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Title:  Tom Swift and His Airship

Author:  Victor Appleton

Release Date:  January, 2002  [eBook #3005]




PGCC Collection: Tom Swift and His Airship, by Appleton
eBook file: 03tom10.htm or 03tom10.pdf

Corrected EDITIONS, 03tom11.htm
Separate source VERSION, 03tom10a.htm

Scanned and OCR'd by Tom Szolyga





*Ver.04.07.00*






Scanned and OCR'd by Tom Szolyga




Tom Swift and His Airship

by Victor Appleton




Contents

    I - An Explosion
   II - Ned Sees Mysterious Men
  III - Whitewashed
   IV - A Trial Trip
    V - Colliding With A Tower
   VI - Getting Off The Roof
  VII - Andy Tries A Trick
 VIII - Winning a Prize
   IX - The Runaway Auto
    X - A Bag of Tools
   XI - The "Red Cloud" Departs
  XII - Some Startling News
 XIII - Mr. Damon in Danger
  XIV - Andy Gives the Clue
   XV - Fired Upon
  XVI - Over a Fiery Furnace
 XVII - "Wanted -- For Robbery!"
XVIII - Back for Vindication
  XIX - Wrecked
   XX - Tom Gets a Clue
  XXI - On the Trail
 XXII - The Sheriff on Board
XXIII - On To the Camp
 XXIV - The Raid
  XXV - Andy Gets His Reward




Chapter 1 - An Explosion



"Are you all ready, Tom?"

"All ready, Mr. Sharp," replied a young man, who was stationed near
some complicated apparatus, while the questioner, a dark man, with a
nervous manner, leaned over a large tank.

"I'm going to turn on the gas now," went on the man. "Look out for
yourself. I'm not sure what may happen."

"Neither am I, but I'm ready for it. If it does explode it can't do
much damage."

"Oh, I hope it doesn't explode. We've had so much trouble with the
airship, I trust nothing goes wrong now."

"Well, turn, on the gas, Mr. Sharp," advised Tom Swift. "I'll watch
the pressure gauge, and, if it goes too high, I'll warn you, and you
can shut it off."

The man nodded, and, with a small wrench in his hand, went to one end
of the tank. The youth, looking anxiously at him, turned his gaze now
and then toward a gauge, somewhat like those on steam boilers, which
gauge was attached to an aluminum, cigar-shaped affair, about five
feet long.

Presently there was a hissing sound in the small frame building where
the two were conducting an experiment which meant much to them. The
hissing grew louder.

"Be ready to jump," advised Mr. Sharp.

"I will," answered the lad. "But the pressure is going up very slowly.
Maybe you'd better turn on more gas."

"I will. Here she goes! Look out now. You can't tell what is going to
happen."

With a sudden hiss, as the powerful gas, under pressure, passed from
the tank, through the pipes, and into the aluminum container, the hand
on the gauge swept past figure after figure on the dial.

"Shut it off!" cried Tom quickly. "It's coming too fast! Shut her
off!"

The man sprang to obey the command, and, with nervous fingers, sought
to fit the wrench over the nipple of the controlling valve. Then his
face seemed to turn white with fear.

"I can't move it!" Mr. Sharp yelled. "It's jammed! I can't shut off
the gas! Run! Look out! She'll explode!"

Tom Swift, the young inventor, whose acquaintance some of you have
previously made, gave one look at the gauge, and seeing that the
pressure was steadily mounting, endeavored to reach, and open, a stop-
cock, that he might relieve the strain. One trial showed him that the
valve there had jammed too, and catching up a roll of blue prints the
lad made a dash for the door of the shop. He was not a second behind
his companion, and hardly had they passed out of the structure before
there was a loud explosion which shook the building, and shattered all
the windows in it.

Pieces of wood, bits of metal, and a cloud of sawdust and shavings
flew out of the door after the man and the youth, and this was
followed by a cloud of yellowish smoke.

"Are you hurt, Tom?" cried Mr. Sharp, as he swung around to look back
at the place where the hazardous experiment had been conducted.

"Not a bit! How about you?"

"I'm all right. But it was touch and go! Good thing you had the gauge
on or we'd never have known when to run. Well, we've made another
failure of it," and the man spoke somewhat bitterly.

"Never mind, Mr. Sharp," went on Tom Swift. "I think it will be the
last mistake. I see what the trouble is now; and know how to remedy
it. Come on back, and we'll try it again; that is if the tank hasn't
blown up."

"No, I guess that's all right. It was the aluminum container that went
up, and that's so light it didn't do much damage. But we'd better wait
until some of those fumes escape. They're not healthy to breathe."

The cloud of yellowish smoke was slowly rolling away, and the man and
lad were approaching the shop, which, in spite of the explosion that
had taken place in it, was still intact, when an aged man, coming from
a handsome house not far off, called out, "Tom, is anyone hurt?"

"No, dad. We're all right."

"What happened?"

"Well, we had another explosion. We can't seem to get the right
mixture of the gas, but I think we've had the last of our bad luck.
We're going to try it again. Up to now the gas has been too strong,
the tank too weak, or else our valve control is bad."

"Oh dear, Mr. Swift! Do tell them to be careful!" a woman's voice
chimed in. "I'm sure something dreadful will happen! This is about the
tenth time something has blown up around here, and-"

"It's only the ninth, Mrs. Baggert," interrupted Tom, somewhat
indignantly.

"Well, goodness me! Isn't nine almost as bad as ten? There I was, just
putting my bread in the oven," went on Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper,
"and I was so startled that I dropped it, and now the dough is all
over the kitchen floor. I never saw such a mess."

"I'm sorry," answered the youth, trying not to laugh. "We'll see that
it doesn't happen again."

"Yes; that's what you always say," rejoined the motherly-looking
woman, who looked after the interests of Mr. Swift's home.

"Well, we mean it this time," retorted the lad. "We see where our
mistake was; don't we. Mr. Sharp?"

"I think so," replied the other seriously.

"Come on back, and we'll see what damage was done," proposed Tom.
"Maybe we can rig up another container, mix some fresh gas, and make
the final experiment this afternoon."

"Now do be careful," cautioned Mr. Swift, the aged inventor, once
more. "I'm afraid you two have set too hard a task for yourselves this
time."

"No we haven't, dad," answered his son. "You'll see us yet skimming
along above the clouds."

"Humph! If you go above the clouds I shan't be very likely to see you.
But go slowly, now. Don't blow the place up again."

Mr. Swift went into the house, followed by Mrs. Baggert, who was
loudly bewailing the fate of her bread. Tom and Mr. Sharp started
toward the shop where they had been working. It was one of several
buildings, built for experimental purposes and patent work by Mr.
Swift, near his home.

"It didn't do so very much damage," observed Tom, as he peered in
through a window, void of all the panes of glass. "We can start right
in."

"Hold on! Wait! Don't try it now!" exclaimed Mr. Sharp, who talked in
short, snappy sentences, which, however, said all he meant. "The fumes
of that gas aren't good to breathe. Wait, until they have blown away.
It won't be long. It's safer."

He began to cough, choking from the pungent odor, and Tom felt an
unpleasant tickling sensation in his throat.

"Take a walk around," advised Mr. Sharp. "I'll be looking over the
blue prints. Let's have 'em."

Tom handed over the roll he had grabbed up when he ran from the shop,
just before the explosion took place, and, while his companion spread
them out on his knee, as he sat on an upturned barrel, the lad walked
toward the rear of the large yard. It was enclosed by a high board
fence, with a locked gate, but Tom, undoing the fastenings, stepped
out into a broad, green meadow at the rear of his father's property.
As he did so he saw three boys running toward him.

"Hello!" exclaimed our hero. "There are Andy Foger, Sam Snedecker and
Pete Bailey. I wonder what they're heading this way for?"

On the trio came, increasing their pace as they caught sight of Tom.
Andy Foger, a red-haired and squint-eyed lad, a sort of town bully,
with a rich and indulgent father, was the first to reach the young
inventor.

"How-how many are killed?" panted Andy.

"Shall we go for doctors?" asked Sam.

"Can we see the place?" blurted out Pete, and he had to sit down on
the grass, he was so winded.

"Killed? Doctors?" repeated Tom, clearly much puzzled. "What are you
fellows driving at, anyhow?"

"Wasn't there a lot of people killed in the explosion we heard?"
demanded Andy, in eager tones.

"Not a one," replied Tom.

"There was an explosion!" exclaimed Pete. "We heard it, and you can't
fool us!"

"And we saw the smoke," added Snedecker.

"Yes, there was a small explosion," admitted Tom, with a smile, "but
no one was killed; or even hurt. We don't have such things happen in
our shops."

"Nobody killed?" repeated Andy questioningly, and the disappointment
was evident in his tones.

"Nobody hurt?" added Sam, his crony, and he, too, showed his chagrin.

"All our run for nothing," continued Pete, another crony, in disgust.

"What happened?" demanded the red-haired lad, as if he had a right to
know. "We were walking along the lake road, and we heard an awful
racket. If the police come out here, you'll have to tell what it was,
Tom Swift." He spoke defiantly.

"I've no objection to telling you or the police," replied Tom. "There
was an explosion. My friend, Mr. Sharp, the balloonist, and I were
conducting an experiment with a new kind of gas, and it was too
strong, that's all. An aluminum container blew up, but no particular
damage was done. I hope you're satisfied."

"Humph! What you making, anyhow?" demanded Andy, and again he spoke as
if he had a right to know.

"I don't know that it's any of your business," Tom came back at him
sharply, "but, as everyone will soon know, I may as well tell you.
We're building an airship."

"An airship?" exclaimed Sam and Pete in one breath.

"An airship?" queried Andy, and there was a sneer in his voice. "Well,
I don't think you can do it, Tom Swift! You'll never build an airship;
even if you have a balloonist to help you!"

"I won't, eh?" and Tom was a trifle nettled at the sneering manner of
his rival.

"No, you won't! It takes a smarter fellow than you are to build an
airship that will sail. I believe I could beat you at it myself."

"Oh, you think you could?" asked Tom, and this time he had mastered
his emotions. He was not going to let Andy Foger make him angry.
"Maybe you can beat me at racing, too?" he went on. "If you think so,
bring out your Red Streak and I'll try the Arrow against her. I beat
you twice, and I can do it again!"

This unexpected taunt disconcerted Andy. It was the truth, for, more
than once had Tom, in his motor-boat, proved more than a match for the
squint-eyed bully and his cronies.

"Go back at him, Andy," advised Sam, ire low voice. "Don't take any of
his guff!"

"I don't intend to," spluttered Andy. "Maybe you did beat me in the
races, because my motor wasn't working right," he conceded, "but you
can't do it again. Anyhow, that's got nothing to do with an airship.
I'll bet you can't make one!"

"I don't bet," replied Tom calmly, "but if you wait a few weeks you'll
see me in an airship, and then, if you want to race the Red Streak
against that, I'll accommodate you. Or, if you want to enter into a
competition to build a dirigible balloon or an aeroplane I'm willing."

"Huh! Think you're smart, don't you? Just because you helped save that
balloonist from being killed when his balloon caught fire," went on
Andy, for want of something better to say. "But you'll never build an
airship!"

"Of course he won't!" added Sam and Pete, bound to side with their
crony, to whom they were indebted for many automobile and motor-boat
rides.

"Just wait," advised Tom, with a tantalizing smile. "Meanwhile, if you
want to try the Red Streak against the Arrow, I'm willing. I have an
hour or so to spare."

"Aw, keep still!" muttered Andy, much discomfited, for the defeat of
his speedy boat, by a much smaller and less powerful one, was a sore
point with him. "You just wait, that's all. I'll get even with you!"

"Look here!" cried Tom, suddenly. "You always say that whenever I get
the best of you. I'm sick of hearing it. I consider that a threat, and
I don't like it. If you don't look out, Andy Foger, you'll have
trouble with me, and at no very distant date!"

Tom, with flashing eyes, and clenched fists, took a step forward. Andy
shrank back.

"Don't be afraid of him," advised Sam. "We'll stand by you, Andy."

"I ain't afraid," muttered the red-haired lad, but it was noticed that
he shuffled off. " You just wait, I'll fix you," he added to Tom. The
bully was plainly in a rage.

The young inventor was about to reply, and, possibly would have made a
more substantial rejoinder to Andy than mere words, when the gate
opened, and Mr. Sharp stepped out.

"The fumes have all cleared away, Tom," he said. "We can go in the
shop, now."

Without further notice of Andy Foger, Tom Swift turned aside, and
followed the aeronaut into the enclosed yard.



Chapter 2 - Ned Sees Mysterious Men



"Who were those fellows?" asked the balloonist, of his companion.

"Oh, some chaps who think we'll never build our airship, Mr. Sharp.
Andy Foger, and his crowd."

"Well, we'll show them whether we will or not," rejoined the man.
"I've just thought of one point where we made a mistake. Your father
suggested it to me. We need a needle valve in the gas tank. Then we
can control the flow of vapor better."

"Of course!" cried Tom. "Why didn't I think of that? Let's try it."
And the pair hurried into the machine shop, eager to make another
test, which they hoped would be more successful.

The young inventor, for Tom Swift was entitled to that title, having
patented several machines, lived with his father, Barton Swift, on the
outskirts of the small town of Shopton, in New York State. Mr. Swift
was quite wealthy, having amassed a considerable fortune from several
of his patents, as he was also an inventor. Tom's mother had been dead
since he was a small child, and Mrs. Baggert kept house for the
widower and his son. There was also, in their household, an aged
engineer, named Garret Jackson, who attended to the engine and boilers
that operated machinery and apparatus in several small shops that
surrounded the Swift homestead; for Mr. Swift did most of his work at
home.

As related in the first volume of this series, entitled "Tom Swift and
His Motor-Cycle," the lad had passed through some strenuous
adventures. A syndicate of rich men, disappointed in a turbine motor
they had acquired from a certain inventor, hired a gang of scoundrels
to get possession of a turbine Mr. Swift had invented. Just before
they made the attempt, however, Tom became possessed of a motor-cycle.
It had belonged to a wealthy man, Mr. Wakefield Damon, of Waterford,
near Lake Carlopa, which body of water adjoined the town of Shopton;
but Mr. Damon had two accidents with the machine, and sold it to Tom
cheap. Tom was riding his motorcycle to Albany, to deliver his
father's model of the turbine motor to a lawyer, in order to get a
patent on it, when he was attacked by the gang of bad men. These
included Ferguson Appleson, Anson Morse, Wilson Featherton, alias
Simpson, Jake Burke, alias Happy Harry, who sometimes masqueraded as a
tramp, and Tod Boreck, alias Murdock. These men knocked Tom
unconscious, stole the valuable model and some papers, and carried the
youth away in their automobile.

Later the young inventor, following a clue given him by Eradicate
Sampson, an aged colored man, who, with his mule, Boomerang, went
about the country doing odd jobs, got on the trail of the thieves in a
deserted mansion in the woods at the upper end of the lake. Our hero,
with the aid of Mr. Damon, and some friends of the latter, raided the
old house, but the men escaped.

In the second book of the series, called "Tom Swift and His Motor-
Boat," there was related the doings of the lad, his father and his
chum, Ned Newton, on Lake Carlopa. Tom bought at auction, a motor-boat
the thieves had stolen and damaged, and, fixing it up, made a speedy
craft of it so speedy, in fact that it beat the racing-boat Red
Streak-owned by Andy Foger. But Tom did more than race in his boat. He
took his father on a tour for his health, and, during Mr. Swift's
absence from home, the gang of bad men stole some of the inventor's
machinery. Tom set out after them in his motor boat, but the
scoundrels even managed to steal that, hoping to get possession of a
peculiar and mysterious treasure in it, and Tom had considerable
trouble.

Among other things he did when he had his craft, was to aid a Miss
Mary Nestor, who, in her cousin's small boat, the Dot, was having
trouble with the engine, and you shall hear more of Miss Nestor
presently, for she and Tom became quite friendly. Events so shaped
themselves that Andy Foger was glad to loan Tom the Red Streak in
which to search for the stolen Arrow, and it was in the later craft
that Tom, his father and Ned Newton had a most thrilling adventure.

They were on their way down the lake when, in the air overhead they
saw a balloon on fire, with a man clinging to the trapeze. They
managed to save the fellow's life, after a strenuous endeavor. The
balloonist, John Sharp, was destined to play quite a part in Tom's
life.

Mr. Sharp was more than an aeronaut-he was the inventor of an airship-
that is, he had plans drawn for the more important parts, but he had
struck a "snag of clouds," as he expressed it, and could not make the
machine work. His falling in with Mr. Swift and his son seemed
providential, for Tom and his father were at once interested in the
project for navigating the upper air. They began a study of Mr.
Sharp's plans, and the balloonist was now in a fair way to have the
difficulty solved.

His airship was, primarily an aeroplane, but with a sustaining
aluminum container, shaped like a cigar, and filled with a secret gas,
made partly of hydrogen, being very light and powerful. It was testing
the effect of this gas on a small model of the aluminum container that
the explosion, told of in the first chapter, occurred. In fact it was
only one of several explosions, but, as Tom said, all the while they
were eliminating certain difficulties, until now the airship seemed
almost a finished thing. But a few more details remained to be worked
out, and Mr. Swift and his son felt that they could master these.

So it was with a feeling of no little elation, that the young inventor
followed Mr. Sharp into the shop. The balloonist, it may be explained,
had been invited to live with the Swifts pending the completion of the
airship.

"Do you think we'll get on the right track if we put the needle valve
in?" asked Tom, as he noted with satisfaction that the damage from the
explosion was not great.

"I'm sure we will," answered the aeronaut. "Now let's make another
model container, and try the gas again."

They set to work, with Mr. Swift helping them occasionally, and Garret
Jackson, the engineer, lending a hand whenever he was needed. All that
afternoon work on the airship progressed. The joint inventors of it
wanted to be sure that the sustaining gas bag, or aluminum container,
would do its work properly, as this would hold them in the air, and
prevent accidents, in case of a stoppage of the engine or propellers.

The aeroplane part of the airship was all but finished, and the motor,
a powerful machine, of new design, built by Mr. Swift, was ready to be
installed.

All that afternoon Tom, his father and Mr. Sharp labored in the shop.
As it grew dusk there sounded from the house the ringing of a bell.

"Supper time," remarked Tom, laying aside a wrench. "I wish Mrs.
Baggert would wait about an hour. I'd have this valve nearly done,
then."

But the housekeeper was evidently not going to wait, for her voice
supplemented the bell.

"Supper! Sup-per!" she called. "Come now, Mr. Swift; Tom, Mr. Sharp! I
can't wait any longer! The meat and potatoes will be spoiled!"

"I s'pose we'd better go in," remarked Mr. Sharp, with something of a
sigh. "We can finish to-morrow."

The shop, where certain parts of the airship were being made, was
doubly locked, and Jackson, the engineer, who was also a sort of
watchman, was bidden to keep good guard, for the fear of the gang of
unscrupulous men, who had escaped from jail during a great storm, was
still in the minds of Mr. Swift and his son.

"And give an occasional look in the shed, where the aeroplane is,"
advised Mr. Sharp. "It wouldn't take much to damage that, now."

"I'll pay particular attention to it," promised the engineer. "Don't
worry, Mr. Sharp."

After supper the three gathered around the table on which were spread
out sheets of paper, covered with intricate figures and calculations,
which Mr. Swift and the balloonist went over with care. Tom was
examining some blue prints, which gave a sectional view of the
proposed ship, and was making some measurements when the bell rang,
and Mrs. Baggert ushered in Ned Newton, the most particular chum of
the young inventor.

"Hello, Ned!" exclaimed Tom. "I was wondering what had become of you.
Haven't seen you in a dog's age."

"That's right," admitted Ned. "We've been working late nights at the
bank. Getting ready for the regular visit of the examiner, who usually
comes along about this time. Well, how are things going; and how is
the airship?" for, of course, Ned had heard of that.

"Oh, pretty good. Had another explosion today, I s'pose you heard."

"No, I hadn't."

"I thought everyone in town had, for Andy Foger and his two cronies
were on hand, and they usually tell all they know."

"Oh, Andy Foger! He makes me sick! He was scooting up the street in
his auto just as I was coming in, `honking-honking' his horn to beat
the band! You'd think no one ever had an auto but him. He certainly
was going fast."

"Wait until I get in our airship," predicted Tom. "Then I'll show you
what speed is!"

"Do you really think it will go fast?"

"Of course it will! Fast enough to catch Anson Morse and his crowd of
scoundrels if we could get on their track."

"Why, I thought they were in jail," replied Ned, in some surprise.
"Weren't they arrested after they stole your boat?"

"Yes, and put in jail, but they managed to get out, and now they're
free to make trouble for us again."

"Are you sure they're out of jail?" asked Ned, and Tom noted that his
chum's face wore an odd look.

"Sure? Of course I am. But why do you ask?"

Ned did not answer for a moment. He glanced at Tom's father, and the
young inventor understood. Mr. Swift was getting rather along in age,
and his long years of brain work had made him nervous. He had a great
fear of Morse and his gang, for they had made much trouble for him in
the past. Tom appreciated his chum's hesitancy, and guessed that Ned
had something to say that he did not want Mr. Swift to hear.

"Come on up to my room, Ned. I've got something I want to show you,"
exclaimed Tom, after a pause.

The two lads left the room, Tom glancing apprehensively at his father.
But Mr. Swift was so engrossed, together with the aeronaut, in making
some calculations regarding wind pressure, that it is doubtful if
either of the men were aware that the boys had gone.

"Now what is it, Ned?" demanded our hero, when they were safe in his
apartment. "Something's up. I can tell by your manner. What is it?"

"Maybe it's nothing at all," went on his chum. "If I had known, though
that those men had gotten out of jail, I would have paid more
attention to what I saw to-night, as I was leaving the bank to come
here."

"What did you see?" demanded Tom, and his manner, which had been calm,
became somewhat excited.

"Well, you know I've been helping the payingteller straighten up his
books," went on the young bank employee, "and when I came out tonight,
after working for several hours, I was glad enough to hurry away from
the `slave-den,' as I call it. I almost ran up the street, not looking
where I was going, when, just as I turned the corner, I bumped into a
man."

"Nothing suspicious or wonderful in that," commented Tom. "I've often
run into people."

"Wait," advised Ned. "To save myself from falling I grabbed the man's
arm. He did the same to me, and there we stood, for a moment, right
under a gas lamp. I looked down at his hands, and I saw that on the
little finger of the left one there was tattooed a blue ring, and-"

"Happy Harry-the tramp!" exclaimed Tom, now much excited. "That's
where he wears a tattooed ring!"

"That's what I thought you had told me," resumed Ned, "but I didn't
pay any attention to it at the time, as I had no idea that the men
were out of jail."

"Well, what else happened?" inquired Tom

"Not much more. I apologized to the man, and he to me, and we let go
of each other."

"Are you sure about the ring on his finger?"

"Positive. His hand was right in the light. But wait, that isn't all.
I hurried on, not thinking much about it, when, I saw another man step
out of the dark shadows of Peterby's grocery, just beyond the bank.
The man must have mistaken me for some one else, for he spoke to me."

"What did he say?"

"He asked me a question. It was: `Is there any chance to-night?' "

"What did you tell him?"

"Well, I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say, and, before
I could get my wits together the man had seen his mistake and hurried
on. He joined the man I had collided with, and the two skipped off in
the darkness. But not before a third man had come across the street,
from in front of the bank, and hurried off with them."

"Well?" asked Tom, as his chum paused.

"I don't know what to think," resumed Ned. "These men were certainly
acting suspiciously, and, now that you tell me the Anson Morse gang is
not locked up-well, it makes me feel that these must be some of their
crowd."

"Of course they are!" declared Tom positively. "That blue ring proves
it!"

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," declared Ned. "The man
certainly had a blue ring tattooed on his finger-the same finger where
you say Happy Harry had his. But what would the men be doing in this
neighborhood? They certainly have had a lesson not to meddle with any
of your things."

"No, I don't believe they are after any of dad's inventions this time.
But I tell you what I do believe."

"What?"

"Those men are planning to rob the Shopton Bank, Ned! And I advise you
to notify the officers. That Morse gang is one of the worst in the
country," and Tom, much excited, began to pace the room, while Ned,
who had not dreamed of such an outcome to his narrative, looked
startled.



Chapter 3 - Whitewashed



"Let's tell your father, Tom," suggested Ned, after a pause. "He'll
know what to do."

"No, I'd rather not," answered the young inventor quickly. "Dad has
had trouble enough with these fellows, and I don't want him to worry
any more. Besides, he is working on a new invention, and if I tell him
about the Happy Harry gang it will take his attention from it."

"What invention is he planning now?"

"I don't know, but it's something important by the way he keeps at it.
He hardly spares time to help Mr. Sharp and me on the airship. No,
we'll keep this news from dad."

"Then I'll inform the bank officials, as you suggest. If the place was
robbed they might blame me; if they found out I had seen the men a
failed to tell them."

"Well, that gang would only be too glad to have the blame fall on some
one else."

Tom little knew how near the truth he had come in his chance
expression, or how soon he himself was to fall under suspicion in
connection with this same band of bad men.

"I'll telephone to the president on my way home," decided Ned, "and he
can notify the watchman at the bank. But do you really expect to have
your airship in shape to fly soon?"

"Oh, yes. Now that we have found out our mistake about the gas, the
rest will be easy."

"I think I'd like to take a trip in one myself, if it didn't go too
high," ventured Ned.

"I'll remember that, when we have ours completed," promised his chum,
"and I'll take you for a spin."

The boys talked for perhaps an hour longer, mostly about the airship,
for it was the latest mechanical affair in which Tom was interested,
and, naturally, foremost in his thoughts. Then Ned went home first,
however, telephoning from Tom's house to the bank president about
having seen the suspicious men. That official thanked his young
employee, and said he would take all necessary precautions. The
telephone message was not sent until Mr. Swift was out of hearing, as
Tom was determined that his father should have no unnecessary worry
about the unscrupulous men. As it was, the news that the gang was out
of jail had caused the aged inventor some alarm.

It was not without some anxiety that Tom arose the next morning,
fearing he would hear news that the bank had been broken into, but no
such alarming report circulated in Shopton. In fact having made some
inquiries that day of Ned, he learned that no trace had been seen of
the mysterious men. The police had been on the lookout, but they had
seen nothing of them.

"Maybe, after all, they weren't the same ones," suggested Ned, when he
paid Tom another visit the next night.

"Well, of course it's possible that they weren't," admitted the young
inventor. "I'd be very glad to think so. Even if they were, your
encounter with them may have scared them off; and that would be a good
thing."

The next two weeks were busy ones for Tom and Mr. Sharp. Aided
occasionally by Mr. Swift, and with Garret Jackson, the engineer, to
lend a hand whenever needed, the aeronaut and the owner of the speedy
Arrow made considerable progress on their airship.

"What is your father so busy over?" asked Mr. Sharp one day, when the
new aluminum gas holder was about completed.

"I don't know," answered Tom, with a somewhat puzzled air. "He doesn't
seem to want to talk about it, even to me. He says it will
revolutionize travel along a certain line, but whether he is working
on an airship that will rival ours, or a new automobile, I can't make
out. He'll tell us in good time. But when do you think we will finish
the-well, I don't know what to call it-I mean our aeroplane?"

"Oh, in about a month now. That's so, though, we haven't a name for
it. But we'll christen it after it's completed. Now if you'll tighten
up some of those bolts I'll get the gas generating apparatus in
readiness for another test."

A short description of the new airship may not be out of place now. It
was built after plans Mr. Sharp had shown to Tom and his father soon
after the thrilling rescue of the aeronaut from the blazing balloon
over Lake Carlopa. The general idea of the airship was that of the
familiar aeroplane, but in addition to the sustaining surfaces of the
planes, there was an aluminum, cigar-shaped tank, holding a new and
very powerful gas, which would serve to keep the ship afloat even when
not in motion.

Two sets of planes, one above the other, were used, bringing the
airship into the biplane class. There were also two large propellers,
one in front and the other at the rear. These were carefully made, of
different layers of wood "built up" as they are called, to make them
stronger. They were eight feet in diameter, and driven by a twenty-
cylinder, air-cooled, motor, whirled around at the rate of fifteen
hundred revolutions a minute. When operated at full speed the airship
was capable of making eighty miies an hour, against a moderate wind.

But if the use of the peculiarly-shaped planes and the gas container,
with the secret but powerful vapor in it were something new in airship
construction, so was the car in which the operator and travelers were
to live during a voyage. It was a complete living room, with the
engine and other apparatus, including that for generating the gas, in
a separate compartment, and the whole was the combined work of Tom and
Mr. Sharp. There were accommodations for five persons, with sleeping
berths, a small galley or kitchen, where food could be prepared, and
several easy chairs where the travelers could rest in comfort while
skimming along high in the air, as fast as the fastest railroad train.

There was room enough to carry stores for a voyage of a week or more,
and enough gas could be manufactured aboard the ship, in addition to
that taken in the aluminum case before starting, to sustain the ship
for two weeks. The engine, steering apparatus, and the gas machine
were within easy reach and control of the pilot, who was to be
stationed in a small room in the "bow" of the ship. An electric stove
served to warm the interior of the car, and also provided means for
cooking the food.

The airship could be launched either by starting it along the ground,
on rubber-tired wheels, as is done in the case of the ordinary
aeroplane, or it could be lifted by the gas, just as is done with a
balloon. In short there were many novel features about the ship.

The gas test, which took place a few days later, showed that the young
inventor and Mr. Sharp had made no mistake this time. No explosion
followed, the needle valve controlling the powerful vapor perfectly.

"Well," remarked Mr. Sharp, one afternoon, "I think we shall put the
ship together next week, Tom, and have a trial flight. We shall need a
few more aluminum bolts, though, and if you don't mind you might jump
on your motor-cycle and run to Mansburg for them. Merton's machine
shop ought to have some."

Mansburg was the nearest large city to Shopton, and Merton was a
machinist who frequently did work for Mr. Swift.

"All right," agreed Tom. "I'll start now. How many will you need?"

"Oh, a couple of dozen."

Tom started off, wheeling his cycle from the shed where it was kept.
As he passed the building where the big frame of the airship, with the
planes and aluminum bag had been assembled, he looked in.

"We'll soon be flying through the clouds on your back," he remarked,
speaking to the apparatus as if it could understand. "I guess we'll
smash some records, too, if that engine works as well when it's
installed as it does now."

Tom had purchased the bolts, and was on his way back with them, when,
as he passed through one of the outlying streets of Mansburg,
something went wrong with his motor-cycle. He got off to adjust it,
finding that it was only a trifling matter, which he soon put right,
when he was aware of a man standing, observing him. Without looking up
at the man's face, the young inventor was unpleasantly aware of a
sharp scrutiny. He could hardly explain it, but it seemed as if the
man had evil intentions toward him, and it was not altogether
unexpected on Tom's part, when, looking up, he saw staring at him,
Anson Morse, the leader of the gang of men who had caused such trouble
for him.

"Oh, it's you; is it?" asked Morse, an ugly scowl on his face. "I
thought I recognized you." He moved nearer to Tom, who straightened
up, and stood leaning on his wheel.

"Yes; it's me," admitted the lad.

"I've been looking for you," went on Morse. "I'm not done with you
yet, nor your father, either."

"Aren't you?" asked Tom, trying to speak coolly, though his heart was
beating rather faster than usual. Morse had spoken in a threatening
manner, and, as the youth looked up and down the street he saw that it
was deserted; nor were there any houses near.

"No, I'm not," snapped the man. "You got me and my friends in a lot of
trouble, and-"

"You didn't get half what you deserved!" burst out Tom, indignant at
the thought of what he and his father had suffered at the hands of the
gang. "You ought to be in jail now, instead of out; and if I could see
a policeman, I'd have you arrested for threatening me! That's against
the law!"

"Huh! I s'pose you think you know lots about the law," sneered Morse.
"Well, I tell you one thing, if you make any further trouble for me,
I'll- "

"I'll make all the trouble I can!" cried Tom, and he boldly faced the
angry man. "I'm not afraid of you!"

"You'd better be!" and Morse spoke in a vindictive manner. "We'll get
even with you yet, Tom Swift. In fact I've a good notion now to give
you a good thrashing for what you've done."

Before Tom was aware of the man's intention, Morse had stepped quickly
into the street, where the lad stood beside his wheel, and grasped him
by the shoulder. He gave Tom a vicious shake.

"Take your hand off me!" cried Tom, who was hampered by having to hold
up his heavy machine.

"I will when I've given you what I owe you!" retorted the scoundrel.
"I'm going to have satisfaction now if I never-"

At that instant there came from down the street the sound of a
rattling and bumping. Tom looked up quickly, and saw approaching a
rattletrap of a wagon. drawn by a big, loose-jointed mule, the large
ears of which were flapping to and fro. The animal was advancing
rapidly, in response to blows and words from the colored driver, and,
before the uplifted fist of Morse could fall on Tom's head, the outfit
was opposite them.

"Hold on dar, mistah! Hold on!" cried the colored man in the wagon.
"What are yo' doin' to mah friend, Mistah Swift?"

"None of your business!" snapped Morse. "You drive on and let me
manage this affair if you don't want trouble! Who are you anyhow?"

"Why doan't yo' know me?" asked the colored man, at whom Tom looked
gratefully. "I's Eradicate Sampson, an' dish yeah am mah mule,
Boomerang. Whoa, Boomerang! I reckon yo' an' I better take a hand in
dish yeah argument."

"Not unless you want trouble!" cried Morse.

"I doan't mind trouble, not in de leastest," answered Eradicate
cheerfully. "Me an' Boomerang has had lots of trouble. We's used to
it. No, Mistah Man, you'd better let go ob mah friend, Mistah Swift,
if yo' doan't want trouble yo' ownse'f."

"Drive on, and mind your business!" cried Morse, now unreasoningly
angry. "This is my affair," and he gave Tom a shake.

Our hero was not going to submit tamely, however. He had one hand
free, and raised to strike Morse, but the latter, letting go his hold
on the lad's shoulder, grasped with that hand, the fist which the
young inventor had raised. Then, with his other hand, the scoundrel
was about to hit Tom.

"Break away four him, Mistah Swift!" directed the colored man. "Yo'
can fight him, den!"

"I guess he'll have his own troubles doing that," sneered Morse.

"Not ef I help him," answered Eradicate promptly, as he climbed back
off the seat, into the body of his ramshackle vehicle.

"Don't you interfere with me!" stormed the man.

An instant later Tom broke away from his tormentor, and laid his
motor-cycle on the ground, in order to have both hands free for the
attack he felt would follow.

"Ha! You think you're going to escape, do you?" cried Morse, as he
started toward Tom, his eyes blazing. "I'll show you who you're
dealing with!"

"Yes, an' I reckon I'll show yo' suffin yo' ain't lookin' fer!"
suddenly cried Eradicate.

With a quick motion he picked up a pail of white-wash from his wagon,
and, with sure aim, emptied the contents of the bucket over Morse, who
was rushing at Tom. The white fluid spread over the man from head to
foot, enveloping him as in a white shroud, and his advance was
instantly checked.

"Dar! I reckon dat's de quickest white-washin' job I done in some
time!" chuckled Eradicate, as he grasped his long handled brush, and
clambered down from the wagon, ready for a renewal of the hostilities
on the part of Morse. "De bestest white-washin' job I done in some
time; yais, sah!"



Chapter 4 - A Trial Trip



There was no fear that Anson Morse would return to the attack. Blinded
by the whitewash which ran in his eyes, but which, being slaked, did
not burn him, he grouped blindly about, pawing the air with his
outstretched hands.

"You wait! You wait! You'll suffer for this!" he spluttered, as soon
as he could free his mouth from the trickling fluid. Then, wiping it
from his face, with his hands, as best he could, he shook his fist at
Tom. "I'll pay you and that black rascal back!" he cried. "You wait!"

"I hopes yo' pays me soon," answered Eradicate, "'case as how dat
whitewash was wuff twenty-five cents, an' I got t' go git mo' to
finish doin' a chicken coop I'm wurkin' on. Whoa, oar Boomerang. Dere
ain't goin' t' be no mo' trouble I reckon."

Morse did not reply. He had been most unexpectedly repulsed, and, with
the white-wash dripping from his garments, he turned and fairly ran
toward a strip of woodland that bordered the highway at that place.

Tom approached the colored man, and held out a welcoming hand.

"I don't know what I'd done if you hadn't come along, Rad," the lad
said. "That fellow was desperate, and this was a lonely spot to be
attacked. Your whitewash came in mighty handy."

"Yais, sah, Mistah Swift, dat's what it done. I knowed I could use it
on him, ef he got too obstreperous, an' dat's what he done. But I were
goin' to fight him wif mah bresh, ef he'd made any more trouble."

"Oh, I fancy we have seen the last of him for some time," said Tom,
but he looked worried. It was evident that the Happy Harry gang was
still hanging around the neighborhood of Shopton, and the fact that
Morse was bold enough to attack our hero in broad day-light argued
that he felt little fear of the authorities.

"Ef yo' wants t' catch him, Mistah Swift," went on Eradicate, "yo' kin
trace him by de whitewash what drops offen him," and he pointed to a
trail of white drops which showed the path Morse had taken.

"No, the less I have to do with him the better I like it," answered
the lad. "But I can't thank you enough, Rad. You have helped me out of
difficulties several times now. You put me on the trail of the men in
the deserted mansion, you warned me of the log Andy Foger placed
across the road, and now you have saved me from Morse."

"Oh, dat's nuffin, Mistah Swift. Yo' has suah done lots fo' me.
'Sides, mah mule, Boomerang, am entitled t' de most credit dish yeah
time. I were comin' down de street, on mah way t' a whitewashin' job,
when I seen yo', an yo' lickitysplit machine," for so Eradicate
designated a motorcycle. "I knowed it were yo', an' I didn't laik de
looks ob dat man. Den I see he had hold ob you, an' I t'ought he were
a burglar. So I yelled t' Boomerang t' hurry up. Now, mostly, when I
wants Boomerang t' hurry, he goes slow, an' when I wants him t' go
slow, he runs away. But dish yeah time he knowed he were comin' t'
help yo', an' he certainly did leg it, dat's what he done! He run laik
he were goin' home t' a stable full ob oats, an' dat's how I got heah
so quick. Den I t'ought ob de whitewash, an' I jest. used it."

"It was the most effective weapon you could have used," said Tom,
gratefully.

"Deed no, Mistah Swift, I didn't hab no weapon," spoke Eradicate
earnestly. "I ain't eben got mah razor, 'case I left it home. I didn't
hab no weapon at all. I jest used de whitewash, laik yo' seen me."

"That's what I meant," answered Tom, trying not to laugh at the simple
negro's misunderstanding. "I'm ever so much obliged to you, just the
same, and here's a half dollar to pay for the whitewash."

"Oh, no, Mistah Swift, I doan't want t' take it. I kin make mo'
whitewash."

But Tom insisted, and picked up his machine to sprint for home.
Eradicate started to tell over again, how he urged Boomerang on, but
the lad had no time to listen.

"But I didn't hab no weapon, Mistah Swift, no indeedy, none at all,
not even mah razor," repeated Eradicate. "Only de pail ob whitewash.
That is, lessen yo' calls mah bresh a weapon."

"Well, it's a sort of one," admitted Tom, with a laugh as he started
his machine. "Come around next week, Rad. We have some dirt
eradicating for you to attend to."

"Deed an' I will, Mistah Swift. Eradicate is mah name, an' I
eradicates de dirt. But dat man such did look odd, wif dat pail ob
whitewash all ober him. He suah did look most extraordinarily. Gidap,
Boomerang. See if yo' can break some mo' speed records now."

But the mule appeared to be satisfied with what he had done, and, as
he rode off, Tom looked back to see the colored man laboring to get
the sleepy, animal started.

The lad did not tell his father of the adventure with Morse, but he
related the occurrence to Mr. Sharp.

"I'd like to get hold of that scoundrel, and the others in the gang!"
exclaimed the balloonist. "I'd take him up in the airship, and drop
him down into the lake. He's a bad man. So are the others. Wonder what
they -want around here?"

"That's what's puzzling me," admitted Tom. "I hope dad doesn't hear
about them or he will be sure to worry; and maybe it will interfere
with his new ideas."

"He hasn't told you yet what he's engaged in inventing; has he?"

"No, and I don't like to ask him. He said the other day, though, that
it would rival our airship, but in a different way."

"I wonder what be meant?"

"It's hard to say. But I don't believe he can invent anything that
will go ahead of our craft, even if he is my own father, and the best
one in the world," said Tom, half jokingly. "Well, I got the bolts,
now let's get to work. I'm anxious for a trial trip."

"No more than I am. I want to see if my ideas will work out in
practice as well as they do in theory."

For a week or more Tom and Mr. Sharp labored on the airship, with Mr.
Jackson to help them. The motor, with its twenty cylinders, was
installed, and the big aluminum holder fastened to the frame of the
planes. The rudders, one to control the elevation and depression of
the craft, and the other to direct its flight to the right or left,
were attached, and the steering wheel, as well as the levers
regulating the motor were put in place.

"About all that remains to be done now," said the aeronaut one night,
as he and Tom stood in the big shed, looking at their creation, "is to
fit up the car, and paint the machine."

"Can't we make a trial trip before we fit up the car ready for a long
flight?" asked the young inventor.

"Yes, but I wouldn't like to go out without painting the ship. Some
parts of it might rust if we get into the moist, cloudy, upper
regions."

"Then let's paint it to-morrow, and, as soon as it's dry we'll have a
test."

"All right. I'll mix the paint the first thing in the morning."

It took two days to paint the machine, for much care had to be used,
and, when it was finished Tom looked admiringly up at it.

"We ought to name it," suggested Mr. Sharp, as he removed a bit of
paint from the end of the nose.

"To be sure," agreed Tom. "And hold on, I have the very name for it-
Red Cloud!"

"Red Cloud?" questioned Mr. Sharp.

"Yes!" exclaimed Tom, with enthusiasm. "It's painted red-at least the
big, aluminum gas container is-and we hope to go above the clouds in
it. Why not Red Cloud?"

"That's what it shall be!" conceded the balloonist. "If I had a bottle
of malted milk, or something like that, I'd christen it."

"We ought to have a young lady to do that part," suggested Tom. "They
always have young ladies to name ships."

"Were you thinking of any particular young lady?" asked Mr. Sharp
softly, and Tom blushed; as he replied

"Oh no-of course that is-well--Oh, hang it, christen it yourself, and
let me alone," he finished.

"Well, in the absence of Miss Mary Nestor, who, I think, would be the
best one for the ceremony," said Mr. Sharp, with a twinkle in his
eyes, "I christen thee Red Cloud," and with that he sprinkled some
water on the pointed nose of the red aluminum gas bag, for the
aeronaut and Tom were on a high staging, on a level with the upper
part of the airship.

"Red Cloud it is!" cried Tom, enthusiastically. "Now, to-morrow we'll
see what it can do."

The day of the test proved all that could be desired in the way of
weather. The fact that an airship was being constructed in the Swift
shops had been kept as secret as possible, but of course many in
Shopton knew of it, for Andy Foger had spread the tidings.

"I hope we won't have a crowd around to see us go up," said Tom, as he
and Mr. Sharp went to the shed to get the Red Cloud in readiness for
the trial. "I shouldn't want to have them laugh at us, if we fail to
rise."

"Don't worry. We'll go up all right," declared Mr. Sharp. "The only
thing I'm at all worried about is our speed. I want to go fast, but we
may not be able to until our motor gets 'tuned-up'.  But we'll rise."

The gas machine had already been started, and the vapor was hissing
inside the big aluminum holder. It was decided to try to go up under
the lifting power of the gas, and not use the aeroplane feature for
sending aloft the ship, as there was hardly room, around the shops,
for a good start.

When enough of the vapor had been generated to make the airship
buoyant, the big doors of the shed were opened, and Tom and Mr. Sharp,
with the aid of Garret and Mr. Swift, shoved it slowly out.

"There it is! There she comes!" cried several vices outside the high
fence that surrounded the Swift property. "They're going up!"

"Andy Foger is in that bunch," remarked Tom with a grim smile. "I hope
we don't fail."

"We won't. Don't worry," advised Mr. Sharp.

The shouts outside the fence increased. It was evident that quite a
crowd of boys, as well as men, had collected, though it was early in
the morning. Somehow, news of the test had leaked out.

The ship continued to get lighter and lighter as more gas was
generated. It was held down by ropes, fastened to stakes driven in the
ground. Mr. Sharp entered the big car that was suspended, below the
aeroplanes.

"Come on, Tom," the aeronaut called. "We're almost ready to fly. Will
you come too, Mr. Swift, and Garret?"

"Some other time," promised the aged inventor. "It looks as though you
were going to succeed, though. I'll wait, however, until after the
test before I venture."

"How about you, Garret?" asked Tom of the engineer, as the young
inventor climbed into the car.

"The ground is good enough for me," was the answer, with a smile.
"Broken bones don't mend so easily when you're past sixty-five."

"But we're not going to fall!" declared Mr. Sharp. "All ready, Tom.
Cast off! Here we go!"

The restraining ropes were quickly cast aside. Slowly at first, and
then with a rush, as though feeling more and more sure of herself, the
Red Cloud arose in the air like a gigantic bird of scarlet plumage. Up
and up it went, higher than the house, higher than the big shed where
it had been built, higher, higher, higher!

"There she is!" cried the shrill voices of the boys in the meadow, and
the hoarser tones of the men mingled with them.

"Hurrah!" called Tom softly to the balloonist. "We're off!" and he
waved his hand to his father and Garret.

"I told you so," spoke Mr. Sharp confidently. "I'm going to start the
propellers in a minute."

"Oh, dear me, goodness sakes alive!" cried Mrs. Baggert, the
housekeeper, running from the house and wringing her hands. "I'm sure
they'll fall!"

She looked up apprehensively, but Tom only waved his hand to her, and
threw her a kiss. Clearly he had no fears, though it was the first
time he had ever been in an airship. Mr. Sharp was as calm and
collected as an ocean captain making his hundredth trip across the
Atlantic.

"Throw on the main switch," he called to our hero, and Tom, moving to
amidships in the car, did as directed. Mr. Sharp pulled several
levers, adjusted some valves, and then, with a rattle and bang, the
huge, twenty-cylinder motor started.

Waiting a moment to see that it was running smoothly, Mr. Sharp
grasped the steering wheel. Then, with a quick motion he threw the two
propellers in gear. They began to whirl around rapidly.

"Here we go!" cried Tom, and, sure enough, the Red Cloud, now five
hundred feet in the air, shot forward, like a boat on the water, only
with such a smooth, gliding, easy motion, that it seemed like being
borne along on a cloud.

"She works! She works!" cried the balloonist. "Now to try our
elevation rudder," and, as the Red Cloud gathered speed, he tilted the
small planes which sent the craft up or down, according to the manner
in which they were tilted. The next instant the airship was pointed at
an angle toward the clouds, and shooting along at swift speed, while,
from below came the admiring cheers of the crowd of boys and men.



Chapter 5 - Colliding With A Tower



"She seems to work," observed Tom, looking from where he was stationed
near some electrical switches, toward Mr. Sharp.

"Of course she does," replied the aeronaut. "I knew it would, but I
wasn't so sure that it would scoot along in this fashion. We're making
pretty good speed, but we'll do better when the motor gets to running
smoother."

"How high up are we?" asked Tom.

The balloonist glanced at several gauges near the steering wheel.

"A little short of three thousand feet," he answered. "Do you want to
go higher?"

"No-no-I-I guess not," was Tom's answer. He halted over the works, and
his breath came in gasps.

"Don't get alarmed," called Mr. Sharp quickly, noting that his
companion was in distress because of the high altitude. "That always
happens to persons who go into a thin air for the first time; just as
if you had climbed a high mountain. Breathe as slowly as you can, and
swallow frequently. That will relieve the pressure on your ear drums.
I'll send the ship lower."

Tom did as he was advised, and the aeronaut, deflecting the rudder,
sent the Red Cloud on a downward slant. Tom at once felt relieved,
both because the action of swallowing equalized the pressure on the
ear drums, and because the airship was soon in a more dense
atmosphere, more like that of the earth.

"How are you now?" asked the man of the lad, as the craft was again on
an even keel.

"All right," replied Tom, briskly. "I didn't know what ailed me at
first."

"I was troubled the same way when I first went up in a balloon,"
commented Mr. Sharp. "We'll run along for a few miles, at an elevation
of about five hundred feet, and then we'll go to within a hundred feet
of the earth, and see how the Red Cloud behaves under different
conditions. Take a look below and see what you think of it."

Tom looked low, through one of several plate glass windows in the
floor of the car. He gave a gasp of astonishment.

"Why! We're right over Lake Carlopa!" he gasped.

"Of course," admitted Mr. Sharp with a laugh. "And I'm glad to say
that we're better off than when I was last in the air over this same
body of water," and he could scarcely repress a shudder as he thought
of his perilous position in the blazing balloon, as related in detail
in "Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat."

The lake was spread out below the navigators of the air like some
mirror of silver in a setting of green fields. Tom could see a winding
river, that flowed into the lake, and he noted towns, villages, and
even distant cities, interspersed here and there with broad farms or
patches of woodlands, like a bird's-eye view of a stretch of country.

"This is great!" he exclaimed, with enthusiasm. "I wouldn't miss this
for the world!"

"Oh, you haven't begun to see things yet," replied Mr. Sharp. "Wait
until we take a long trip, which we'll do soon, as this ship is
behaving much better than I dared to hope. Well, we're five hundred
feet high now, and I'll run along at that elevation for a while."

Objects on the earth became more distinct now, and Tom could observe
excited throngs running along and pointing upward. They were several
miles from Shopton, and the machinery was running smoothly; the motor,
with its many cylinders purring like a big cat.

"We could have lunch, if we'd brought along anything to eat," observed
Tom.

"Yes," assented his companion. "But I think we'll go back now. Your
father may be anxious. Just come here, Tom, and I'll show you how to
steer. I'm going down a short distance."

He depressed the rudder, and the Red Cloud shot earthward. Then, as
the airship was turned about, the young inventor was allowed to try
his hand at managing it. He said, afterward, that it was like guiding
a fleecy cloud.

"Point her straight for Shopton,". counseled Mr. Sharp, when he had
explained the various wheels and levers to the lad.

"Straight she is," answered the lad, imitating a sailor's reply. "Oh,
but this is great! It beats even my motor-boat!"

"It goes considerably faster, at all events," remarked Mr. Sharp.
"Keep her steady now, while I take a look at the engine. I want to be
sure it doesn't run hot."

He went aft, where all the machinery in the car was located, and Tom
was left alone in the small pilot house. He felt a thrill as he looked
down at the earth beneath him, and saw the crowds of wonder-gazers
pointing at the great, red airship flying high over their heads.
Rapidly the open fields slipped along, giving place to a large city.

"Rocksmond," murmured Tom, as he noted it. "We're about fifty miles
from home, but we'll soon be back in the shed at this rate. We
certainly are slipping along. A hundred and fifty feet elevation," he
went on, as he looked at a gauge. I wonder if I'll ever get used to
going several miles up in the air?"

He shifted the rudder a bit, to go to the left. The Red Cloud obeyed
promptly, but, the next instant something snapped. Tom, with a
startled air, looked around. He could see nothing wrong, but a moment
later, the airship dipped suddenly toward the earth. Then it seemed to
increase its forward speed, and, a few seconds later, was rushing
straight at a tall, ornamental tower that rose from one corner of a
large building.

"Mr. Sharp! Mr. Sharp!" cried the lad. "Something has happened! We're
heading for that tower!"

"Steer to one side!" called the balloonist.

Tom tried, but found that the helm had become jammed. The horizontal
rudder would not work, and the craft was rushing nearer and nearer,
every minute, to the pile of brick and mortar.

"We're going to have a collision!" shouted Tom. "Better shut off the
power!"

The two propellers were whirling around so swiftly that they looked
like blurs of light. Mr. Sharp came rushing forward, and Tom
relinquished the steering wheel to him. In vain did the aeronaut try
to change the course of the airship. Then, with a shout to Tom to
disconnect the electric switch, the man turned off the power from the
motor.

But it was too late. Straight at the tower rushed the Red Cloud, and,
a moment later had hit it a glancing blow, smashing the forward
propeller, and breaking off both blades. The nose of the aluminum gas
container knocked off a few bricks from the tower, and then, the ship
losing way, slowly settled to the flat roof of the building.

"We're smashed!" cried Tom, with something like despair in his voice.

"That's nothing! Don't worry! It might be worse! Not the first time
I've had an accident. It's only one propeller, and I can easily make
another," said Mr. Sharp, in his quick, jerky sentences. He had
allowed some of the gas to escape from the container, making the ship
less buoyant, so that it remained on the roof.

The aeronaut and Tom looked from the windows of the car, to note if
any further damage had been done. They were just congratulating
themselves that the rudder marked the extent, when, from a scuttle in
the roof there came a procession of young ladies, led by an elderly
matron, wearing spectacles and having a very determined, bristling
air.

"Well, I must say, this is a very unceremonious proceeding!" exclaimed
the spectacled woman. "Pray, gentlemen, to what are we indebted for
this honor?"

"It was an accident, ma'am," replied Mr. Sharp, removing his hat, and
bowing. A mere accident!"

"Humph! I suppose it was an accident that the tower of this building
was damaged, if not absolutely loosened at the foundations. You will
have to pay the damages!" Then turning, and seeing about two score of
young ladies behind her on the flat roof, each young lady eying with
astonishment, not unmixed with admiration, the airship, the elderly
one added: "Pupils! To your rooms at once! How dare you leave without
permission?"

"Oh, Miss Perkman!" exclaimed a voice, at the sound of which Tom
started. "Mayn't we see the airship? It will be useful in our natural
philosophy study!"

Tom looked at the young lady who had spoken. "Mary Nestor!" he
exclaimed.

"Tom-I mean Mr. Swift!" she rejoined. "How in the world did you get
here?"

"I was going to ask you the same question," retorted the lad. "We flew
here."

"Young ladies! Silence!" cried Miss Perkman, who was evidently the
principal of the school. "The idea of any one of you daring to speak
to these-these persons-without my permission, and without an
introduction! I shall make them pay heavily for damaging my seminary,"
she added, as she strode toward Mr. Sharp, who, by this time, was out
of the car. "To your rooms at once!" Miss Perkman ordered again, but
not a young lady moved. The airship was too much of an attraction for
them.



Chapter 6 - Getting Off The Roof



For a few minutes Mr. Sharp was so engrossed with looking underneath
the craft, to ascertain in what condition the various planes and
braces were, that he paid little attention to the old maid school
principal, after his first greeting. But Miss Perkman was not a person
to be ignored.

"I want pay for the damage to the tower of my school," she went on. "I
could also demand damages for trespassing on my roof, but I will
refrain in this case. Young ladies, will you go to your rooms?" she
demanded.

"Oh, please, let us stay," pleaded Mary Nestor, beside whom Tom now
stood. "Perhaps Professor Swift will lecture on clouds and air
currents and-and such things as that," the girl went on slyly, smiling
at the somewhat embarrassed lad.

"Ahem! If there is a professor present, perhaps it might be a good
idea to absorb some knowledge," admitted the old maid, and,
unconsciously, she smoothed her hair, and settled her gold spectacles
straighter on her nose. "Professor, I will delay collecting damages on
behalf of the Rocksmond Young Ladies Seminary, while you deliver a
lecture on air currents," she went on, addressing herself to Mr.
Sharp.

"Oh, I'm not a professor," he said quickly. "I'm a professional
balloonist, parachute jumper. Give exhibitions at county fairs. Leap
for life, and all that sort of thing. I guess you mean my friend. He's
smart enough for a professor. Invented a lot of things. How much is
the damage?"

"No professor?" cried Miss Perkman indignantly. "Why I understood from
Miss Nestor that she called some one professor."

"I was referring to my friend, Mr. Swift," said Mary. "His father's a
professor, anyhow, isn't he, Tom? I mean Mr. Swift!"

"I believe he has a degree, but he never uses it," was the lad's
answer.

"Ha!  Then I have been deceived!  There is no professor present!" and
the old maid drew herself up as though desirous of punishing some one.
"Young ladies, for the last time, I order you to your rooms," and,
with a dramatic gesture she pointed to the scuttle through which the
procession had come.

"Say something, Tom--I mean Mr. Swift," appealed Mary Nestor, in a
whisper, to our hero. "Can't you give some sort of a lecture? The
girls are just crazy to hear about the airship, and this ogress won't
let us. Say something!"

"I-I don't know what to say," stammered Tom.

But he was saved the necessity for just then several women, evidently
other teachers, came out on the roof.

"Oh, an airship!" exclaimed one. "How lovely! We thought it was an
earthquake, and we were afraid to come up for quite a while. But an
airship! I've always wanted to see one, and now I have an opportunity.
It will be just the thing for my physical geography and natural
history class. Young ladies, attention, and I will explain certain
things to you."

"Miss Delafield, do you understand enough about an airship to lecture
on one?" asked Miss Perkman smartly.

"Enough so that my class may benefit," answered the other teacher, who
was quite pretty.

"Ahem! That is sufficient, and a different matter," conceded Miss
Perkman. "Young ladies, give your undivided attention to Miss
Delafield, and I trust you will profit by what she tells you.
Meanwhile I wish to have some conversation concerning damages with the
persons who so unceremoniously visited us. It is a shame that the
pupils of the Rocksmond Seminary should be disturbed at their studies.
Sir, I wish to talk with you," and the principal pointed a long,
straight finger at Mr. Sharp.

"Young ladies, attention!" called Miss Delafield. "You will observe
the large red body at the top, that is-"

"I'd rather have you explain it," whispered Mary Nestor to Tom. "Come
on, slip around to the other side. May I bring a few of my friends
with me? I can't bear Miss Delafield. She thinks she knows everything.
She won't see us if we slip around."

"I shall be delighted," replied Tom, "only I fear I may have to help
Mr. Sharp out of this trouble."

"Don't worry about me, Tom," said the balloonist, who overheard him.
"Let me do the explaining. I'm an old hand at it. Been in trouble
before. Many a time I've had to pay damages for coming down in a
farmer's corn field. I'll attend to the lady principal, and you can
explain things to the young ones," and, with a wink, the jolly
aeronaut stepped over to where Miss Perkman, in spite of her prejudice
against the airship, was observing it curiously.

Glad to have the chance to talk to his young lady friend, Tom slipped
to the opposite side of the car with her and a few of her intimate
friends, to whom she slyly beckoned. There Tom told how the Red Cloud
came to be built, and of his first trip in the air, while, on the
opposite side, Miss Delafield lectured to the entire school on
aeronautics, as she thought she knew them.

Mr. Sharp evidently did know how to "explain" matters to the irate
principal, for, in a short while, she was smiling. By this time Tom
had about finished his little lecture, and Miss Delafield was at the
end of hers. The entire school of girls was grouped about the Red
Cloud, curiously examining it, but Mary Nestor and her friends
probably learned more than any of the others. Tom was informed that
his friend had been attending the school in Rocksmond since the fall
term opened.

"I little thought, when I found we were going to smash into that
tower, that you were below there, studying," said the lad to the girl.

"I'm afraid I wasn't doing much studying," she confessed. "I had just
a glimpse of the airship through the window, and I was wondering who
was in it, when the crash came. Miss Perkman, who is nothing if not
brave, at once started for the roof, and we girls all followed her.
However, are you going to get the ship down?"

"I'm afraid it is going to be quite a job," admitted Tom ruefully.
"Something went wrong with the machinery, or this never would have
happened. As soon as Mr. Sharp has settled with your principal we'll
see what we can do."

"I guess he's settled now," observed Miss Nestor. "Here he comes."

The aeronaut and Miss Perkman were approaching together, and the old
maid did not seem half so angry as she had been.

"You see," Mr. Sharp was saying, "it will be a good advertisement for
your school. Think of having the distinction of having harbored the
powerful airship, Red Cloud, on your roof."

"I never thought of it in that light," admitted the principal.
"Perhaps you are right. I shall put it in my next catalog."

"And, as for damages to the tower, we will pay you fifty dollars,"
continued the balloonist. "Do you agree to that, Mr. Swift?" he asked
Tom. "I think your father, the professor, would call that fair."

"Oh, as long as this airship is partly the property of a professor,
perhaps I should only take thirty-five dollars," put in Miss Perkman.
"I am a great admirer of professors-I mean in a strictly educational
sense," she went on, as she detected a tendency on the part of some of
the young ladies to giggle.

"No, fifty dollars will be about right," went on Mr. Sharp, pulling
out a well-filled wallet. "I will pay you now."

"And if you will wait I will give you a receipt," continued the
principal, evidently as much appeased at the mention of a professor's
title, as she was by the money.

"We're getting off cheap," the balloonist whispered to Tom, as the
head of the seminary started down the scuttle to the class-rooms
below.

"Maybe it's easier getting out of that difficulty than it will be to
get off the roof," replied the lad.

"Don't worry. Leave that to me," the aeronaut said. It took
considerable to ruffle Mr. Sharp. .

With a receipt in full for the damage to the tower, and expressing the
hope that, some day, in the near future, Professor Swift would do the
seminary the honor of lecturing to the young lady pupils, Miss Perkman
bade Mr. Sharp and Tom good-by.

"Young ladies, to your rooms!" she commanded. "You have learned enough
of airships, and there may be some danger getting this one off the
roof."

"Wouldn't you like to stay and take a ride in it?" Tom asked Miss
Nestor.

"Indeed I would," she answered daringly. "It's better than a motor-
boat. May I?"

"Some day, when we get more expert in managing it," he replied, as he
shook hands with her.

"Now for some hard work," went on the young inventor to Mr. Sharp,
when the roof was cleared of the last of the teachers and pupils. But
the windows that gave a view of the airship in its odd position on the
roof were soon filled with eager faces, while in the streets below was
a great crowd, offering all manner of suggestions.

"Oh, it's not going to be such a task," said Mr. Sharp. "First we will
repair the rudder and the machinery, and then we'll generate some more
gas, rise and fly home."

"But the broken propeller?" objected Tom.

"We can fly with one, as well as we can with two, but not so swiftly.
Don't worry. We'll come out all right," and the balloonist assumed a
confident air.

It was not so difficult a problem as Tom had imagined to put the
machinery in order, a simple break having impaired the working of the
rudder. Then the smashed propeller was unshipped and the gas machine
started. With all the pupils watching from windows, and a crowd
observing from the streets and surrounding country, for word of the
happening had spread, Tom and his friend prepared to ascend.

They arose as well as they had done at the shed at home, and in a
little while, were floating over the school. Tom fancied he could
observe a certain hand waving to him, as he peered from the window of
the car-a hand in one of the school casements, but where there were so
many pretty girls doing the same thing, I hardly see how Tom could
pick out any certain one, though he had extraordinarily good eyesight.
However, the airship was now afloat and, starting the motor, Mr. Sharp
found that even with one propeller the Red Cloud did fairly well,
making good speed.

"Now for home, to repair everything, and we'll be ready for a longer
trip," the aeronaut said to the young inventor, as they turned around,
and headed off before the wind, while hundreds below them cheered.

"We ought to carry spare propellers if we're going to smash into
school towers," remarked Tom. "I seem to be a sort of hoodoo."

"Nonsense! It wasn't your fault at all," commented Mr. Sharp warmly.
"It would have happened to me had I been steering. But we will take an
extra propeller along after this."

An hour later they arrived in front of the big shed and the Red Cloud
was safely housed. Mr. Swift was just beginning to get anxious about
his son and his friend, and was glad to welcome them back.

"Now for a big trip, in about a week!" exclaimed Mr. Sharp
enthusiastically. "You'll come with us, won't you, Mr. Swift?"

The inventor slowly shook his head.

"Not on a trip," he said. "I may go for a trial spin with you, but
I've got too important a matter under way to venture on a long trip,"
and he turned away without explaining what it was. But Tom and Mr.
Sharp were soon to learn.



Chapter 7 - Andy Tries a Trick



Without loss of time the young inventor and the aeronaut began to
repair the damage done to the Red Cloud by colliding with the tower.
The most important part to reconstruct was the propeller, and Mr.
Sharp decided to make two, instead of one, in order to have an extra
one in case of future accidents.

Tom's task was to arrange the mechanism so that, hereafter, the rudder
could not become jammed, and so prevent the airship from steering
properly. This the lad accomplished by a simple but effective device
which, when the balloonist saw it, caused him to compliment Tom.

"That's worth patenting," he declared. "I advise you to take out
papers on that."

"It seems such a simple thing," answered the youth. "And I don't see
much use of spending the money for a patent. Airships aren't likely to
be so numerous that I could make anything off that patent."

"You take my advice," insisted Mr. Sharp. "Airships are going to be
used more in the future than you have any idea of. You get that device
patented."

Tom did so, and, not many years afterward he was glad that he had, as
it brought him quite an income.

It required several days' work on the Red Cloud before it was in shape
for another trial. During the hours when he was engaged in the big
shed, helping Mr. Sharp, the young inventor spent many minutes calling
to mind the memory of a certain fair face, and I think I need not
mention any names to indicate whose face it was.

"She promised to go for a ride with me," mused the lad. "I hope she
doesn't back out. But I'll want to learn more about managing the ship
before I venture with her in it. It won't do to have any accidents
then. There's Ned Newton, too. I must take him for a skim in the
clouds. Guess I'll invite him over some afternoon, and give him a
private view of the machine, when we get it in shape again."

About a week after the accident at the school Mr. Sharp remarked to
Tom one afternoon

"If the weather is good to-morrow, we'll try another flight. Do you
suppose your father will come along?"

"I don't know," answered the lad. "He seems much engrossed in
something. It's unusual, too, for he most generally tells me what he
is engaged upon. However, I guess he will say something about it when
he gets ready."

"Well, if he doesn't feel just like coming, don't argue him. He might
be nervous, and, while the ship is new, I don't want any nervous
passengers aboard. I can't give them my attention and look after the
running of the machinery."

"I was going to propose bringing a friend of mine over to see us make
the trip to-morrow," went on the young inventor. "Ned Newton, you know
him. He'd like a ride."

"Oh, I guess Ned's all right. Let him come along. We won't go very
high to-morrow. After a trial rise by means of the gas, I'm going to
lower the ship to the ground, and try for an elevation by means of the
planes. Oh, yes, bring your friend along."

Ned Newton was delighted the next day to receive Tom's invitation,
and, though a little dubious about trusting himself in an airship for
the first time, finally consented to go with his chum. He got a half
holiday from the bank, and, shortly after dinner went to Tom's house.

"Come on out in the shed and take a look at the Red Cloud," proposed
the young inventor. "Mr. Sharp isn't quite ready to start yet, and
I'll explain some things to you."

The big shed was deserted when the lads entered, and went to the loft
where they were on a level with the big, red aluminum tank. Tom began
with a description of the machinery, and Ned followed him with
interest.

"Now we'll go down into the car or cabin," continued the young
navigator of the air, "and I'll show you what we do when we're touring
amid the clouds."

As they started to descend the flight of steps from the loft platform,
a noise on the ground below attracted their attention.

"Guess that's Mr. Sharp coming," said Ned.

Tom leaned over and looked down. An instant later he grasped the arm
of his chum, and motioned to him to keep silent.

"Take a look," whispered the young inventor.

"Andy Foger!" exclaimed Ned, peering over the railing.

"Yes, and Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey are with him. They sneaked in
when I left the door open. Wonder what they want?"

"Up to some mischief, I'll wager," commented Ned. "Hark! They're
talking."

The two lads on the loft listened intently. Though the cronies on the
ground below them did not speak loudly, their voices came plainly to
the listeners.

"Let's poke a hole in their gas bag," proposed Sam. "That will make
them think they're not so smart as they pretend."

"Naw, we can't do that," answered Andy.

"Why not?" declared Pete.

"Because the bag's away up in the top part of the shed, and I'm not
going to climb up there."

"You're afraid," sneered Sam.

"I am not! I'll punch your face if you say that again! Besides the
thing that holds the gas is made of aluminum, and we can't make a hole
in it unless we take an axe, and that makes too much noise."

"We ought to play some sort of a trick on Tom Swift," proposed Pete.
"He's too fresh!"

Tom shook his fist at the lads on the ground, but of course they did
not see him.

"I have it!" came from Andy.

"What?" demanded his two cronies.

"We'll cut some of the guy wires from the planes and rudders. That
will make the airship collapse. They'll think the wires broke from the
strain. Take out your knives and saw away at the wires. Hurry, too, or
they may catch us."

"You're caught now," whispered Ned to Tom. "Come on down, and give 'em
a trouncing."

Tom hesitated. He looked quickly about the loft, and then a smile
replaced the frown of righteous anger on his face.

"I have a better way," he said.

"What is it?"

"See that pile of dirt?" and he pointed to some refuse that had been
swept up from the floor of the loft. Ned nodded. "It consists of a lot
of shavings, sawdust and, what's more, a lot of soot and lampblack
that we used in mixing some paint. We'll sweep the whole pile down on
their heads, and make them wish they'd stayed away from this place."

"Good!" exclaimed Ned, chuckling. "Give me a broom. There's another
one for you."

The two lads in the loft peered down. The red-headed, squint-eyed
bully and his chums had their knives out, and were about to cut some
of the important guy wires, when, at a signal from Tom, Ned, with a
sweep of his broom, sent a big pile of the dirt, sawdust and lampblack
down upon the heads of the conspirators. The young inventor did the
same thing, and for an instant the lower part of the shed looked as if
a dirtstorm had taken place there. The pile of refuse went straight
down on the heads of the trio, and, as they were looking up, in order
to see to cut the wires, they received considerable of it in their
faces.

In an instant the white countenances of the lads were changed to
black-as black as the burnt-cork performers in a minstrel show. Then
came a series of howls.

"Wow! Who did that!"

"I'm blinded! The shed is falling down!"

"Run fellows, run!" screamed Andy. "There's been an explosion. We'll
be killed!"

At that moment the big doors of the shed were thrown open, and Mr.
Sharp came in. He started back in astonishment at the sight of the
three grotesque figures, their faces black with the soot, and their
clothes covered with sawdust and shavings, rushing wildly around.

"That will teach you to come meddling around here. Andy Roger!" cried
Tom.

"I-I-you-you-Oh, wait-I-you-" spluttered the bully, almost speechless
with rage. Sam and Pete were wildly trying to wipe the stuff from
their faces, but only made matters worse. They were so startled that
they did not know enough to run out of the opened doors.

"Wish we had some more stuff to put on 'em," remarked Ned, who was
holding his sides that ached from laughter.

"I have it!" cried Tom, and he caught up a bucket of red paint, that
had been used to give the airship its brilliant hue. Running to the
end of the loft Tom stood for an instant over the trio of lads who
were threatening and imploring by 'turns.

"Here's another souvenir of your visit," shouted the young inventor,
as he dashed the bucket of red paint down on the conspirators. This
completed the work of the dirt and soot, and a few seconds later, each
face looking like a stage Indian's ready for the war-path, the trio
dashed out. They shed shavings, sawdust and lampblack at every step,
and from their clothes and hands and faces dripped the carmine paint.

"Better have your pictures taken!" cried Ned, peering from an upper
window.

"Yes, and send us one," added Tom, joining his chum. Andy looked up at
them. He dug a mass of red paint from his left ear, removed a mass of
soot from his right cheek, and, shaking his fist, which was
alternately striped red and black, cried out in a rage

"I'll get even with you yet, Tom Swift!"

"You only got what was coming to you," retorted the young inventor.
"The next time you come sneaking around this airship, trying to damage
it, you'll get worse, and I'll have you arrested. You've had your
lesson, and don't forget it."

The red-haired bully, doubly red-haired now, had nothing more to say.
There was nothing he could say, and, accompanied by his companions, he
made a bee-line for the rear gate in the fence, and darted across the
meadow. They were all sorry enough looking specimens, but solely
through their own fault.



Chapter 8 - Winning a Prize



"Well, Tom, what happened?" asked Mr. Sharp, as he saw the trio
running away. "Looks as if you had had an exciting time here."

"No, those fellows had all the excitement," declared Ned. "We had the
fun." And the two lads proceeded to relate what had taken place.

"Tried to damage the airship, eh?" asked Mr. Sharp. "I wish I'd caught
them at it; the scoundrels! But perhaps you handled them as well as I
could have done."

"I guess so," assented Tom. "I must see if they did cut any of the
wires."

But the young inventor and his chum had acted too quickly, and it was
found that nothing, had been done to the Red Cloud.

A little later the airship was taken out of the shed, and made ready
for a trip. The gas ascension was first used, and Ned and Mr. Swift
were passengers with Tom and Mr. Sharp. The machine went about a
thousand feet up in the air, and then was sent in various directions,
to the no small delight of a large crowd that gathered in the meadow
back of the Swift property; for it only required the sight of the
airship looming its bulk above the fence and buildings, to attract a
throng. It is safe to say this time, however, that Andy Foger and his
cronies were not in the audience. They were probably too busy removing
the soot and red paint.

Although it was the first time Mr. Swift had ever been in an airship,
he evinced no great astonishment. In fact he seemed to be thinking
deeply, and on some subject not connected with aeronautics. Tom
noticed the abstraction of his father, and shook his head. Clearly the
aged inventor was not his usual self.

As for Ned Newton his delight knew no bounds, At first he was a bit
apprehensive as the big ship went higher and higher, and swung about,
but he soon lost his fear, and enjoyed the experience as much as did
Tom. The young inventor was busy helping Mr. Sharp manage the
machinery, rudders-planes and motor.

A flight of several miles was made, and Tom was wishing they might pay
another visit to the Rocksmond Seminary, but Mr. Sharp, after
completing several evolutions, designed to test the steering qualities
of the craft, put back home.

"We'll land in the meadow and try rising by the planes alone," he
said. In this evolution it was deemed best for Mr. Swift and Ned to
alight, as there was no telling just how the craft would behave. Tom's
father was very willing to get out, but Ned would have remained in,
only for the desire of his friend.

With the two propellers whirring at a tremendous speed, and all the
gas out of the aluminum container, the Red Cloud shot forward, running
over the level ground of the meadow, where a starting course had been
laid out.

"Clear the track!" cried Mr. Sharp, as he saw the crowd closing up in
front of him. The men, boys, several girls and women made a living
lane. Through this shot the craft, and then, when sufficient momentum
had been obtained, Tom, at a command from the aeronaut, pulled the
lever of the elevation rudder. Up into the air shot the nose of the
Red Cloud as the wind struck the slanting surface of the planes, and,
a moment later it was sailing high above the heads of the throng.

"That's the stuff!" cried Mr. Sharp. "It works as well that way as it
does with the gas!"

Higher and higher it went, and then, coming to a level keel, the craft
was sent here and there, darting about like a bird, and going about in
huge circles.

"Start the gas machine, and we'll come to rest in the air," said the
balloonist, and Tom did so. As the powerful vapor filled the container
the ship acquired a bouyancy, and there was no need of going at high
speed in order to sustain it. The propellers were stopped, and the Red
Cloud floated two thousand feet in the air, only a little distance
below some fleecy, white masses from which she took her name. The
demonstration was a great success. The gas was again allowed to
escape, the propellers set in motion, and purely as an aeroplane, the
ship was again sent forward. By means of the planes and rudders a
perfect landing was made in the meadow, a short distance from where
the start had been made. The crowd cheered the plucky youth and Mr.
Sharp.

"Now I'm ready to go on a long trip any time you are, Tom," said the
aeronaut that night.

"We'll fit up the car and get ready," agreed the `youth. "How about
you, dad?"

"Me? Oh, well-er-that is, you see; well, I'll think about it," and Mr.
Swift went to his own room, carrying with him a package of papers,
containing intricate calculations.

Tom shook his head, but said nothing. He could not understand his
father's conduct.

Work was started the next day on fitting up the car, or cabin, of the
airship, so that several persons could live, eat and sleep in it for
two weeks, if necessary. The third day after this task had been
commenced the mail brought an unusual communication to Tom and Mr.
Sharp. It was from an aero club of Blakeville, a city distant about a
hundred miles, and stated that a competition for aeroplanes and
dirigible balloons was to be held in the course of two weeks. The
affair was designed to further interest in the sport, and also to
demonstrate what progress had been made in the art of conquering the
air. Prizes were to be given, and the inventors of the Red Cloud, the
achievements of which the committee of arrangements had heard, were
invited to compete.

"Shall we go in for it, Tom?" asked the balloonist.

"I'm willing if you are."

"Then let's do it. We'll see how our craft shows up alongside of
others. I know something of this club. It is all right, but the
carnival is likely to be a small one. Once I gave a balloon exhibition
for them. The managers are all right. Well, we'll have a try at it.
Won't do us any harm to win a prize. Then for a long trip!"

As it was not necessary to have the car, or cabin, completely fitted
up in order to compete for the prize, work in that direction was
suspended for the time being, and more attention was paid to the
engine, the planes and rudders. Some changes were made and, a week
later the Red Cloud departed for Blakeville. As the rules of the
contest required three passengers, Ned Newton was taken along, Mr.
Swift having arranged with the bank president so that the lad could
have a few days off.

The Red Cloud arrived at the carnival grounds in the evening, having
been delayed on the trip by a broken cog wheel, which was mended in
mid-air. As the three navigators approached, they saw a small machine
flying around the grounds.

"Look!" cried Ned excitedly. "What a small airship."

"That's a monoplane," declared Tom, who was getting to be quite an
expert.

"Yes, the same kind that was used to cross the English Channel,"
interjected Mr. Sharp. "They're too uncertain for my purposes, though;
they are all right under certain conditions."

Hardly had he spoken than a puff of wind caused the daring manipulator
of the monoplane to swerve to one side. He had to make a quick
descent-so rapid was it, in fact, that the tips of one of his planes
was smashed.

"It'll take him a day to repair that," commented the aeronaut dryly.

The Red Cloud created a sensation as she slowly settled down in front
of the big tent assigned to her. Tom's craft was easily the best one
at the carnival, so far, though the managers said other machines were
on the way.

The exhibition opened the next day, but no flights were to be
attempted until the day following. Two more crafts arrived, a large
triplane, and a dirigible balloon. There were many visitors to the
ground, and Tom, Ned and Mr. Sharp were kept busy answering questions
put by those who crowded into their tent. Toward the close of the day
a fussy little Frenchman entered, and, making his way to where Tom
stood, asked

"Air you ze ownair of zis machine?"

"One of them," replied the lad.

"Ha! Sacre! Zen I challenge you to a race. I have a monoplane zat is
ze swiftest evaire! One thousand francs will I wager you, zat I can
fly higher and farther zan you."

"Shall we take him up, Mr. Sharp?" asked Tom.

"We'll race with him, after we get through with the club entries."
decided the aeronaut. "but not for money. It's against my principles,
and I don't believe your father would like it. Racing for prizes is a
different thing."

"Well, we will devote ze money to charity," conceded the Frenchman.
This was a different matter, and one to which Mr. Sharp did not
object, so it was arranged that a trial should take place after the
regular affairs.

That night was spent in getting the Red Cloud in shape for the
contests of the next day. She was "groomed" until every wire was taut
and every cog, lever and valve working perfectly. Ned Newton helped
all he could. So much has appeared in the newspapers of the races at
Blakeville that I will not devote much space here to them. Suffice it
to say that the Red Cloud easily distanced the big dirigible from
which much was expected. It was a closer contest with the large
triplane, but Tom's airship won, and was given the prize, a fine
silver cup.

As the carnival was a small one, no other craft in a class with the
Red Cloud had been entered, so Tom and Mr. Sharp had to be content
with the one race they won. There were other contests among monoplanes
and biplanes, and the little Frenchman won two races.

"Now for ze affaire wis ze monstaire balloon of ze rouge color!" he
cried, as he alighted from his monoplane while an assistant filled the
gasolene tank. "I will in circles go around you, up and down, zis side
zen ze ozzer, and presto! I am back at ze starting place, before you
have begun. Zen charity shall be ze richair!"

"All right, wait and see," said Tom, easily. But, though he showed
much confidence he asked Mr. Sharp in private, just before the
impromptu contest: "Do you think we can beat him?"

"Well," said the aeronaut, shrugging his shoulders, "you can't tell
much about the air. His machine certainly goes very fast, but too much
wind will be the undoing of him, while it will only help us. And I
think," he added, "that we're going to get a breeze."

It was arranged that the Red Cloud would start from the ground,
without the use of the gas, so as to make the machines more even. At
the signal off they started, the motors making a great racket. The
monoplane with the little Frenchman in the seat got up first.

"Ah, ha!" he cried gaily, "I leave you in ze rear! Catch me if you
can!"

"Don't let him beat us," implored Ned.

"Can't you speed her up any more?" inquired Tom of Mr. Sharp.

The aeronaut nodded grimly, and turned more gasolene into the twenty-
cylindered engine. Like a flash the Red Cloud darted forward. But the
Frenchman also increased his speed and did, actually, at first, circle
around the bigger machine, for his affair was much lighter. But when
he tried to repeat that feat he found that he was being left behind.

"That's the stuff! We're winning!" yelled Tom, Ned joining in the
shout.

Then came a puff of wind. The monoplane had to descend, for it was in
danger of turning turtle. Still the navigator was not going to give
up. He flew along at a lower level. Then Mr. Sharp opened up the Red
Cloud's engine at full speed, and it was the big machine which now
sailed around the other.

"I protest! I protest!" cried the Frenchman, above the explosions of
his motor. "Ze wind is too strong for me!"

Mr. Sharp said nothing, but, with a queer smile on his face he sent
the airship down toward the earth. A moment later he was directly
under the monoplane. Then, quickly rising, he fairly caught the
Frenchman's machine on top of a square platform of the gas container,
the bicycle wheels of the monoplane resting on the flat surface. And,
so swiftly did the Red Cloud fly along that it carried the monoplane
with it, to the chagrin of the French navigator.

"A trick! A trick!" he cried. "Eet is not fair!"

Then, dropping down, Mr. Sharp allowed the monoplane to proceed under
its own power, while he raced on to the finish mark, winning, of
course, by a large margin.

"Ha! A trick! I race you to-morrow and again to-morrow!" cried the
beaten Frenchman as he alighted.

"No, thanks," answered Tom. "We've had enough. I guess charity will be
satisfied."

The little Frenchman was a good loser, and paid over the money, which
was given to the Blakeville Hospital, the institution receiving it
gladly.

At the request of the carnival committee, Mr. Sharp and Tom gave an
exhibition of high and long flights the next day, and created no
little astonishment by their daring feats.

"Well, I think we have reason to be proud of our ship," remarked Mr.
Sharp that night. "We won the first contest we were ever in, and beat
that speedy monoplane, which was no small thing to do, as they are
very fast."

"But wait until we go on our trip," added Tom, as he looked at the cup
they had won. He little realized what danger they were to meet with in
the flight that was before them.



Chapter 9 - The Runaway Auto



Had the inventors of the Red Cloud desired, they could have made
considerable money by giving further exhibitions at the Blakeville
Aero Carnival, and at others which were to be held in the near future
at adjoining cities. The fame of the new machine had spread, and there
were many invitations to compete for prizes.

But Tom and Mr. Sharp wished to try their skill in a long flight, and
at the close of the Blakeville exhibition they started for Shopton,
arriving there without mishap, though Tom more than half hoped that
they might happen to strike the tower of a certain school. I needn't
specify where.

The first thing to be done was to complete the fitting-up of the car,
or cabin. No berths had, as yet, been put in, and these were first
installed after the Red Cloud was in her shed. Then an electrical
heating and cooking apparatus was fitted in; some additional
machinery, tanks for carrying water, and chemicals for making the gas,
boxes of provisions, various measuring instruments and other supplies
were put in the proper places, until the cabin was filled almost to
its capacity. Of course particular attention had been paid to the ship
proper, and every portion was gone over until Mr. Sharp was sure it
was in shape for a long flight.

"Now the question is," he said to Tom one evening, "who shall we take
with us? You and I will go, of course, but I'd like one more. I wonder
if your father can't be induced to accompany us? He seemed to like the
trial trip."

"I'll ask him to-morrow," said the lad. "He's very busy to-night. If
he doesn't care about it, maybe Garret Jackson will go."

"I'm afraid not. He's too timid."

"I'd like to take Ned Newton, but he can't get any more time away from
the bank. I guess we'll have to depend on dad."

But, to the surprise of Tom and Mr. Sharp, the aged inventor shook his
head when the subject was broached to him next day.

"Why won't you go, dad?" asked his son.

"I'll tell you," replied Mr. Swift. "I was keeping it a secret until I
had made some advance in what I am engaged upon. But I don't want to
go because I am on the verge of perfecting a new apparatus for
submarine boats. It will revolutionize travel under the water, and I
don't want to leave home until I finish it. There is another point to
be considered. The government has offered a prize for an under-water
boat of a new type, and I wish to try for it."

"So that's what you've been working on, eh, dad?" asked his son.

"That's it, and, much as I should like to accompany you, I don't feel
free to go. My mind would be distracted, and I need to concentrate
myself on this invention. It will produce the most wonderful results,
I'm sure. Besides, the government prize is no small one. It is fifty
thousand dollars for a successful boat."

Mr. Swift told something more about his submarine, but, as I expect to
treat of that in another book, I will not dwell on it here, as I know
you are anxious to learn what happened on the trip of the Red Cloud.

"Well," remarked Mr. Sharp, somewhat dubiously, "I wonder who we can
get to go? We need someone besides you and I, Tom."

"I s'pose I could get Eradicate Sampson, and his mule Boomerange,"
replied the lad with a smile. "Yet I don't know-"

At that instant there was a tremendous racket outside. The loud
puffing of an automobile could be heard, but mingled with it was the
crash of wood, and then the whole house seemed jarred and shaken.

"Is it an earthquake?" exclaimed Mr. Swift, springing to his feet, and
rushing to the library windows.

"Something's happened!" cried Tom.

"Maybe an explosion of the airship gas!" yelled Mr. Sharp, making
ready to run to the balloon shed. But there was no need. The crashing
of wood ceased, and, above the puffing of an auto could be heard a
voice exclaiming

"Bless my very existence! Bless my cats and dogs! Good gracious! But I
never meant to do this!"

Tom, his father and Mr. Sharp rushed to the long, low windows that
opened on the veranda. There, on the porch, which it had mounted by
way of the steps, tearing away part of the railing, was a large
touring car; and, sitting at the steering wheel, in a dazed sort of
manner, was Mr. Wakefield Damon.

"Bless my shirt studs!" he went on feebly. "But I have done it now!"

"What's the matter?" cried Tom, hastening up to him. "What happened?
Are you hurt?"

"Hurt? Not a bit of it! Bless my moonstone!

It's the most lucky escape I ever had! But I've damaged your porch,
and I haven't done my machine any good. Do you see anything of another
machine chasing me?"

Tom looked puzzled, but glanced up and down, the road. Far down the
highway could be discerned a cloud of dust, and, from the midst of it
came a faint "chug-chug."

"Looks like an auto down there," he said.

"Thank goodness! Bless my trousers, but I've escaped 'em!" cried the
eccentric man from whom Tom had purchased his motor-cycle.

"Escaped who?" asked Mr. Swift.

"Those men. They were after me. But I may as well get out and explain.
Dear me! However will I ever get my car off your porch?" and Mr. Damon
seemed quite distressed.

"Never mind," answered Tom. "We can manage that. Tell us what
happened."

"Exactly," replied Mr. Damon, growing calmer, "Bless my shoe buttons,
but I had a fright, two of them, in fact.

"You see," he went on, "I was out partly on pleasure and partly on
business. The pleasure consisted in riding in my auto, which my
physician recommended for my health. The business consisted in
bringing to the Shopton Bank a large amount of cash. Well, I deposited
it all right, but, as I came out I saw some men hanging around. I
didn't like their looks, and I saw them eyeing me rather sharply. I
thought I had seen them before and, sure enough I had. Two of the men
belonged to that Happy Harry gang. I".

Tom made a quick motion of a caution, pointing to his father, but it
was not necessary, as Mr. Swift was absently-mindedly calculating an a
piece of paper he had taken from his pocket, and had not heard what
Mr. Damon said. The latter, however, knew what Tom meant, and went on.

"Well, I didn't like the looks of these men, and when I saw them
sizing me up, evidently thinking I had drawn money out instead of
putting it in, I decided to give them the slip. I got in my auto, but
I was startled to see them get in their car. I headed for here, as I
was coming to pay you a visit, anyhow, and the mysterious men kept
after me. It became a regular race. I put on all the speed I could and
headed for your house, Tom, for I thought you would help me. I went
faster and faster, and so did they. They were almost up to me, and I
was just thinking of slowing down to turn in here, when I lost control
of my machine, and-well, I did turn in here, but not exactly as I
intended. Bless my gaiters! I came in with rather more of a rush than
I expected. It was awful-positively awful, I assure you. You've no
idea how nervous I was. But I escaped those scoundrels, for they
rushed on when they saw what I had done-smashed the porch railing".

"Probably they thought you'd smash them," observed Tom with a laugh.
"But why did they follow you?"

"Can't imagine! Haven't the least idea. Bless my spark-plug, but they
might have imagined I had money. Anyhow I'm glad I escaped them!"

"It's lucky you weren't hurt," said Mr. Sharp.

"Oh, me? Bless my existence! I'm always having narrow escapes." Mr.
Damon caught sight of the Red Cloud which was out in front of the big
shed. "Bless my heart! What's that?" he added.

"Our new airship," answered Tom proudly. "We are just planning a long
trip in it, but we can't find a third member of the party to go
along."

"A third member!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Do you really mean it?"

"We do."

"Bless my shoe laces! Will you take me along?"

"Do you mean that?" asked Tom in turn, foreseeing a way out of their
difficulties.

"I certainly do," answered the eccentric man. "I am much interested in
airships, and I might as well die up in the clouds as any other way.
Certainly I prefer it to being smashed up in an auto. Will you take
me?"

"Of course!" cried Tom heartily, and Mr. Sharp nodded an assent. Then
Tom drew Mr. Damon to one side. "We'll arrange the trip in a few
minutes," the lad said. "Tell me more about those mysterious men,
please."



Chapter 10 - A Bag of Tools



Wakefield Damon glanced at Mr. Swift. The inventor was oblivious to
his surroundings, and was busy figuring away on some paper. He seemed
even to have forgotten the presence of the eccentric autoist.

"I don't want father to hear about the men," went on Tom, in a low
tone. "If he hears that Happy Harry and his confederates are in this
vicinity, he'll worry, and that doesn't agree with him. But are you
sure the men you saw are the same ones who stole the turbine model?"

"Very certain," replied Mr. Damon. "I had a good view of them as I
came from the bank, and I was surprised to see them, until I
remembered that they were out of jail."

"But why do you think they pursued you?"

"Bless my eyes! I can't say. Perhaps they weren't after me at all. I
may have imagined it, but they certainly hurried off in their auto as
soon as I left the bank, after leaving my money there. I'm glad I
deposited it before I saw them. I was so nervous, as it was, that I
couldn't steer straight. It's too bad, the way I've damaged your
house."

"That doesn't matter. But how about the trip in the airship? I hope
you meant it when you said you would go."

"Of course I did. I've never traveled in the air, but it can't be much
worse than my experience with my motor-cycle and the auto. At least I
can't run up any stoop, can I?" and Mr. Damon looked at Mr. Sharp.

"No," replied the aeronaut, as he scratched his head, "I guess you'll
be safe on that score. But I hope you won't get nervous when we reach
a great height."

"Oh, no. I'll just calm myself with the reflection that I can't die
but once," and with this philosophical reflection Mr. Damon went back
to look at the auto, which certainly looked odd, stuck up on the
veranda.

"Well, you'd better make arrangements to go with us then," went on
Tom. "Meanwhile I'll see to getting your car down. You'll want to send
it home, I suppose?"

"No, not if you'll keep it for me. The fact is that all my folks are
away, and will be for some time. I don't have to go home to notify
them, and it's a good thing, as my wife is very nervous, and might
object, if she heard about the airship. I'll just stay here, if you've
no objection, until the Red Cloud sails, if sails is the proper term."

" 'Sails' will do very well," answered Mr. Sharp. "But, Tom, let's see
if you and I can't get that car down. Perhaps Mr. Damon would like to
go in the house and talk to your father," for Mr. Swift had left the
piazza.

The eccentric individual was glad enough not to be on hand when his
car was eased down from the veranda and disappeared into the house.
Tom and Mr. Sharp, with the aid of Garret Jackson, then released the
auto from its position. They had to take down the rest of the broken
railing, and their task was easy enough. The machine was stored in a
disused shed, and Mr. Damon had no further concern until it was time
to undertake the trip through the air.

"It will fool those men if I mysteriously disappear," he said, with a
smile. "Bless my hat band, but they'll wonder what became of me. We'll
just slip off in the Red Cloud, and they'll never be the wiser."

"I don't know about that," commented Tom. "I fancy they are keeping
pretty close watch in this vicinity, and I don't like it. I'm afraid
they are up to some mischief. I should think the bank authorities
would have them locked upon suspicion. I think I'll telephone Ned
about it."

He did so, and his chum, in turn, notified the bank watchman. But the
next day it was reported that no sign of the men had been seen, and,
later it was learned that an auto, answering the description of the
one they were in, had been seen going south, many miles from Shopton.

The work of preparing the Red Cloud for the long trip was all but
completed. It had been placed back in the shed while a few more
adjustments were made to the machinery.

"Bless my eyelashes!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, a few days before the one
set for the start, "but I haven't asked where we are bound for. Where
are we going, anyhow, Mr. Sharp?"

"We're going to try and reach Atlanta, Georgia," replied the
balloonist. "That will make a fairly long trip, and the winds at this
season are favorable in that direction."

"That suits me all right," declared Mr. Damon. "I'm all ready and
anxious to start."

It was decided to give the airship a few more trials around Shopton
before setting out, to see how it behaved with the car heavier loaded
than usual. With this in view a trip was made to Rocksmond, with Mr.
Swift, Mr. Damon and Ned, in addition to Mr. Sharp and Tom, on board.
Then, at Tom's somewhat blushing request, a stop was made near the
Seminary, and, when the pupils came trooping out, the young inventor
asked Miss Nestor if she didn't want to take a little flight. She
consented, and with two pretty companions climbed rather hesitatingly
into the car. No great height was attained, but the girls were fully
satisfied and, after their first alarm really enjoyed the spin in the
air, with Tom proudly presiding at the steering wheel, which Mr. Sharp
relinquished to the lad, for he understood Tom's feelings.

Three days later all was in readiness for the trip to Atlanta. Mr.
Swift was earnestly invited to undertake it, both Tom and Mr. Sharp
urging him, but the veteran inventor said he must stay at home, and
work on his submarine plans.

The evening before the start, when the aeronaut and Tom were giving a
final inspection to the craft in the big shed, Mr. Sharp exclaimed "I
declare Tom, I believe you'll have to take a run into town."

"What for?"

"Why to get that kit of special tools I ordered, which we might need
to make repairs. There are some long-handled wrenches, some spare
levers, and a couple of braces and bits. Harrison, the hardware
dealer, ordered them for me from New York, and they were to be ready
this afternoon, but I forgot them. Take an empty valise with you, and
you can carry them on your motorcycle. I'm sorry to have forgotten it,
but-"

"That's all right, Mr. Sharp, I'd just as soon go as not. It will make
the time pass more quickly. I'll start right off."

An hour later, having received the tools, which made quite a bundle,
the lad put them in the valise, and started back toward home. As he
swung around the corner on which the bank was located-the same bank in
which Ned Newton worked-one of the valves on the motor-cycle began to
leak. Tom dismounted to adjust it, and had completed the work, being
about to ride on, when down the street came Andy Foger and Sam
Snedecker. They started at the sight of our hero.

"There he is now!" exclaimed Sam, as if he and the red-haired bully
had been speaking of the young inventor.

"Let's lick him!" proposed Andy. "Now's our chance to get even for
throwing that paint and soot on us."

Tom heard their words. He was not afraid of both the lads, for, though
each one matched him in size and strength, Tom knew they were cowards.

"If you're looking for anything I guess I can accommodate you," he
said, coolly.

"Come on, Andy," urged Sam. But, somehow Andy hung back. Perhaps he
didn't like the way Tom squared off. The young inventor had let down
the rear brace of his motor-cycle, and was not obliged to hold it, so
he had both hands free.

"We ought to lick him good and proper," growled the squint-eyed lad.

"Well, why don't you?" invited Tom.

He moved to one side, so as not to be hampered by his wheel. As he did
so he knocked from the handle bars the valise of tools. They fell with
a clatter and a thud to the pavement, and the satchel came open. It
was under a gas lamp, and the glitter of the long-handled wrenches and
other implements caught the eyes of Andy and his crony.

"Huh! If we fought you, maybe you'd use some of them on us," sneered
Andy, glad of an excuse not to fight.

Tom quickly picked up his valise, shutting it, but he was aware of the
close scrutiny of the two vindictive lads.

"I don't fight with such things," he said, somewhat annoyed, and he
hung the tools back on the handle bars.

"What you doing around the bank at this hour?" asked Sam, as if to
change the subject. "First thing you know the watchman will order you
to move on. He might think you were a suspicious character."

"The same to you," retorted Tom, "but I'm going to ride on now, unless
you want to have a further argument with me."

"You'd better be careful how you hang around a bank," added Andy. "The
police are on the lookout here. There's been some mysterious men seen
about."

Tom did not care to go into that, and, seeing that the two bullies had
lost all desire to attack him, he put up the brace and mounted his
wheel.

"Good-by," he called to Andy and Sam, as he rode off, the tools
rattling and jingling in the valise, but it was a sarcastic farewell,
and the two cronies did not reply.

"I hope I didn't damage any of the tools when I let them fall that
time," mused the young inventor. "My, the way Sam and Andy stared at
them it would make it seem as if I had a lot of weapons in the bag!
They certainly took good note of them."

The time was to come, and very shortly, when Andy's and Sam's
observation of the tools was to prove disastrous for our hero. As Tom
turned the corner he looked back, and saw, still standing in front of
the bank, the two cronies.



Chapter 11 - The Red Cloud Departs



"Well, dad, I wish you were going along with us," said Tom to his
father next morning. "You don't know what you're going to miss. A fine
trip of several hundred miles through the air, seeing strange sights,
and experiencing new sensations."

"Yes, I wish you would reconsider your determination, and accompany
us," added Mr. Damon. "I would enjoy your company."

"There's plenty of room. We can carry six persons with ease," said Mr.
Sharp.

Mr. Swift shook his head, and smiled.

"I have too much work to do here at home," he replied. "Perhaps I may
astonish you with something when you come back. I have nearly
perfected my latest invention."

There was no combating such a resolution as this, and Tom and the
others considered the decision of the aged inventor as final. The
airship was ready for the start, and every one had arisen earlier than
usual on this account. The bag of tools, for which Tom had gone to
town, were put in their proper place, the last of the supplies were
taken abroad, final tests were made of the various apparatus, the
motor had been given a trial spin, disconnected from the propellers,
and then the balloonist announced

"Well, Tom and Mr. Damon, you had better begin to think of starting.
We've had breakfast here, but there's no telling where we will eat
dinner."

"Bless my soul! Don't you talk that way!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You
make me exceedingly nervous. Why shouldn't we know where we are going
to eat dinner?"

"Oh, I meant we couldn't tell over just what part of the United States
we would be when dinner time came," explained the aeronaut.

"Oh, that's different. Bless my pocket knife, but I thought you meant
we might be dashed to pieces, and incapable of eating any dinner."

"Hardly," remarked Mr. Sharp. "The Red Cloud is not that kind of an
airship, I hope. But get aboard, if you please."

Tom and Mr. Damon entered the car. It was resting on the ground, on
the small wheels used to start the airship when the gas inflation
method was not used. In this case, however, it had been decided to
rise in the air by means of the powerful vapor, and not to use the
wings and planes until another time. Consequently the ship was swaying
slightly, and tugging at the restraining cables.

As Tom and Mr. Damon entered the cabin there drove into the Swift yard
a dilapidated wagon, drawn by a bony mule, and it did not need the
addition of a colored man's voice, calling: "Whoa, dar, Boomerang!" to
tell Tom that his friend Eradicate Sampson was on hand. As for
Eradicate, as soon as he saw the great airship, which he had never
before beheld fully rigged, all ready for a flight, his eyes became
big with wonder.

"Is dat yo' flyin' machine, Mistah Swift?" he asked.

"That's it, Rad," answered Tom. "Don't you want to come and take a
ride with us?"

"Me? Good land a' massy! No indeedy, Mistah Swift," and the
whitewasher, who had descended from his wagon, edged away, as if the
airship might suddenly put out a pair of hands and grab him. "No
indeedy I doant! I come t' do a little whitewashin' an' when I do dat
I'se gwine on mah way. But dat's a pow'ful fine ship; it suah am!"

"Better come and try a flight, Rad," added Mr. Damon. "I'll look after
you."

"No, sag, an' I doan't take it kind ob yo' all t' tempt me dat way,
nuther," spoke Eradicate. But, when he saw that the craft was
stationary, he ventured to approach closer. Gingerly he put out one
hand and touched the framework of the wheels, just forward of the
cabin. The negro grasped the timber, and lifted it slightly. To his
astonishment the whole front of the airship tilted up, for it was
about ready to fly, and a child might have lifted it, so buoyant was
it. But Eradicate did not know this. Wonderingly he looked at the
great bulk of the ship, looming above him, then he glanced at his arm.
Once more, noting that the attention of his friends was elsewhere, he
lifted the craft. Then he cried "Look yeah, Mistah Swift! Look yeah!
No wonder day calls me Sampson. I done lifted dis monstrousness
airship wif one hand, See, I kin do it! I kin do it!"

Once more he raised the Red Cloud slightly, and a delighted grin, not
unmixed with a look of awe, spread over his honest countenance.

"I suppose you'll give up whitewashing and join a circus as a strong
man, now," observed Mr. Sharp, with a wink at his companions.

"Days what I will!" announced Eradicate proudly. "I neber knowed I was
dat strong, but ob course I allers knowed I had some muscle. Golly, I
must hab growed strong ober night! Now, Boomerang, yo' suah has got t'
look out fo' yo' sef. No mo' ob yo' cuttin' up capers, or I'll jest
lift you up, an' sot yo' down on yo' back, I suah will," and the negro
feeling of his biceps walked over to where the mule stood, with its
eyes closed.

"I guess you can cast off, Tom," called Mr. Sharp, as he entered .the
car, having seen that everything was all right. "We'll not go up very
far at first, until Mr. Damon gets used to the thin air."

"Bless my soul, I believe I'm getting nervous," announced the
eccentric man. "Bless my liver, but I hope nothing happens."

"Nothing will happen," Mr. Sharp assured him. "Just keep calm, when it
feels as if the bottom was dropping out of everything and you'll soon
get over it. Are you casting off those ropes, Tom? Is all clear?"

"All but the bow and stern lines."

"You attend to the bow line, and I'll go to the stern," and, going
over to the gas generator, Mr. Sharp started it so as to force more
vapor into the red aluminum container. This had the effect of
rendering the airship more bouyant, and it tugged and strained harder
than ever at the ropes.

"Good-by, Tom," called Mr. Swift, reaching up to shake hands with his
son. "Drop me a line when you get a chance."

"Oh, Tom, do be careful," implored Mrs. Baggert, her kind face showing
her anxiety. "May I kiss you good-by?"

"Of course," answered the young inventor, though the motherly
housekeeper had not done this since he was a little chap. She had to
stand on a soap box, which Eradicate brought in order to reach Tom's
face, and, when she had kissed him she said:

"Oh, I'm so worried! I just know you'll be killed, risking your lives
in that terrible airship!"

"Ha! Not a very cheerful view to take, madam," observed Mr. Damon.
"Don't hold that view, I beg of you. Bless my eyelashes, but you'll
see us coming home, covered with glory and star dust."

"I'm sure I hope so," answered Mrs. Baggert, laughing a little in
spite of herself.

The last ropes were cast off. Good-bys were shouted as the airship
shot into the air, and Mr. Sharp started the motor, to warm it up
before the propellers were thrown into gear. The twenty cylinders
began exploding with a terrific racket, as the muffler was open, and
Tom, looking down, saw Boomerang awaken with a jump. The mule was so
frightened that he started off on a dead run, swinging the rickety,
old wagon along behind him.

Eradicate Sampson, who had been feeling his muscle since he discovered
what he thought was his marvelous strength, saw what was happening.

"Whoa, dar, Boomerang!" he shouted. Then, as the tailboard of the
wagon swung past him, he reached out and grabbed it. Perhaps he
thought he could bring the runaway mule up standing, but, if he did,
he was grievously disappointed. Boomerang pulled his master along the
gravel walk, and kept running in spite of Eradicate's command to
"whoa, dar!"

It might have gone hard with him, had not Garret Jackson, the
engineer, running in front of Boomerang, caught the animal. Eradicate
picked himself up, and gazed sadly at his arms. The navigators of the
air could not hear what he said, but what he thought was evident to
them.

Then, as Mr. Sharp deadened the explosions of the powerful motor. Tom,
looking at a gauge, noted that their height was seven hundred feet.
"High enough!" called Mr. Sharp, and it was time, for Mr. Damon, in
spite of his resolution, was getting pale.

The gas was shut off, the propellers thrown into gear, and, with a
rush the Red Cloud shot toward the south, passing over the Swift
homestead, and high above the heads of the crowd that had gathered to
witness the start. The eventful voyage of the air had begun.



Chapter 12 - Some Startling News



"Well, there they go," remarked Mrs. Baggert to Mr. Swift, as she
strained her eyes toward the sky, against the blue of which the
airship was now only a large, black ball.

"Yes, and a fine start they made," replied the inventor. "I almost
wish I had accompanied them, but I must not stop work on my submarine
invention."

"I do hope nothing will happen to them," went on the housekeeper. "I
declare, though, I feel just as if something was going to happen."

"Nervousness, pure nervousness," commented Mr. Swift. "Better take a
little-er-I suppose catnip tea would be good."

"Catnip tea! The very idea!" exclaimed Mrs. Baggert. "That shows how
much you know about nervousness, Mr. Swift," and she seemed a little
indignant.

"Ha! Hum I Well, maybe catnip tea wouldn't be just the thing. But
don't worry about Tom. I'm sure he can look after himself. As for Mr.
Sharp he has made too many ascensions to run into any unnecessary
danger."

"Nervous!" went on the housekeeper, who seemed to resent this state
being applied to her. "I'm sure I'm not half as nervous as that Mr.
Damon. He gives me the fidgets."

"Of course. Well, I must get back to my work," said the inventor. "Ah,
are you hurt, Eradicate?" he went on, as the colored man came back,
driving Boomerang, who had been stopped just before reaching the road.

"No, Mistah Swift, I ain't exactly damaged, but mah feelin's am suah
hurted."

"How's that?"

"Well, I thought I had growed strong in de night, when I lifted dat
airship, but when I went to stop mah mule I couldn't do it. He won't
hab no respect fo' me now."

"Oh, I wouldn't let that worry me," commented Mr. Swift, and he
explained to Eradicate how it was that he had so easily lifted the end
of the bouyant ship, which weighed very little when filled with gas.

The colored man proceeded with his work of whitewashing, the inventor
was in his library, puzzling over tables of intricate figures, and
Mrs. Baggert was in the kitchen, sighing occasionally as she thought
of Tom, whom she loved almost as a son, high in the air, when two men
came up the walk, from the street, and knocked at the side door. Mrs.
Baggert, who answered the summons, was somewhat surprised to see Chief
of Police Simonson and Constable Higby.

"They probably came to see the airship start," she thought, "but
they're too late."

"Ah, good morning, Mrs. Baggert," greeted the chief. "Is Mr. Swift and
his son about this morning?"

"Mr. Swift is in his library, but Tom is gone."

"He'll be back though, won't he?" asked Constable Higby quickly-
anxiously, Mrs. Baggert thought.

"Oh, yes," she replied. "He and-"

"Just take us to see Mr. Swift," interrupted the chief, with a look of
caution at his aide. "We'll explain matters to him."

Wondering what could be the mission of the two officers, Mrs. Baggert
led them to the library.

"It's queer," she thought, "that they don't ask something about the
airship. I suppose that was what they came for. But maybe it's about
the mysterious men who robbed Mr. Swift."

"Ah, gentlemen, what can I do for you?" asked the inventor, as he rose
to greet the officials.

"Ahem, Mr. Swift. Ahem-er-that is-well, the fact is, Mr. Swift,"
stammered the chief, "we have come upon a very painful errand."

"What's that?" cried Tom's father. "I haven't been robbed again, have
I?'

"There has been a robbery committed," spoke the constable quickly.

"But you are not the victim," interposed the chief.

"I'm glad of that," said Mr. Swift.

"Where is your son, Tom?" asked the head of the Shopton police force,
sharply.

"What do you want with him?" inquired the inventor, struck by some
strange tone in the other's voice.

"Mr. Swift," went on the chief, solemnly, "I said we came upon a very
painful errand. It is painful, as I have known Tom since he was a
little lad. But I must do my duty, no matter how painful it is. I have
a warrant for the arrest of your son, Thomas Swift, and I have come to
serve it. I need not tell you that it is your duty to give him up to
us-the representatives of the law. I call upon you to produce your
son."

Mr. Swift staggered to his feet.

"My son! You have come to arrest my son?" he stammered.

The chief nodded grimly.

"Upon what charge?" faltered the father.

"On a charge of breaking into the Shopton National Bank last night,
and stealing from the vault seventy-five thousand dollars in
currency!"

"Seventy-five thousand dollars! Tom accused of robbing the bank!"
faltered Mr. Swift.

"That is the charge, and we've come to arrest him," broke in Constable
Higby.

"Where is he?" added the chief.

"This charge is false! Absolutely false!" shouted the aged inventor.

"That may be," admitted the chief shaking his head. "But the charge
has been made, and we hold the warrant. The courts will settle it. We
must now arrest Tom. Where is he?"

"He isn't here!" cried Mr. Swift, and small blame to him if there was
a note of triumph in his voice. "Tom sailed away not half an hour ago
in the airship Red Cloudl You can't arrest him!"

"He's escaped!" shouted the constable. "I told you, chief, that he was
a slippery customer, and that we'd better come before breakfast!"

"Dry up!" commanded the chief testily. "So he's foiled us, eh? Run
away when he knew we were coming? I think that looks like guilt, Mr.
Swift."

"Never!" cried the inventor. "Tom would never think of robbing the
bank. Besides, he has all the money he wants. The charge is
preposterous! I demand to be confronted with the proof."

"You shall be," answered Chief Simonson vindictively. "If you will
come to the bank you can see the rifled vault, and hear the testimony
of a witness who saw your son with burglar tools in his possession
last night. We also have a warrant for Mr. Wakefield Damon. Do you
know anything of him?"

"He has gone with my son in the airship."

"Ha! The two criminals with their booty have escaped together!" cried
the chief. "But we'll nab them if we have to scour the whole country.
Come on, Higby! Mr. Swift, if you'll accompany me to the bank, I think
I can give you all the proof you want," and the officials, followed by
the amazed and grief-stricken inventor, left the house.



Chapter 13 - Mr. Damon In Danger



The sensations of the voyagers in the airship, who meanwhile, were
flying along over the country surrounding Shopton, were not very
different than when they had undertaken some trial flights. In fact
Mr. Damon was a little disappointed after they had waved their
farewells to Mr. Swift and Mrs. Baggert.

"I declare I'm not at all nervous," he remarked, as he sat in an easy
chair in the enclosed car or