b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第17节
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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。 Damon。
〃I don't care whether it will be or not。 I've got to know what Andy is
doing。 Come on！ We'll take a chance！〃
Cautiously they entered the enclosure。 The big shed was dark； and
stood out conspicuously in the moonlight。
〃There doesn't seem to be any one here；〃 whispered Tom。 〃I wonder if
we could get a look in the window？〃
〃It's worth trying； anyhow；〃 agreed Mr。 Damon。 〃I'm with you； Tom。〃
They drew nearer to the shed。 Suddenly Tom stepped on a stick； which
broke with a sharp report。
〃Bless my spectacles！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； half aloud。
There was silence for a moment； and then a voice cried out：
〃Who's there？ Hold on！ Don't come any farther！ It's dangerous！〃
Tom and Mr。 Damon stood still； and from behind the shed stepped
Andy Foger and a man。
〃Oh！ it's you； is it； Tom Swift？〃 exclaimed the red…haired bully。 〃I
thought you'd come sneaking around。 Come on； Jake！ We'll make them
wish they'd stayed home！〃 And Andy made a rush for Tom。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER Fourteen
The Great Test
〃Bless my gizzard！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon； who hardly knew what to
do。 〃We'd better be getting out of here； Tom！〃
〃Not much！〃 exclaimed the young inventor。 〃I never ran from Andy
Foger yet； and I'm not going to begin now。〃
He assumed an attitude of defense； and stood calmly awaiting the
onslaught of the bully； but Andy knew better than to come to a personal
argument with Tom； and so the red…haired lad halted some paces off。 The
man； who had followed young Foger； also stopped。
〃What do you want around here； Tom Swift？〃 demanded Andy。
〃You know very well what I want；〃 said the young inventor； calmly。 〃I
want to know what you did with the aeroplane plans you took from my
house。〃
〃I never took any！〃 declared Andy vigorously
〃Well； there's no use discussing that；〃 went on Tom。 〃What I came here
to find out； and I don't mind telling you； is whether or not you are building
a monoplane to compete against me； and building it on a model invented
by me； and what's more； Andy Foger； I intend to find this out； too！〃
Tom started toward the big shed； which loomed up in the moonlight。
〃Stand back！〃 cried Andy； getting in Tom's way。 〃I can build any kind
of an aeroplane I like； and you can't stop me！〃
〃We'll see about that；〃 declared the young inventor； as he kept on。 〃I'm
not going to allow my plans to be stolen； and a monoplane made after
them； and do nothing about it。〃
〃You keep away！〃 snarled Andy； and he grabbed Tom by the shoulder
and struck him a blow in the chest。 He must have been very much excited；
or otherwise he never would have come to hostilities this way with Tom；
whom he well knew could easily beat him。
The blow； together with the many things he had suffered at Andy's
hands； was too much for our hero。 He drew back his fist； and a moment
later Andy Foger was stretched out on the grass。 He lay there for a
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moment； and then rose up slowly to his knees； his face distorted with rage。
〃Youyou hit me！〃 he snarled。
〃Not until you hit first；〃 said Tom calmly。
〃Bless my punching bag！ That's so！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。
〃You'll suffer for this！〃 whined Andy； getting to his feet； but taking
care to retreat from Tom； who stood ready for him。 〃I'll get square with
you for this！ Jake； come on； and we'll get our guns！〃
Andy turned and hurried back toward the shed； followed by the evil…
looking man； who had apparently been undecided whether to attack Mr。
Damon or Tom。 Now the bully and his companion were in full retreat。
〃We'll get our guns； and then we'll see whether they'll want to stay
where they're not wanted！〃 went on Andy； threateningly。
〃Bless my powderhorn！ What had we better do？〃 asked Mr。 Damon。
〃I guess we'd better go back；〃 said Tom calmly。 〃Not that I'm afraid of
Andy。 His talk about guns is all bluff； but I don't want to get into any more
of a row； and he is just ugly and reckless enough to make trouble。 I'm
afraid we can't learn what we came to find out； though I'm more convinced
than ever that Andy is using my plans to make his aeroplane。〃
〃But what can you do？〃
〃I'll see Mr。 Sharp； and send a protest to the aviation committee。 I'll
refuse to enter if Andy flies in a model of my Humming…Bird； and I'll try
to prevent him from using it after he gets it on the ground。 That is all I can
do； it seems； lacking positive information。 Come on； Mr。 Damon。 Let's get
back to our hotel； and we'll start for home in the morning。〃
〃I have a plan；〃 whispered the odd man。
〃What is it？〃 asked Tom； narrowly watching for the reappearance of
Andy and the man。
〃I'll stay here until they come； then I'll pretend to run away。 They'll
chase after me； and get all excited； and you can go up and look in the shed
windows。 Then you can join me later。 How's that？〃
〃Too risky。 They might fire at you by mistake。 No。 We'll both go。 I've
found out more than enough to confirm my suspicions。〃
They turned out of the lot which contained the shed； and walked
toward the road； just as Andy and his crony came back。
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〃Huh！ You'd better go！〃 taunted the bully。
Tom had a bitter feeling in his heart。 It seemed as if he was defeated；
and he did not like to retreat before Andy。
〃You'd better not come back here again； either；〃 went on Andy。
Tom and Mr。 Damon did not reply； but kept on in silence。 They
returned to Shopton the next day。
〃Well；〃 remarked Tom； when he had gone out to look at his Humming…
Bird； 〃I know one thing。 Andy Foger may build a machine something like
this； but I don't believe he can put in all the improvements I have； and
certainly he can't equal that engine； eh； dad？〃
〃I hope not； Tom；〃 replied his father； who seemed to be much
improved in health。
〃When are you going to try for speed？〃 asked Mr。 Damon。
〃To…morrow； if I can get it tuned up enough；〃 replied Tom； 〃and I think
I can。 Yes； we'll have the great test to… morrow； and then I'll know whether
I really have a chance for that ten thousand dollars。〃
Never before had Tom been so exacting in his requirements of his air
craft as when； the next day； the Humming…Bird was wheeled out to the
flight ground； and gotten ready for the test。 The young inventor went over
every bolt； brace； stay； guy wire and upright。 He examined every square
inch of the wings； the tips； planes and rudders。 The levers； the steering
wheel； the automatic equilibrium attachments and the balancing weights
were looked at again and again。
As for the engine； had it been a delicate watch； Tom could not have
scrutinized each valve； wheel； cam and spur gear more carefully。 Then the
gasoline tank was filled； the magneto was looked after； the oil reservoirs
were cleaned out and freshly filled； and finally the lad remarked：
〃Well； I guess I'm ready。 Come along； Mr。 Damon。〃
〃Am I going with you in the test？〃
〃Surely。 I've been counting on you。 If you're to be with me in the race；
you want to get a sample of what we can do。 Take your place。 Mr。 Jackson；
are you ready to time us？〃
〃All ready； Tom。〃
〃And； dad； do you feel well enough to check back Mr。 Jackson's
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results？ I don't want any errors。〃
〃Oh； yes； Tom。 I can do it。〃
〃Very well； then。 Now this is my plan。 I'm going to mount upward on
an easy slant； and put her through a few stunts first； to warm up； and see
that everything is all right。 Then； when I give the signal； by dropping this
smal
