b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第13节
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dad！ How do you feel？〃
〃Pretty good。 Oh！ but that's a fine machine； Tom！〃
〃It certainly is；〃 agreed Mr。 Jackson。
〃It will be when I have it in better trim；〃 admitted the young inventor
modestly。
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〃By golly！〃 cried Eradicate； who was grinning almost from ear to ear；
〃I's proud oh yo'； Massa Tom； an' so will mah mule Boomerang be； when I
tells him。 Yes； sah； dat's what he will beproud ob yo'； Massa Tom！〃
〃Thanks； Rad。〃
〃Well； some folks is satisfied with mighty little under 'em； when they
go up in the air； that's my opinion；〃 said Mrs。 Baggert。
〃Why； wouldn't you ride in this？〃 asked Tom of the buxom
housekeeper。
〃Not if you was to give me ten thousand dollars！〃 she cried firmly。
〃Oh； dear！ I think the potatoes are burning！〃 And she rushed back into the
house。
The next day Tom started to work overhauling the Humming… Bird；
and making some changes。 He altered the wing tips slightly； and adjusted
the motor； until in a thrust test it developed nearly half again as much
power as formerly。
〃And I'll need it all；〃 declared Tom as he thought of the number of
contestants that had entered the great race。
For the Eagle Park meet was to be a large and important one； and the
principal 〃bird…men〃 of the world were to have a part in it。 Tom knew that
he must do his very best； and he spared no efforts to make his monoplane
come up to his ideal； which was a very exacting one。
〃We'll have a real speed test to…morrow；〃 Tom announced to Mr。
Damon one night。 〃I'll see what the Humming…Bird can really do。 You'll
come； won't you？〃
〃Oh； I suppose so。 Bless my insurance policy！ I might as well take the
same chance you do。 But if you're going to have such a nerve…racking
thing as that on the program； you'd better get to bed early and have plenty
of sleep。〃
〃Oh； I'm not tired。 I think I'll go out this evening。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Oh； just around town； to see some of the fellows。〃 But if Tom was
only going around town merely to see his male friends； why did he dress
so carefully； put on a new necktie； and take several looks in the glass
before he went out？ We think you can guess； and also the girl's name。
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The young inventor got in rather late； and after a visit to the aeroplane
shed； to see that all was right there； he went to bed； first connecting up the
burglar…alarm wires that guarded the doors and windows of the aerodrome。
How long he had been asleep Tom did not know； but he was suddenly
awakened by hearing the buzzing of the alarm at the head of his bed。 At
first he took it for the droning and humming of the aeroplane motor； as he
had a hazy notion； and a sort of dream； that he was in his craft。
Then； with a start； he realized what it wasthe burglar alarm。
〃Some one's in the shed！〃 he gasped。
Out of bed he leaped； drawing on his trousers and coat； and putting on
a pair of slippers； with speed worthy of a fireman。 He grabbed up a
revolver and rushed from his room； pounding on the door of Mr。 Jackson's
apartment in passing。
〃Some one in the shed； after the Humming…Bird！〃 shouted Tom。 〃Get a
gun； and come down！〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER Eleven
Tom Is Hurt
As Tom passed down the hall on his way to the side door； from which
he could more quickly reach the aeroplane shed； he saw his father coming
from his room。
〃What's the matter？ What is it？〃 asked Mr。 Swift； and alarm showed on
his pale face。
〃It's nothing much； dad；〃 said the youth； as quietly as he could； for he
realized that to excite his father might have a bad effect on the invalid。
〃Then why are you in such a hurry？ Why have you that revolver？ I
know there is something wrong； Tom。 I am going to help you！〃
In his father's present weakened state Tom desired this least of all； so
he said：
〃Now； never mind； dad。 I thought I heard a noise out in the yard； and
I'm not going to take any chances。 So I roused Mr。 Jackson； and I'm going
down to see what it is。 Perhaps it may only be Eradicate's mule；
Boomerang； kicking around； or it may be Rad himself； or some one after
his chickens。 Don't worry。 Mr。 Jackson and I can attend to it。 You go back
to bed； father。〃
Tom spoke with such assurance that Mr。 Swift believed him； and
retired to his room； just as the engineer； partly dressed； came hurrying out
in response to Tom's summons。 He had his rifle； and； bad the invalid
inventor seen that； he surely would have worried more。
〃Come on！〃 whispered Tom。 〃Don't make any noise。 I don't want to
excite my father。〃
〃What was it？〃 asked the engineer。
〃I don't know。 Burglar alarm went off； that's all I can say until we get
to the shed。〃
Together the two left the house softly； and soon were hurrying toward
the aeroplane shed。
〃Look！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Jackson。 〃Didn't you see a light just then；
Tom？〃
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〃Where？〃
〃By the side window of the shed？〃
〃No； I didn't notice it！ Oh； yes！ There it is！ Some one is in there！ If it's
Andy Foger； I'll have him arrested； sure！〃
〃Maybe we can't catch him。〃
〃That's so。 Andy is a pretty slippery customer。 Say； Mr。 Jackson； you
go around and get Eradicate； and have him bring a club。 We can't trust him
with a gun。 Tell him to get at the back door； and I'll wait for you to join me；
and we'll go in the front door。 Then we'll have 'em between two fires。 They
can't get away。〃
〃How about the windows？〃
〃They're high up； and hard to open since I put the new catches on them。
Whoever got in must have forced the lock of the door。 There goes the light
again！〃
As Tom spoke there was seen the faint glimmer of a light。 It moved
slowly about the interior of the shed； and with a peculiar bobbing motion；
which indicated that some one was carrying it。
〃Go for Eradicate； and don't make any more noise than you can help in
waking him up；〃 whispered Tom； for they were now close to the shed； and
might be heard。
Mr。 Jackson slipped off in the darkness； and Tom drew nearer to the
building that housed his Humming…Bird。 There was one window lower
than the others； and near it was a box； that Tom remembered having seen
that afternoon。 He planned to get up on that and look in； before making a
raid to capture the intruder。
Tom raised himself up to the window。 The light had been visible a
moment before he placed the box in position； but an instant later it seemed
to go out； and the place was in darkness。
〃I wonder if they've gone away？〃 thought Tom。 〃I can't hear any
noise。〃
He listened intently。 It was dark and silent in the shop。 Suddenly the
light flashed up brighter than before； and the young inventor caught sight
of a man walking around the new aeroplane； examining it carefully。 He
carried； as Tom could see； a large…sized electric flash…lamp； with a brilliant
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tungsten filament； which gave a powerful light。
As the youth watched； he saw the intruder place the light on a bench；
in such a position that the rays fell full upon the Humming…Bird。 Then；
adjusting the spring switch so that the light would continue to glow； the
man stepped back and drew something from an inner pocket。
〃I wonder what he's up to？〃 mused Tom。 〃I wish Eradicate and Mr。
Jackson would hurry back。 Who can that fellow be； I wonder？ I've never
seen him before； as far as I know。 I thought sure it was going to turn out to
be Andy Foger！〃
Tom turned around to look into the dark yard surrounding the shed。 He
was anxious to hear the appro
