--Oh, I'm not going to talk to you!" blustered
Andy. "Get out of my way! I'm going to fly my airship."

The bully pushed past Tom, and started toward the triplane. But Tom
had found out what he wanted to know. Andy had made a copy of the
map. From now on there would be every danger that the bully would
make an effort to get to the valley of gold.

But other matters held Andy's attention now. He wanted to try his
airship. With the help of his two cronies, and the machinists, the
machine was gone over, oiled up, and finally, after several false
starts, the motor was set going.

It made a terrific racket, and the whole machine vibrated as though
it would shake apart

"He hasn't got if well enough braced," said Tom to Ned.

"Out of the way, now, everybody!" yelled Andy. "Keep away or you'll
get hurt! I'm going up!"

He climbed into the cabin of the craft, and took his position at the
steering-wheel. The speed of the motor, its racket and its stream of
sparks increased.

"Let go!" cried Andy to those who were holding his craft.

They released their hold. The triplane moved slowly across the
ground, gathered speed, and, then, under the impulse of the powerful
propellers, ran rapidly over the meadow.

"Hurrah! There he goes!" cried Sam.

"Yes! Now he's going to fly," proudly added Pete Bailey, the other
crony of the bully.

"He'd better fly soon, then, or he'll be in the ditch," said Tom
grimly, for a little, sluggish stream crossed the meadow not far
from where Andy had started.

The next instant, thinking he had momentum enough, Andy tilted his
elevation plane. The clumsy triplane rose into the air and shot
forward.

"There he goes!" cried Sam.

"Hurrah!" yelled the crowd.

Andy had gone up about ten feet, and was making slow progress.

"I guess Tom Swift isn't the only one in Shopton who can build an
airship!" sneered Pete Bailey.

"Look! Look!" yelled Ned. "He's coming down!"

Sure enough, Andy's machine had reached the end of her flight. The
motor stopped with something between a cough and a wheeze. Down
fluttered the aeroplane, like some clumsy bird, down into the ditch,
settling on one side, and then coming to rest, tilted over at a
sharp angle. Andy was pitched out, but landed on the soft mud, for
there had been a thaw. He wasn't hurt much, evidently, for he soon
scrambled to his feet as the crowd surged toward him.

"Well, he flew a little way," observed Ned, grimly.

"But he came down mighty soon," added Tom. "I thought he would. His
machine is too big and clumsy. I've seen enough. Come on, Ned. We'll
get ready to go to Alaska. Andy Foger will never follow us in that
machine."

But Tom was soon to find out how much mistaken he was.

CHAPTER VII

READY FOR THE TRIP

Andy Foger stood looking at his tilted airship. His clothes were
covered with mud from the ditch, some of the muck had splashed over
his face so that he was a pitiable looking object.

"What's the matter?" panted Pete Bailey.

"Are you hurt?" asked Sam Snedecker.

The two cronies had hurried to the side of the bully.

"Matter? Can't you see what's the matter?" demanded Andy wrathfully.
"The machine came down, that's what's the matter! Why didn't you
fellows fix the motor better?" he shouted at the two machinists as
they came running up, followed by the crowd.

"Fix it better? The motor was all right," declared the taller
machinist. "Any of them are likely to stop unexpectedly."

"Well, I didn't think mine would," came from Andy. "Now look at my
airship! It's all busted!"

"No, it isn't hurt much," said the other man, after critically
looking it over. "We can fix it, and you'll fly yet, Andy."

"I hope I do, if only to fool Tom Swift," declared the bully, as he
wiped some of the mud from his face. "Come on, now, help me wheel
the machine back, and I'll try it again."

Andy made another attempt, but this time the machine did not even
rise off the ground, and then, amid the jeers of the crowd, the
discomfited lad took his aeroplane back to the shed in the rear of
his house.

"I'll fix it yet, and make a long flight," he declared. "I'll show
Tom Swift he can't laugh at me!"

"You'll make a long flight eh?" asked one of the machinists. "Where
will you go?"

"Never mind," answered Andy, with a knowing wink. "I've got a plan
up my sleeve--my father and I are going to do something that will
astonish everybody in Shopton," and then Andy, with many nods and
winks, went into the shed, where he began giving orders about the
airship. He wanted the motor changed, and one of the machinists made
some suggestions about the planes, which, he said, would give better
results.

As for Tom and Ned, they strolled away, satisfied that in Andy Foger
they would not have a very dangerous rival, as far as airships were
concerned.

Tom thought matters over during the next few days. He was now
satisfied that Andy had a copy of the map, and, as far as he could
see, there was no way of getting it from him, for he could not prove
to the satisfaction of the legal authorities that the bully actually
had it.

"We'll just have to take a chance, that's all," decided the young
inventor in talking matters over with his father, Ned, and Abe
Abercrombie. "If Andy and some of his crowd trail after us, we'll
just have to run away from them and get to the valley first."

"If they do get there, they won't find it very easy traveling I
reckon," remarked Abe. "They'll get all they want of the caves of
ice. But hadn't we better get a hustle on ourselves, Tom?"

"Yes, we will soon start now. I have the RED CLOUD all packed up for
shipment to Seattle. We will send it on ahead, and then follow, for
it will take some time to get there, even though it's going by fast
freight."

"What about Mr. Damon?" asked Ned. "When is he coming?"

"There's no telling," responded Tom. "He may be on hand any minute,
and, again, he may only show up just as we are starting. I haven't
heard from him in the last day or two,"

At that moment there was a knock on the private office in the
aeroplane shed, where Tom, Ned and Abe Abercrombie were talking.

"Who's there?" asked Tom.

"It's me," answered a voice recognizable as that of the colored man
Eradicate.

"What is it, Rad?" asked Tom.

"Why I jest thought I'd tell you dat de blessin' man am comin' down
de road."

"The blessing man?" repeated Tom. "Oh, you mean Mr. Damon."

"Yais, sah, dat's jest who I done mean. An' dere's anodder gen'man
wif him."

"Mr. Parker, I expect," spoke Tom. "Well, tell them to come in here,
Rad."

"Yais, sah. Dey's comin' up de path now, so dey is."

The next moment Tom and the others heard a voice saying:

"Why, bless my necktie! The RED CLOUD is gone!" Mr. Damon had peered
into the shed, and had not seen the airship, for Tom had it packed
up. "I wonder if Tom Swift has gone away? Bless my top-knot, Mr.
Parker, I hope We're not too late!"

"Indeed I hope not," added the scientist. "I wish to make a study of
the caves of ice. I think perhaps they may be working south, and, in
time, this part of the country may be covered deep under a frozen
blanket."

"Cheerful, isn't he, Ned?" asked Tom, with a smile. Then, going to
the door of the shed he called out: "Here we are, Mr. Damon. Glad to
see you, Mr. Parker." This last wasn't exactly true, but Tom wanted
to be polite.

"Bless my collar button, Tom! But what has become of the airship?"
asked Mr. Damon, as he looked about the shed, and saw only a number
of boxes and crates.

"Taken apart, and packed up, ready for the trip to the valley of
gold and the caves of ice," replied the young inventor, and then he
briefly told of their plans.

"Well, that's a good idea," declared the eccentric man. "Mr. Parker
and I are ready to go whenever you are, Tom."

"Then we'll start very soon. I will get all our supplies in Seattle.
Now, to discuss details," and, after Mr. Parker and Mr. Damon had
been made acquainted with the old miner, who told his story in
brief, they began a discussion of the prospective trip.

Mr. Damon and Mr. Parker took up their residence in Tom's house, and
while the eccentric man busied himself in helping our hero, Ned and
Abe Abercrombie in getting ready for the trip to Alaska, the gloomy
scientist went about making "observations" as he called them, with a
view to predicting what might happen in the near future.

He was particularly anxious to get up north, among the caves of ice,
and, several times he repeated his statement that he believed the
mass of ice in Alaska was working down toward the south. But no one
paid much attention to him, though Tom recalled, not without a
little shudder, that Mr. Parker had correctly predicted the
destruction of Earthquake Island, and also the landslide on Phantom
Mountain.

The airship was finally sent off, being forwarded to Seattle in
sections, where it could easily be put together. The matter of Andy
Foger having a duplicate map of the valley of gold was discussed,
but it was agreed that nothing could be done about it. So Tom and
the others devoted all their energies to getting in shape for their
prospective journey.

Mr. Swift was invited to go, but declined on the ground that he had
several inventions to perfect, nor could Mr. Jackson go, as he was
needed to help his employer. So Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon, Mr. Parker and
Abe Abercrombie made up the party. Tom arranged to send wireless
messages to his father from the airship once they were started off
toward the valley of gold, and over the frozen north.

One evening, when Tom had been to pay a last visit to Mary Nestor,
as he was coming past the Foger premises he saw a number of large
vans, loaded with big packing cases coming out of the banker's yard.

"Hum! I wonder if they're moving?" mused our hero. "If they are
they're taking a queer time for it." He paused a moment to look at
the procession of vans. As he did so he heard the voice of Andy
Foger.

"Now, I want you men to be careful of everything!" the bully called
out arrogantly. "If you break anything I'll sue you for damages!"

"Oh, that cub makes me sick!" exclaimed one of the drivers as he
came opposite Tom.

"What are you moving--eggs, that you have to be so careful?" asked
the young inventor, in a low voice.

"Eggs? No! But it might just as well be," was the growling answer.
"He's shipping an airship, all taken to pieces, and he has nervous
prostration for fear it will be broken. I don't believe the old
thing's any good, anyhow."

"An airship--Andy Foger sending away his airship?" gasped Tom.
"Where to?"

"Some place in Alaska," was the startling reply. "Pitka or Sitka, or
some such place like that. It's all in these boxes, G'lang there!"
this to his horses.

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