Tom Swift And His Sky Racer
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Victor Appleton >> Tom Swift And His Sky Racer
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9 TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER
or
The Quickest Flight on Record
By
VICTOR APPLETON
/$
CONTENTS
I The Prize Offer
II Mr. Swift Is Ill
III The Plans Disappear
IV Anxious Days
V Building the Sky Racer
VI Andy Foger Will Contest
VII Seeking a Clue
VIII The Empty Shed
IX A Trial Flight
X A Midnight Intruder
XI Tom Is Hurt
XII Miss Nestor Calls
XIII A Clash with Andy
XIV The Great Test
XV A Noise in the Night
XVI A Mysterious Fire
XVII Mr. Swift Is Worse
XVIII The Broken Bridge
XIX A Nervy Specialist
XX Just in Time
XXI "Will He Live?"
XXII Off to the Meet
XXIII The Great Race
XXIV Won by a Length
XXV Home Again--Conclusion
$/
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER
Chapter One
The Prize Offer
"Is this Tom Swift, the inventor of several airships?"
The man who had rung the bell glanced at the youth who answered his
summons.
"Yes, I'm Tom Swift," was the reply. "Did you wish to see me?"
"I do. I'm Mr. James Gunmore, secretary of the Eagle Park Aviation
Association. I had some correspondence with you about a prize contest we
are going to hold. I believe--"
"Oh, yes, I remember now," and the young inventor smiled pleasantly as
he opened wider the door of his home. "Won't you come in? My father will
be glad to see you. He is as much interested in airships as I am." And
Tom led the way to the library, where the secretary of the aviation
society was soon seated in a big, comfortable leather chair.
"I thought we could do better, and perhaps come to some decision more
quickly, if I came to see you, than if we corresponded," went on Mr.
Gunmore. "I hope I haven't disturbed you at any of your inventions," and
the secretary smiled at the youth.
"No. I'm through for to-day," replied Tom. "I'm glad to see you. I
thought at first it was my chum, Ned Newton. He generally runs over in
the evening."
"Our society, as I wrote you, Mr. Swift, is planning to hold a very
large and important aviation meet at Eagle Park, which is a suburb of
Westville, New York State. We expect to have all the prominent
'bird-men' there, to compete for prizes, and your name was mentioned. I
wrote to you, as you doubtless recall, asking if you did not care to
enter."
"And I think I wrote you that my big aeroplane-dirigible, the Red Cloud,
was destroyed in Alaska, during a recent trip we made to the caves of
ice there, after gold," replied Tom.
"Yes, you did," admitted Mr. Gunmore, "and while our committee was very
sorry to hear that, we hoped you might have some other air craft that
you could enter at our meet. We want to make it as complete as possible,
and we all feel that it would not be so unless we had a Swift aeroplane
there."
"It's very kind of you to say so," remarked Tom, "but since my big craft
was destroyed I really have nothing I could enter."
"Haven't you an aeroplane of any kind? I made this trip especially to
get you to enter. Haven't you anything in which you could compete for
the prizes? There are several to be offered, some for distance flights,
some for altitude, and the largest, ten thousand dollars, for the
speediest craft. Ten thousand dollars is the grand prize, to be awarded
for the quickest flight on record."
"I surely would like to try for that," said Tim, "but the only craft I
have is a small monoplane, the Butterfly, I call it, and while it is
very speedy, there have been such advances made in aeroplane
construction since I made mine that I fear I would be distanced if I
raced in her. And I wouldn't like that."
"No," agreed Mr. Gunmore. "I suppose not. Still, I do wish we could
induce you to enter. I don't mind telling you that we consider you a
drawing-card. Can't we induce you, some way?"
"I'm afraid not. I haven't any machine which--"
"Look here!" exclaimed the secretary eagerly. "Why can't you build a
special aeroplane to enter in the next meet? You'll have plenty of time,
as it doesn't come off for three months yet. We are only making the
preliminary arrangements. It is now June, and the meet is scheduled for
early in September. Couldn't you build a new and speedy aeroplane in
that time?"
Eagerly Mr. Gunmore waited for the answer. Tom Swift seemed to be
considering it. There was an increased brightness to his eyes, and one
could tell that he was thinking deeply. The secretary sought to clinch
his argument.
"I believe, from what I have heard of your work in the past, that you
could build an aeroplane which would win the ten-thousand-dollar prize,"
he went on. "I would be very glad if you did win it, and, so I think,
would be the gentlemen associated with me in this enterprise. It would
be fine to have a New York State youth win the grand prize. Come, Tom
Swift, build a special craft, and enter the contest!"
As he paused for an answer footsteps were heard coming along the hall,
and a moment later an aged gentleman opened the door of the library.
"Oh! Excuse me, Tom," he said, "I didn't know you had company." And he
was about to withdraw.
"Don't go, father," said Tom. "You will be as much interested in this as
I am. This is Mr. Gunmore, of the Eagle Park Aviation Association. This
is my father, Mr. Gunmore."
"I've heard of you," spoke the secretary as he shook hands with the aged
inventor. "You and your son have made, in aeronautics, a name to be
proud of."
"And he wants us to go still farther, dad," broke in the youth. "Me
wants me to build a specially speedy aeroplane, and race for ten
thousand dollars."
"Hum!" mused Mr. Swift. "Well, are you going to do it, Tom? Seems to me
you ought to take a rest. You haven't been back from your gold-hunting
trip to Alaska long enough to more than catch your breath, and now--"
"Oh, he doesn't have to go in this right away," eagerly explained Mr.
Gunmore. "There is plenty of time to make a new craft."
"Well, Tom can do as he likes about it," said his father. "Do you think
you could build anything speedier than your Butterfly, son?"
"I think so, father. That is, if you'd help me. I have a plan partly
thought out, but it will take some time to finish it. Still, I might get
it done in time."
"I hope you'll try!" exclaimed the secretary. "May I ask whether it
would be a monoplane or a biplane?"
"A monoplane, I think," answered Tom. "They are much more speedy than
the double-deckers, and if I'm going to try for the ten thousand dollars
I need the fastest machine I can build."
"We have the promise of one or two very fast monoplanes for the meet,"
went on Mr. Gunmore. "Would yours be of a new type?"
"I think it would," was the reply of the young inventor. "In fact, I am
thinking of making a smaller monoplane than any that have yet been
constructed, and yet one that will carry two persons. The hardest work
will be to make the engine light enough and still have it sufficiently
powerful to make over a hundred miles an hour, if necessary.
"A hundred miles an hour in a small monoplane! It isn't possible!" cried
the secretary.
"I'll make better time than that," said Tom quietly, and with not a
trace of boasting in his tones.
"Then you'll enter the meet?" asked Mr. Gunmore eagerly.
"Well, I'll think about it," promised Tom. "I'll let you know in a few
days. Meanwhile, I'll be thinking out the details for my new craft. I
have been going to build one ever since I got back, after having seen my
Red Cloud crushed in the ice cave. Now I think I had better begin active
work."
"I hope you will soon let me know," resumed the secretary. "I'm going to
put you down as a possible contestant for the ten-thousand-dollar prize.
That can do no harm, and I hope you win it. I trust--"
He paused suddenly, and listened. So did Tom Swift and his father, for
they all distinctly heard stealthy footsteps under the open windows of
the library.
"Some one is out there, listening," said Tom in low tones.
"Perhaps it's Eradicate Sampson," suggested Mr. Swift, referring to the
eccentric colored man who was employed by the inventor and his son to
help around the place. "Very likely it was Eradicate, Tom."
"I don't think so," was the lad's answer. "He went to the village a
while ago, and said he wouldn't be back until late to-night. He had to
get some medicine for his mule, Boomerang, who is sick. No, it wasn't
Eradicate; but some one was under that window, trying to hear what we
said."
As he spoke in guarded tones, Tom went softly to the casement and looked
out. He could observe nothing, as the night was dark, and the new moon,
which had been shining, was now dimmed by clouds.
"See anything?" asked Mr. Gunmore as he advanced to Tom's side.
"No," was the low answer. I can't hear anything now, either."
"I'll go speak to Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper," volunteered Mr. Swift.
"Perhaps it was she, or she may know something about it."
He started from the room, and as he went Tom noticed, with something of
a start, that his father appeared older that night than he had ever
looked before. There was a trace of pain on the face of the aged
inventor, and his step was lagging.
"I guess dad needs a rest and doctoring up," thought the young inventor
as he turned the electric chandelier off by a button on the wall, in
order to darken the room, so that he might peer out to better advantage.
"I think he's been working too hard on his wireless motor. I must get
Dr. Gladby to come over and see dad. But now I want to find out who that
was under this window."
Once more Tom looked out. The moon had emerged from behind a thin bank
of clouds, and gave a little light.
"See anything?" asked Mr. Gunmore cautiously.
"No," whispered the youth, for it being a warm might, the windows were
open top and bottom, a screen on the outside keeping out mosquitoes and
other insects. "I can't see a thing," went on Tom, "but I'm sure--"
He paused suddenly. As he spoke there sounded a rustling in the
shrubbery a little distance from the window.
"There's something!" exclaimed Mr. Gunmore.
"I see!" answered the young inventor.
Without another word he softly opened the screen, and then, stooping
down to get under the lower sash (for the windows in the library ran all
the way to the floor), Tom dropped out of the casement upon the thick
grass.
As he did so he was aware of a further movement in the bushes. They were
violently agitated, and a second later a dark object sprang from them
and sprinted along the path.
"Here! Who are you? Hold on!" cried the young inventor.
But the figure never halted. Tom sprang forward, determined to see who
it was, and, if possible, capture him.
"Hold on!" he cried again. There was no answer.
Tom was a good runner, and in a few seconds he had gained on the
fugitive, who could just be seen in the dim light from the crescent
moon.
"I've got you!" cried Tom.
But he was mistaken, for at that instant his foot caught on the
outcropping root of a tree, and the young inventor went flat on his
face.
"Just my luck!" he cried.
He was quickly on his feet again, and took after the fugitive. The
latter glanced back, and, as it happened, Tom had a good look at his
face. He almost came to a stop, so startled was he.
"Andy Foger!" he exclaimed as he recognized the bully who had always
proved himself such an enemy of our hero. "Andy Foger sneaking under my
windows to hear what I had to say about my new aeroplane! I wonder what
his game can be? I'll soon find out!"
Tom was about to resume the chase, when he lost sight of the figure. A
moment later he heard the puffing of an automobile, as some one cranked
it up.
"It's too late!" exclaimed Tom. "There he goes in his car!" And knowing
it would be useless to keep up the chase, the youth turned back toward
his house.
Chapter Two
Mr. Swift is Ill
"Who was it?" asked Mr. Gunmore as Tom again entered the library. "A
friend of yours?"
"Hardly a friend," replied Tom grimly. "It was a young fellow who has
made lots of trouble for me in the past, and who, lately, with his
father, tried to get ahead of me and some friends of mine in locating a
gold claim in Alaska. I don't know what he's up to now, but certainly it
wasn't any good. He's got nerve, sneaking up under our windows!"
"What do you think was his object?"
"It would he hard to say."
"Can't you find him to-morrow, and ask him?"
"There's not much satisfaction in that. The less I have to do with Andy
Foger the better I'm satisfied. Well, perhaps it's just as well I fell,
and couldn't catch him. There would have been a fight, and I don't want
to worry dad any more than I can help. He hasn't been very well of
late."
"No, he doesn't look very strong," agreed the secretary. "But I hope he
doesn't get sick, and I hope no bad consequences result from the
eavesdropping of this Foger fellow."
Tom started for the hall, to get a brush with which to remove some of
the dust gathered in his chase after Andy. As he opened the library door
to go out Mr. Swift came in again.
"I saw Mrs. Baggert, Tom," he said. "She wasn't out under the window,
and, as you said, Eradicate isn't about. His mule is in the barn, so it
couldn't have been the animal straying around."
"No, dad. It was Andy Foger."
"Andy Foger!"
"Yes. I couldn't catch him. But you'd better go lie down, father. It's
getting late, and you look tired."
"I am tired, Tom, and I think I'll go to bed. Have you finished your
arrangements with Mr. Gunmore?"
"Well, I guess we've gone as far as we can until I invent the new
aeroplane," replied Tom, with a smile.
"Then you'll really enter the meet?" asked the secretary eagerly.
"I think I will," decided Tom. "The prize of ten thousand dollars is
worth trying for, and besides that, I'll be glad to get to work again on
a speedy craft. Yes, I'll enter the meet."
"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Gunmore, shaking hands with the young inventor. "I
didn't have my trip for nothing, then. I'll go back in the morning and
report to the committee that I've been successful. I am greatly obliged
to you."
He left the Swift home, after refusing Tom's invitation to remain all
night, and went to his hotel. Tom then insisted that his father retire.
As for the young inventor, he was not satisfied with the result of his
attempt to catch Andy Foger. He had no idea why the bully was hiding
under the library window, but Tom surmised that some mischief might be
afoot.
"Sam Snedecker or Pete Bailey, the two cronies of Andy, may still be
around here, trying to play some trick on me," mused Tom. "I think I'll
take a look outside." And taking a stout cane from the umbrella rack,
the youth sallied forth into the yard and extensive grounds surrounding
his house.
While he is thus looking for possible intruders we will tell you a
little more about him than has been possible since the call of the
aviation secretary.
Tom Swift lived with his father, Barton Swift, in the town of Shopton,
New York State. The young man had followed in the footsteps of his
parent, and was already an inventor of note.
Their home was presided over by Mrs. Baggert, as housekeeper, since Mrs.
Swift had been dead several years. In addition, there was Garret
Jackson, an engineer, who aided Tom and his father, and Eradicate
Sampson, an odd colored man, who, with his mule, Boomerang, worked about
the place.
In the first volume of this series, entitled "Tom Swift and his
Motor-Cycle," here was related how he came to possess that machine. A
certain Mr. Wakefield Damon, an eccentric gentleman, who was always
blessing himself, or something about him, owned the cycle, but he came
to grief on it, and sold it to Tom very cheaply.
Tom had a number of adventures on the wheel, and, after having used the
motor to save a valuable patent model from a gang of unscrupulous men,
the lad acquired possession of a power boat, in which he made several
trips, and took part in many exciting happenings.
Some time later, in company with John Sharp, an aeronaut, whom Tom had
rescued from Lake Carlopa, after the airman had nearly lost his life in
a burning balloon, the young inventor made a big airship, called the Red
Cloud. With Mr. Damon, Tom made several trips in this craft, as set
forth in the book, "Tom Swift and His Airship."
It was after this that Tom and his father built a submarine boat, and
went under the ocean for sunken treasure, and, following that trip Tom
built a speedy electric runabout, and by a remarkable run in that, with
Mr. Damon, saved a bank from ruin, bringing gold in time to stave off a
panic.
"Tom Swift and His Wireless Message" told of the young inventor's plan
to save the castaways of Earthquake Island, and how he accomplished it
by constructing a wireless plant from the remains of the wrecked airship
Whizzer. After Tom got back from Earthquake Island he went with Mr.
Barcoe Jenks, whom he met on the ill-fated bit of land, to discover the
secret of the diamond makers. They found the mysterious men, but the
trip was not entirely successful, for the mountain containing the cave
where the diamonds were made was destroyed by a lightning shock, just as
Mr. Parker, a celebrated scientist, who accompanied the party, said it
would be.
But his adventure in seeking to discover the secret of making precious
stones did not satisfy Tom Swift, and when he and his friends got back
from the mountains they prepared to go to Alaska to search for gold in
the caves of ice. They were almost defeated in their purpose by the
actions of Andy Foger and his father, who in an under-hand manner, got
possession of a valuable map, showing the location of the gold, and made
a copy of the drawing.
Then, when Tom and his friends set off in the Red Cloud, as related in
"Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice," the Fogers, in another airship, did
likewise. But Tom and his party were first on the scene, and
accomplished their purpose, though they had to fight the savage Indians.
The airship was wrecked in a cave of ice, that collapsed on it, and the
survivors had desperate work getting away from the frozen North.
Tom had been home all the following winter and spring, and he had done
little more than work on some small inventions, when a new turn was
given his thoughts and energies by a visit from Mr. Gunmore, as narrated
in the first chapter of the present volume.
"Well, I guess no one is here," remarked the young inventor as he
completed the circuit of the grounds and walked slowly back toward the
house. "I think I scared Andy so that he won't come back right away. He
had the laugh on me, though, when I stumbled and fell."
As Tom proceeded he heard some one approaching, around the path at the
side of the house.
"Who's there?" he called quickly, taking a firmer grasp of his stick,
"It's me, Massa Swift," was the response. "I jest come back from town. I
got some peppermint fo' mah mule, Boomerang, dat's what I got."
"Oh! It's you, is it, Rad?" asked the youth in easier tones.
"Dat's who it am, Did yo' t'ink it were some un else?"
"I did," replied Tom. "Andy Foger has been sneaking around. Keep your
eyes open the rest of the night, Rad."
"I will, Massa Tom."
The youth went into the house, having left word with the engineer, Mr.
Jackson, to be on the alert for anything suspicious.
"And now I guess I'll go to bed, and make an early start to-morrow
morning, planning my new aeroplane," mused Tom. "I'm going to make the
speediest craft of the air ever seen!"
As he started toward his room Tom Swift heard the voice of the
housekeeper calling to him:
"Tom! Oh, Tom! Come here, quickly!"
"What's the matter?" he asked, in vague alarm.
"Something has happened to your father!" was the startling reply. "He's
fallen down, and is Unconscious! Come quickly! Send for the doctor!"
Tom fairly ran toward his father's room.
Chapter Three
The Plans Disappear
Mr. Swift was lying on the floor, where he had fallen, in front of his
bed, as he was preparing to retire. There was no mark of injury upon
him, and at first, as he knelt down at his father's side, Tom was at a
loss to account for what had taken place.
"How did it happen? When was it?" he asked of Mrs. Baggert, as he held
up his father's head, and noted that the aged man was breathing
slightly.
"I don't know what happened, Tom," answered the housekeeper, "but I
beard him fall, and ran upstairs, only to find him lying there, just
like that. Then I called you. Hadn't you better have a doctor?"
"Yes; we'll need one at once. Send Eradicate Tell him to run--not to
wait for his mule--Boomerang is too slow. Oh, no! The telephone, of
course! Why didn't I think of that at first? Please telephone for Dr.
Gladby, Mrs. Baggert. Ask him to come as soon as possible, and then tell
Garret Jackson to step here. I'll have him help me get father into bed."
The housekeeper hastened to the instrument, and was soon in
communication with the physician, who promised to call at once. The
engineer was summoned from another part of the house, and then Eradicate
was aroused.
Mrs. Baggert had the colored man help her get some kettles of hot water
in readiness for possible use by the doctor. Mr. Jackson aided Tom to
lift Mr. Swift up on the bed, and they got off some of his clothes.
"I'll try to see if I can revive him with a little aromatic spirits of
ammonia," decided Tom, as he noticed that his father was still
unconscious. He hastened to prepare the strong spirits, while he was
conscious of a feeling of fear and alarm, mingled with sadness.
Suppose his father should die? Tom could not bear to think of that. He
would be left all alone, and how much he would miss the companionship
and comradeship of his father none but himself knew.
"Oh! but I mustn't think he's going to die!" exclaimed the youth, as he
mixed the medicine.
Mr. Swift feebly opened his eyes after Tom and Mr. Jackson had succeeded
in forcing some of the ammonia between his lips.
"Where am I? What happened?" asked the aged inventor faintly.
"We don't know, exactly," spoke Tom softly. "You are ill, father. I've
sent for the doctor. He'll fix you up. He'll be here soon."
"Yes, I'm--I'm ill," murmured the aged man. "Something hurts me--here,"
and he put his hand over his heart.
Tom felt a nameless sense of fear. He wished now that he had insisted on
his parent consulting a physician some time before, when Mr. Swift first
complained of a minor ailment. Perhaps now it was too late.
"Oh! when will that doctor come?" murmured Tom impatiently.
Mrs. Baggert, who was nervously going in and out of the room, again went
to the telephone.
"He's on his way," the housekeeper reported. "His wife said he just
started out in his auto."
Dr. Gladby hurried into the room a little later, and cast a quick look
at Mr. Swift, who had again lapsed into unconsciousness.
"Do you think he--think he's going to die?" faltered Tom. He was no
longer the self-reliant young inventor. He could meet danger bravely
when it threatened himself alone, but when his father was stricken he
seemed to lose all courage.
"Die? Nonsense!" exclaimed the doctor heartily. "He's not dead yet, at
all events, and while there's life there's hope. I'll soon have him out
of this spell."
It was some little time, however, before Mr. Swift again opened his
eyes, but he seemed to gain strength from the remedies which Dr. Gladby
administered, and in about an hour the inventor could sit up.
"But you must be careful," cautioned the physician. "Don't overdo
yourself. I'll be in again in the morning, and now I'll leave you some
medicine, to be taken every two hours."
"Oh, I feel much better," said Mr. Swift, and his voice certainly seemed
Stronger. "I can't imagine what happened. I came upstairs, after Tom had
received a visit from the minister, and that's all I remember."
"The minister, father!" exclaimed Tom, in great amazement. "The minister
wasn't here this evening! That was Mr. Gunmore, the aviation secretary.
Don't you remember?"
"I don't remember any gentleman like that calling here to-night," Mr.
Swift said blankly. "It was the minister, I'm sure, Tom."
"The minister was here last night, Mr. Swift," said the housekeeper.
"Was he? Why, it seems like to-night. And I came upstairs after talking
to him, and then it all got black, and--and--"
"There, now; don't try to think," advised the doctor. "You'll be all
right in the morning."
"But I can't remember anything about that aviation man," protested Mr.
Swift. "I never used to be that way--forgetting things. I don't like
it!"
"Oh, it's just because you're tired," declared the physician. "It will
all come back to you in the morning. I'll stop in and see you then. Now
try to go to sleep." And he left the room.
Tom followed him, Mrs. Baggert and Mr. Jackson remaining with the sick
man.
"What is the matter with my father, Dr. Gladby?" asked Tom earnestly, as
the doctor prepared to take his departure. "Is it anything serious?"
"Well," began the medical man, "I would not be doing my duty, Tom, if I
did not tell you what it is. That is, it is comparatively serious, but
it is curable, and I think we can bring him around. He has an affection
of the heart, that, while it is common enough, is sometimes fatal.
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