b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第21节
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with a great fear for his father。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER Eighteen
The Broken Bridge
Dr。 Kurtz looked as grave as did Dr。 Gladby when he had made an
examination of the patient。 Mr。 Swift was still in a semi…conscious
condition； hardly breathing as he rested on the bed where they had placed
him after the fire。
〃Vell；〃 said the German physician； after a long silence； 〃vot is your
obinion； my dear Gladby？〃
〃I think an operation is necessary。〃
〃Yes； dot is so； but you know vot kind of an operation alone vill safe
him； eh； my dear Gladby？〃
Dr。 Gladby nodded。
〃It will be a rare and delicate one；〃 he said。 〃There is but one surgeon I
know of who can do it。〃
〃You mean Herr Hendrix？〃 asked Dr。 Kurtz。
〃Yes； Dr。 Edward Hendrix； of Kirkville。 If he can be induced to come I
think there is a chance of saving Mr。 Swift's life。 I'll speak to Tom about
it。〃
The two physicians； who had been consulting together； summoned the
youth from another room； where； with Mrs。 Baggert and Mr。 Jackson he
had been anxiously awaiting the verdict。
〃What is it？〃 the young inventor asked Dr。 Gladby。
The medical man told him to what conclusion he and his colleague had
arrived； adding：
〃We advise that Dr。 Hendrix be sent for at once。 But I need hardly tell
you； Tom； that he is a noted specialist； and his services are in great
demand。 He is hard to get。〃
〃I'll pay him any sum he asks！〃 burst out the youth。 〃I'll spend all my
fortuneand I have made considerable money of lateI'll spend every cent
to get my father well！ Money need not stand in the way； Dr。 Gladby。〃
〃I knew that； Tom。 Still Dr。 Hendrix is a very busy man； and it is hard
to induce him to come a long distance。 It is over a hundred miles to
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Kirkville； and it is an out…of…the…way place。 I never could understand why
Dr。 Hendrix settled there。 But there he is； and if we want him he will have
to come from there。 The worst of it is that there are few trains； and only a
single railroad line from there to Shopton。〃
〃Then I'll telegraph；〃 decided Tom。 〃I'll offer him his own price； and
ask him to rush here as soon as he can。〃
〃You had better let Dr。 Kurtz and me attend to that part of it；〃
suggested the physician。 〃Dr。 Hendrix would hardly come on the request
of some one whom he did not know。 I'll prepare a telegram； briefly
explaining the case。 It is the sort of an operation Dr。 Hendrix is much
interested in； and I think he will come on that account； if for no other
reason。 I'll write out the message； and you can have Eradicate take it to the
telegraph office。〃
〃I'll take it myself！〃 exclaimed Tom； as he got ready to go out into the
night with the urgent request。 〃Is there any immediate danger for my
father？〃 he asked。
〃No； not any immediate danger；〃 replied Dr。 Gladby。 〃But the
operation is imperative if he is to live。 It is his one and only chance。〃
Tom thought only of his father as he hurried on through the night。
Even the prospect of the great race； so soon to take place； had no part in
his mind。
〃I'll not race until I'm sure dad is going to get better；〃 he decided。 With
the message to the noted specialist Tom also sent one to Mr。 Damon；
telling him the news； and asking him to come to Shopton。 Tom felt that the
presence of the odd gentleman would help him； and Mr。 Damon； who first
intended to stay on at the Swift home until he and Tom departed for Eagle
Park； had gone back to his own residence to attend to some business Tom
knew he would come in the morning； and Mr。 Damon did arrive on the
first train。
〃Bless my soul！〃 he exclaimed with ready sympathy； as he extended
his hand to Tom。 〃What's all this？〃 The young inventor told him；
beginning with the fire that had been the cause of the excitement which
produced the change in Mr。 Swift。
〃But I have great hopes that the specialist will be able to cure him；〃
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said Tom； for； with the coming of daylight； his courage had returned to
him。 〃Dr。 Gladby and Dr。 Kurtz depend a great deal on Dr。 Hendrix；〃 he
said。
〃Yes； he certainly is a wonderful man。 I have heard a great deal about
him。 I have no doubt but what he will cure your father。 But about the fire？
How did it start？〃
〃I don't know； but now that I have a few hours to spare before the
doctor can get here； I'm going to make an examination。〃
〃Bless my penwiper； but I'll help you。〃
Tom went into the house； to inquire of Mrs。 Baggert； for probably the
tenth time that morning； how his father was doing。 Mr。 Swift was still in a
semi…conscious condition； but he recognized Tom； when the youth stood at
his bedside。
〃Don't worry about me； son；〃 said the brave old inventor； as he took
Tom's hand。 〃I'll be all right。 Go ahead and get ready for the race。 I want
you to win！〃
Tears came into Tom's eyes。 Would his father be well enough to allow
him to take part in the big event？ He feared not。
By daylight it was seen that quite a hole had been burned in the
aeroplane shed。 Tom and Mr。 Damon； accompanied by Mr。 Jackson；
walked through the place。
〃And you say the fire broke out right after you had seen the mysterious
airship hovering over the house？〃 asked the eccentric man。
〃Well； not exactly after；〃 answered Tom； 〃but within an hour or so。
Why do you ask？〃
But Mr。 Damon did not answer。 Something on the floor of the shed；
amid a pile of blackened and charred pieces of wood； attracted his
attention。 He stooped over and picked it up。
〃Is this yours？〃 he asked Tom。
〃No。 What is it？〃
The object looked like a small iron ball； with a tube about half an inch
in diameter projecting slightly from it。 Tom took it'。
〃Why； it looks like an infernal machine or a dynamite bomb；〃 he said。
〃I wonder where it came from？ Guess I'd better drop it in a pail of water。
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Maybe Eradicate found it and brought it here。 I never saw it before。 Mr。
Jackson； please hand me that pail of water。 We'll soak this bomb。〃
〃There is no need；〃 said Mr。 Damon； quietly。 〃It is harmless now。 It has
done its work。 It was that which set fire to your shed； and which caused
the stifling fumes。〃
〃That？〃 cried Tom。
〃Yes。 This ball is hollow； and was filled with a chemical。 It was
dropped on the roof； and； after a certain time； the plug in the tube was
eaten through； the chemicals ran out； set the roof ablaze； and； dripping
down inside spread the choking odors that nearly prevented you from
getting out your aeroplane。〃
〃Are you sure of this？〃 asked the young inventor。
〃Positive。 I read about these bombs recently。 A German invented them
to be used in attacking a besieged city in case of war。〃
〃But how did this one get on my shed roof？〃 asked Tom。
〃It was dropped there by the mysterious airship！〃 exclaimed the odd
man。 〃That was why the aeroplane moved about over your place。 Those in
it hoped that the fire would not break out until you were all asleep； and
that the shed and the Humming…Bird would be destroyed before you came
to the rescue。 Some of your enemies are still after you； Tom。〃
〃And it was Andy Foger； I'll wager！〃 he cried。 〃He was in that aircraft！
Oh； I'll have a long score to settle with him！〃
〃Of course you can't be sure it was he；〃 said Mr。 Damon； 〃but I
wouldn't be a bit surprised but what it was。 Andy is capable of such a thing。
He wanted to prevent you from taking part in the race。〃
〃Well； he sha'n't！〃 cried Tom； and then he thought of his invalid father。
They made a fur
