b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第20节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
slept more than half an hour when he heard a commotion out in the yard。
For an instant he could not tell what it was； and then； as he grew wider
awake he knew that it was the shouting of Eradicate Sampson； and the
braying of Boomerang。
But what was Eradicate shouting？
〃Fire！ Fire！ Fire！〃
Tom leaped to his window。
〃Wake up； Massa Tom！ Wake up！ De areoplane shed am on fire； an' de
Humming…Bird will burn up！ Hurry！ Hurry！〃
Tom looked out。 Flames were shooting up from the roof of the shed
where his precious craft was kept。
80
… Page 81…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER Seventeen
Mr。 Swift is Worse
Almost before the echoes of Eradicate's direful warning cry had died
away； Tom was on his way out of the house； pausing only long enough to
slip on a pair of shoes and his trousers。 There was but one thought in his
mind。 If he could get the Humming…Bird safely out he would not care if
the shed did burn； even though it contained many valuable tools and
appliances。
〃We must save my new aeroplane！〃 thought Tom； desperately。 〃I've
got to save her！〃
As he raced through the hall he caught up a portable chemical fire…
extinguisher。 Tom saw his father's door open； and Mr。 Swift looked out。
〃What is it？〃 he called anxiously。
〃Fire！〃 answered the young inventor； almost before he thought of the
doctor's warning that Mr。 Swift must not be excited。 Tom wished he could
recall the word； but it was too late。 Besides Eradicate； down in the yard
was shouting at the top of his voice：
〃Fire！ Fire！ Fire！〃
〃Where； Tom？〃 gasped Mr。 Swift； and his son thought the aged
inventor grew suddenly paler。
〃Aeroplane shed；〃 answered the lad。 〃But don't worry dad。 It's only a
small blaze。 We'll get it out。 You stay here。 We'll attend to itMr。 Jackson
and Eradicate and I。〃
〃NoI'm going to help！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Swift； sturdily。 〃I'll be with
you； Tom。 Go on！〃
The lad rushed down to the yard； closely followed by the engineer；
who had caught up another extinguisher。 Eradicate was rushing about； not
knowing what to do； but still keeping up his shouting。
〃It's on de roof！ De roof am all blazin'！〃 he yelled。
〃Quit your noise； and get to work！〃 cried Tom。 〃Get out a ladder； Rad；
and raise it to the side of the shed。 Then play this extinguisher on the blaze。
Mr。 Jackson； you help me run the Humming…Bird out。 After she's safe we'll
81
… Page 82…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
tackle the fire。〃
Tom cast a hurried look at the burning shed。 The flames were shooting
high up from the roof； now； and eating their way down。 As he rushed
toward the big doors； which he intended to open to enable him to run out
his sky racer； he was wondering how the fire came to start so high up as
the roof。 He wondered if a meteor could have fallen and caused it。
As the doors； which were quickly unlocked by Tom； swung back； and
as he and the engineer started to go in； they were met by choking fumes as
if of some gas。 They recoiled for the moment。
〃Whatwhat's that？〃 gasped Tom； coughing and sneezing。
〃Some chemicalII don't know what kind；〃 spluttered Mr。 Jackson。
〃Have you any carboys of acid in there Tom； that might have exploded by
the heat？〃
〃No； not a thing。 Let's try again。〃
Once more they tried to go in； but were again driven back by the
distressing fumes。 The fire was eating down； now。 There was a hole
burned in the roof； and by the leaping tongues of flame Tom could see his
aeroplane。 It was almost in the path of the blaze。
〃We must get her out！〃 he shouted。 〃I'm going in！〃
But it was impossible； and the daring young inventor nearly
succumbed to the choking odors。 Mr。 Jackson dragged him back。
〃We can't go in！〃 he cried。 〃There has been some mysterious work
here！ Those fumes were put here to keep us from saving the machine。 This
fire has been set by some enemy！ We can't go in！〃
〃But I am going！〃 declared Tom。 〃We'll try the back door。〃
They rushed to that； but again were driven out by the gases and vapors；
which were mingled with the smoke。 Disheartened； yet with a wild desire
to do something to save his precious craft； Tom Swift drew back for a
moment。
As he did so he heard a hiss； as Eradicate turned the chemical stream
on the blaze。 Tom looked up。 The faithful colored man was on a ladder
near the burning roof； acting well his part as a fireman。
〃That's the stuff！〃 cried Tom。 〃Come on； Mr。 Jackson。 Maybe if we use
the chemical extinguishers we can drive out those fumes！〃
82
… Page 83…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
The engineer understood。 He took up the extinguisher he had brought；
and Tom got a second one from a nearby shed。 Then Mr。 Swift came out
bearing another。
〃You shouldn't have come； dad！ We can attend to it！〃 cried Tom；
fearing for the effect of the excitement on his invalid parent。
〃Oh； I couldn't stay there and see the shed burn。 Are you getting it
under control？ Why don't you run out the Humming… Bird？〃
Tom did not mention the choking fumes。 He passed up a full
extinguisher to Eradicate； who had used all the chemical in his。 Then Tom
got another ladder； and soon three streams were being directed on the
flames。 They had eaten； a pretty big hole in the roof； but the chemicals
were slowly telling on them。
As soon as he saw that Eradicate and Mr。 Jackson could control the
blaze； Tom descended to the ground； and ran once more to the big doors。
He was determined to make another try to wheel out the aeroplane； for he
saw from above that the flames were now on the side wall； and might
reach the craft any minute。 And it would not take much to inflict serious
damage on the sky racer。
〃I'll get her； fumes or no fumes！〃 murmured Tom； grimly。 And；
whether it was the effect of the chemical streams； or whether the choking
odors were dissipated through the hole in the roof was not manifested； but；
at any rate； Tom found that he could go in； though he coughed and gasped
for breath。
He wheeled the aeroplane outside； for the Humming…Bird was almost
as light as her namesake。 A hurried glance by the gleam of the dying fire
assured Tom that his craft was not damaged beyond a slight scorching of
one of the wing tips。
〃That was a narrow escape！〃 he murmured； as he wheeled the sky
racer far away； out of any danger from sparks。 Then he went back to help
fight the fire； which was extinguished in about ten minutes more。
〃It was a mighty queer blaze；〃 said Mr。 Jackson； 〃starting at the top
that way。 I wonder what caused it？〃
〃We'll investigate in the morning；〃 decided Tom。 〃Now； dad； you must
get back to your room。〃 He turned to help his father in； but at that moment
83
… Page 84…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
Mr。 Swift； who was trying to say something； fell over in a dead faint。
〃Quick！ Help me carry him into the house！〃 cried Tom。 〃Then
telephone for Dr。 Gladby； Mr。 Jackson。〃
The physician looked grave when； half an hour later； he examined his
patient。
〃Mr。 Swift is very much worse；〃 he said in a low voice。 〃The
excitement of the fire has aggravated his ailment。 I would like another
doctor to see him； Tom。〃
〃Another doctor？〃 Tom's voice showed his alarm。
〃Yes； we must have a consultation。 I think Dr。 Kurtz will be a good
one to call in。 I should like his opinion before I decide what course to
take。〃
〃I'll send Eradicate for him at once；〃 said the young inventor； and he
went to give the colored man his instructions； while his heart was filled
with a great fear for his father。
84
