b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第16节
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aeroplaning； and he was almost sure of what would happen。 〃You can take
a tape measure along； and see for yourself；〃 he added to his fair passenger。
〃The barograph will hardly register such a little height。〃
〃Well； it's as high as I want to go；〃 said the girl。 〃Oh！〃 with a scream；
as Tom started the propeller。 〃Are we going？〃
〃In a moment；〃 was his reply。 He took his seat beside the girl。 The
motor was speeded up until it sounded like the roar of the ocean surf in a
storm。
〃Let her go！〃 cried Tom to Mr。 Damon and Mr。 Jackson； who were
holding back the Humming…Bird。 They gave her a slight shove to over…
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come the inertia； and the trim little craft darted across the ground at every
increasing speed。
Miss Nestor caught her breath with a gasp； glanced at Tom； and noted
how cool he was； and then her frantic grip of the uprights slightly relaxed。
〃We'll go up a little way in a minute！〃 shouted Tom in her ear as they
were speeding over the level ground。
He pulled a lever slightly； and the Humming…Bird rose a little in the air；
but only for a short distance； not more than five feet； and Tom held her
there； though he had to run the engine at a greater speed than would have
been the case had he been in the sustaining upper currents。 It was as if the
Humming…Bird resented being held so closely to the earth。
Around in a big circle； back and forth went the craft； at no time being
more than seven feet from the ground。 Tom glanced at Miss Nestor。 Her
cheeks were unusually red； and there was a bright sparkle in her eyes。
〃It's glorious！〃 she cried。 〃Do youdo you think there's any danger in
going higher？ I believe I'd like to go up a bit。〃
〃I knew it！〃 cried Tom。 〃Up we go！〃 And he pulled the wind…bending
plane lever toward him。 Upward shot the craft； as if alive。
〃Oh！〃 gasped Mary。
〃Sit still！ It's all right！〃 commanded Tom。
〃It's glorious； glorious！〃 she cried。 I'm not a bit afraid now！〃
〃I knew you wouldn't be；〃 declared the young inventor； who had
calculated on the fascination which the motion through the air；
untrammeled and free； always produces。 〃Shall we go higher？〃
〃Yes！〃 cried Miss Nestor； and she gazed fearlessly down at the earth；
which was falling away from beneath their feet。 She was in the grip of the
air； and it was a new and wonderful sensation。
Tom went up to a considerable distance； for； once a person loses his
first fright； one hundred feet or one thousand feet elevation makes little
difference to him。 It was this way with Miss Nestor。
Now； indeed； could Tom demonstrate to her some of the fine points of
navigation in the upper currents； and though he did no risky 〃stunts；〃 he
showed the girl what it means to do an ascending spiral； how to cut
corners； how to twist around in the figure eight； and do other things。 Tom
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did not try for the great speed of which he knew his craft was capable； for
he knew there was some risk with Miss Nestor aboard。 But he did nearly
everything else； and when he sent the Humming…Bird down he had made
another convert and devotee to the royal sport of aeroplaning。
〃Oh！ I never would dared believe I could do it！' exclaimed the girl； as
with flushed cheeks and dancing eyes she dismounted from the seat。
〃Mamma and papa will never believe I did it！〃
〃Bring them over； and I'll take them for a flight；〃 said Tom； with a
laugh； as Mary departed。
Tom received an answer to his letter to Mr。 Sharp that night。
〃Andy Foger's entry blank states；〃 wrote the balloonist； 〃that he is
constructing his aeroplane in the village of Hampton； which is about fifty
miles from your place。 If there is anything further I can do for you； Tom；
let me know。 I will see you at the meet。 Hope you win the prize。〃
〃In Hampton； eh？〃 mused Tom。 〃So that's where Andy has been
keeping himself all this while。 His uncle lives there； and that's the reason
for it。 He wanted to keep it a secret from me； so he could use my stolen
plans for his craft。 But he shan't do it！ I'll go to Hampton！〃
〃And I'll go with you！〃 declared Mr。 Damon； who was with Tom when
he got the note from the balloonist。 〃We'll get to the bottom of this
mystery after a while； Tom。〃
Delaying a few days； to make the final changes in his aeroplane； Tom
and Mr。 Damon departed for Hampton one morning。 They thought first of
going in the Butterfly； but as they wanted to keep their mission as secret as
possible； they decided to go by train； and arrive in the town quietly and
unostentatiously。 They got to Hampton late that afternoon。
〃What's the first thing to be done？〃 asked Mr。 Damon as they walked
up from the station； where they were almost the only persons who alighted
from the train。
〃Go to the hotel；〃 decided Tom。 〃There's only one； I was told； so
there's not much choice。〃
Hampton was a quiet little country town of about five thousand
inhabitants； and Tom soon learned the address of Mr。 Bentley； Andy's
uncle； from the hotel clerk。
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〃What business is Mr。 Bentley in？〃 asked Tom； for he wanted to learn
all he could without inquiring of persons who might question his motives。
〃Oh； he's retired；〃 said the clerk。 〃He lives on the interest of his money。
But of late he's been erecting some sort of a building on his back lot； like a
big shed； and folks are sort of wondering what he's doing in it。 Keeps
mighty secret about it。 He's got a young fellow helping him。〃
〃Has he got red hair？〃 asked Tom； while his heart beat strangely fast。
〃Who？ Mr。 Bentley？ No。 His hair's black。〃
〃I mean the young fellow。〃
〃Oh！ his？ Yes； his is red。 He's a nephew； or some relation to Mr。
Bentley。 I did hear his name； but I've forgotten it。 Sandy； or Andy； or some
such name as that。〃
This was near enough for Tom and Mr。 Damon； and they did not want
to risk asking any more questions。 They turned away to go to their rooms；
as the clerk was busy answering inquiries from some other guests。 A little
later； supper was served； and Tom； having finished； whispered to Mr。
Damon to join him upstairs as soon as he was through。
〃What are you going to do？〃 asked the eccentric man。
〃We're going out and have a look at this new shed by moonlight；〃
decided Tom。 〃I want to see what it's like； and； if possible； I want to get a
peep inside。 I'll soon be able to tell whether or not Andy is using my stolen
plans。〃
〃All right。 I'm with you。 Bless my bill of fare！ But we seem to be
doing a lot of mysterious work of late。〃
〃Yes；〃 agreed Tom。 〃But if you have to bless anything to… night； Mr。
Damon； please whisper it。 Andy； or some of his friends； may be about the
shed； and as soon as they hear one of your blessings they'll know who's
coming。〃
〃Oh； I'll be careful；〃 promised Mr。 Damon。
〃Andy will find out； sooner or later； that we are in town；〃 went on Tom；
〃but we may be able to learn to…night what we want to know； and then we
can tell how to act。〃
A little later； as if。 they were merely strolling about； Mr。 Damon and
Tom headed for Mr。 Bentley's place； which was on the outskirts of the
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town。 There was a full moon； and the night was just right for the kind of
observation Tom wanted to make。 There were few persons abroad； and the
young inventor thought he would have no one spying on him。 They
located the big house of Andy's uncle without trouble。 Going down a side
street； they had a glimpse of a shed； built of new boards； standing in the
middle of a large lot。 About the structure was a new； high wooden fence；
but as Tom and his friend passed along it they saw that a gate in it was
open。
〃I'm going in！〃 whispered Tom。
〃Will it be safe？〃 asked Mr。 Dam
