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Tom Swift Circling the Globe Or the Daring Cruise of the Air Monarch, by Victor Appleton—A Project Gutenberg eBook
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<body>
<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 69682 ***</div>
<div class='figcenter'>
<img src='images/cover.jpg' alt='' id='iid-0000' style='width:350px;height:auto;'>
</div>
<hr class='pbk'>
<div class='lgc' style=''> <!-- rend=';' -->
<p class='line' style='margin-top:1em;font-size:1.8em;'>TOM SWIFT CIRCLING</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:1.8em;'>THE GLOBE</p>
<p class='line' style='margin-top:.3em;margin-bottom:.3em;'>OR</p>
<p class='line'>The Daring Cruise of the Air Monarch</p>
<p class='line'> </p>
<p class='line' style='margin-bottom:.3em;font-size:1.3em;'><span class='sc'>By</span></p>
<p class='line' style='margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:.1em;font-size:1.2em;'>VICTOR APPLETON</p>
<p class='line'><span style='font-size:smaller'><span class='sc'>Author of</span></span></p>
<p class='line'><span style='font-size:smaller'>“<span class='sc'>Tom Swift and His Motorcycle</span>”</span></p>
<p class='line'><span style='font-size:smaller'>“<span class='sc'>Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers</span>”</span></p>
<p class='line'><span style='font-size:smaller'>“<span class='sc'>Tom Swift and His Airline Express</span>”</span></p>
<p class='line'><span style='font-size:smaller'><span class='sc'>The Don Sturdy Series</span></span></p>
<p class='line'><span style='font-size:smaller'><span class='sc'>Etc.</span></span></p>
<p class='line'> </p>
<p class='line' style='margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;font-style:italic;'><span class='it'>ILLUSTRATED</span></p>
<p class='line'> </p>
<p class='line'>NEW YORK</p>
<p class='line' style='margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:.1em;font-size:1.2em;'>GROSSET & DUNLAP</p>
<p class='line'>PUBLISHERS</p>
<p class='line'> </p>
<p class='line'>Made in the United States of America</p>
</div> <!-- end rend -->
<hr class='pbk'>
<table id='tab1' class='center' style='font-size:.7em;'>
<colgroup>
<col span='1' style='width: 32.5em;'>
</colgroup>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'><hr class='tbk100'></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'><span style='font-size:x-large'><span class='bold'><span class='gesp'>BOOKS FOR BOYS</span></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'><span style='font-size:larger'><span class='bold'>By VICTOR APPLETON</span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'><span style='font-size:larger'><span class='bold'><span class='it'>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.</span></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'><hr class='tbk101'></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'><span style='font-size:larger'><span class='bold'>THE TOM SWIFT SERIES</span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORCYCLE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORBOAT</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> TOM SWIFT CIRCLING THE GLOBE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'><hr class='tbk102'></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'><span style='font-size:larger'><span class='bold'>THE DON STURDY SERIES</span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'> DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS</td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'><hr class='tbk103'></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'><span style='font-size:larger'><span class='sc'>Grosset & Dunlap</span>, Publishers, New York.</span></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle0'><hr class='tbk104'></td></tr>
</table>
<div class='lgc' style=''> <!-- rend=';' -->
<p class='line'><span class='sc'>Copyright, 1927, by</span></p>
<p class='line'>GROSSET & DUNLAP, <span class='sc'>Inc.</span></p>
<hr class='tbk105'>
<p class='line'><span class='it'>Tom Swift Circling the Globe</span></p>
</div> <!-- end rend -->
<hr class='pbk'>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:1em;font-size:1.2em;'>CONTENTS</p>
<table id='tab2' class='center' style='font-size:.9em;'>
<colgroup>
<col span='1' style='width: 3.5em;'>
<col span='1' style='width: 20em;'>
<col span='1' style='width: 2em;'>
</colgroup>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'><span style='font-size:x-small'>CHAPTER</span></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle3'></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><span style='font-size:x-small'>PAGE</span></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>I.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>A Blast of Fire</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch1'>1</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>II.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Tom Accepts</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch2'>10</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>III.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Into a Nose Dive</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch3'>20</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>IV.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Just in Time</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch4'>30</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>V.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>The Air Monarch</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch5'>37</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>VI.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Kicked Out</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch6'>46</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>VII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Struck Down</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch7'>57</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>VIII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Midnight Prowlers</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch8'>67</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>IX.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>They’re Off!</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch9'>80</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>X.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Across the Ocean</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch10'>91</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XI.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Forced Down</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch11'>97</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>The Hurricane</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch12'>103</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XIII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>A Close Call</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch13'>112</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XIV.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Whizzing Bullets</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch14'>121</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XV.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Yellow Gypsies</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch15'>130</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XVI.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>To the Rescue</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch16'>137</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XVII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Kilborn’s Trick</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch17'>146</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XVIII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Chinese Bandits</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch18'>154</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XIX.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>The Typhoon</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch19'>162</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XX.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Malay Pirates</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch20'>172</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XXI.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Among the Head-Hunters</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch21'>178</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XXII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>The Raft</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch22'>188</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XXIII.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>There She Blows!</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch23'>196</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XXIV.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>The Last Trick</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch24'>201</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle2'>XXV.</td><td class='tab2c2 leader-dots tdStyle3'><span><span class='sc'>Across the Continent</span></span></td><td class='tab2c3 tdStyle4'><a href='#ch25'>208</a></td></tr>
</table>
<hr class='pbk'>
<div class='figcenter'>
<img src='images/front.jpg' alt='' id='iid-0001' style='width:350px;height:auto;'>
<p class='caption'>IT WAS A NARROW ESCAPE FROM THE WHALE.</p>
</div>
<hr class='pbk'>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;margin-top:2em;font-size:1.8em;'>TOM SWIFT CIRCLING</p>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;font-size:1.8em;'>THE GLOBE</p>
<div><h1 class='nobreak' id='ch1'>CHAPTER I<br> <span class='sub-head'>A BLAST OF FIRE</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Tom Swift’s</span> father folded up the newspaper
he had been reading, made a sort of club with
it, and banged it down on his desk with the report
of a gun. At the same time the aged inventor
exclaimed:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll wager ten thousand dollars my son Tom
can do it! Yes, sir, Tom can do it! I’ve got
ten thousand dollars that says he can!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>His face flushed because of the unusual excitement
under which he was laboring, but his
eyes never flinched as he looked at Thornton
Burch, a retired manufacturer of automobiles,
with whom Mr. Swift had just engaged in some
spirited conversation.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you want to take up that little wager,
Thorn?” asked Mr. Swift, friendly enough but
very determined.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m not afraid to bet, Bart,” rejoined the
other, with a tantalizing smile; “but I don’t
want to rob you. That would be like taking
candy from a baby!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’re right!” chimed in Medwell Trace,
who was associated with Mr. Burch in business.
Both were old-time friends of Mr. Swift’s.
“Better save your money, Bart!” he added, with
a chuckle.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Don’t worry about my money, Med!” snapped
out Mr. Swift, who, in spite of his age,
seemed to have plenty of pep. He went on:
“Ten thousand dollars won’t break me if I lose
it, but I’m not going to. I say Tom can do it,
but my saying so doesn’t seem to make you believe
it. They say money talks, so I’m going
to let mine do a little conversing for me. I
say again, I’ll wager you ten thousand dollars
that Tom can do it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bless my fountain pen, but I agree with
you, Bart!” exclaimed Wakefield Damon, an
eccentric friend of Tom and his father. “If
anybody can turn that trick it’s my friend
Tom.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But be reasonable,” suggested Mr. Trace.
“Granting that Tom Swift has some speedy
machines and that he has made good with them
in the past, he hasn’t a piece of apparatus now
capable of speed enough and varied activities
enough, to enable him to make that trip in the
time you are claiming he can do it in, Bart.
It’s impossible!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I say it isn’t impossible!” replied the aged
Mr. Swift. “And to show I’m in earnest I’ll
wager a second ten thousand dollars with you,
Medwell Trace, that Tom can complete the
journey inside of the time mentioned.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Better go slow, Bart,” advised Mr. Burch,
with a smile. “I may hold you to the wager
you made with me. I didn’t turn it down.
Why do you go to betting with Med before you
close with me?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I thought I had closed with you,” stated
Mr. Swift, in some surprise. He had drawn
some sheets of paper toward him on his desk
and was taking the top off his fountain pen
ready to write out a memo of the wager.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What!” cried Mr. Burch. “Are you making
a double bet? With Med and with me?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s what I’m doing!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“For ten thousand dollars each?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s right!” and Mr. Swift seemed surprised
that anybody should doubt his word.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Twenty thousand dollars!” murmured Mr.
Damon softly. “It’s a pile of money, Bart!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I know it is,” agreed Mr. Swift. “But I
have more than twenty thousand dollars worth
of faith in Tom. I know he can do it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s right! He can!” burst out the eccentric
visitor. “Bless my bald spot, but I’m
almost willing to do some betting myself!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Leave this to me,” begged Mr. Swift. “You
know Tom pretty well, for you’ve been on
enough queer trips with him—more than I have,
as a matter of fact. But I want to vindicate
him and prove that I believe in him, and I’m
willing to do it to the extent of twenty thousand
dollars.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All right! All right!” exclaimed Mr. Trace,
with a snapping of his fingers. “If you feel
that way about it, Bart, put me down for ten
thousand dollars. I can use that sum very
nicely.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If you get it—which you won’t!” chuckled
Mr. Swift grimly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not if Tom can help it!” echoed Mr. Damon.
“Bless my——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>But he got no chance to complete one of his
odd expressions, for Mr. Swift interrupted with:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Tom doesn’t know anything about it yet.
I’ll have to call him in and tell him and urge
him to get busy and invent a new aeroplane or
something, for, frankly, I don’t believe he has
just the proper piece of apparatus yet to do the
trick!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Whew!” whistled Mr. Burch. “And yet
you’re willing to bet that Tom can do it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I know my boy,” said the aged inventor
quietly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Now let’s get this straight,” suggested Mr.
Trace, who had also taken out pen and paper.
“You say, Swift, that the hero of Jules Verne’s
story, who circled the globe in eighty days, was
a piker. I agree with you about that as far as
the time consumed is concerned. With the perfection
of automobiles, oil burning steamers,
and fast trains, the journey can be accomplished
in much less time than Verne ever dreamed possible.
But to say it can be done in twenty days
flat is absurd!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then twenty thousand dollars is absurd,”
retorted Mr. Swift. “And it’s the first time I
ever heard such a sum so designated.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, we don’t despise the money!” chuckled
Mr. Trace. “We’ll take it from you willingly
enough, Bart, if you are mad enough to persist
in this wager. If you had said thirty days you
might be within the bounds of reason.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Considerably nearer the truth,” agreed Mr.
Burch. “The trip has been made in about
twenty-eight days, elapsed time, I believe. But
twenty days, Bart——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I say Tom will circle the globe in twenty
days <span class='it'>flat</span>—doing it actually within twenty
days!” interrupted Mr. Swift. “The only stipulation
I make is that he can use as many and
as different means of locomotion as he pleases—that
is to say, aeroplanes, seaplanes, motor
boats, steamers, or trains.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s fair enough,” stated Mr. Trace. “I’ll
just make a note of that. No use passing up
ten thousand dollars,” he added with a smile
at his friend. “I’ll never earn that sum any
easier.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You mean I never shall,” said Mr. Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then this seems to be the state of the case,”
went on Mr. Burch, who had been busily writing.
“I’ll just run over this and we can all
sign it if it strikes you as being the terms of the
wagers.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The two friends, Mr. Burch and Mr. Trace,
had called for a friendly visit with Mr. Swift
one day in the early summer. Some time before,
Tom and his father had turned out some
machines for these two men in their big shops,
and in this way a firm friendship had been
started.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mr. Damon, who lived in the neighboring
town of Waterford, had been passing the Swift
works and had stopped off for a chat. In some
way the conversation had turned on a recent
globe-circling event of some United States Naval
airmen, who had made what was considered
good time.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But Tom can beat that!” Mr. Swift had
said. “Tom can circle the globe in twenty days
flat!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What in?” asked Mr. Burch incredulously.
“There isn’t a machine made than can do it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Tom’s working on a new machine now,” his
father had said. “It’s a secret, but I don’t mind
mentioning it to you old friends. I haven’t
heard him say it is to be used in a globe-circling
event, but from what he has told me of it I’m
sure it will make fast time, and I’m willing to
bet he can put a girdle around the earth, not
quite as quickly as Puck, but in twenty days.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You mean that he will use the same machine
all along the route?” asked Mr. Trace.
“Why, that’s impossible!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not impossible,” said Mr. Swift. “Tom’s
new machine is going to be capable of traveling
in the air, on the land, or in the water. I
mean on the surface of the water, not a submarine.
That would be a little too much. But
when I say I’ll wager ten thousand dollars that
Tom can circle the globe in twenty days, I don’t
want to tie him down to this one machine.
Something might happen to it. If you gentlemen
take my bet, it is with the understanding
that any machine or machines may be used.
The one condition is that Tom, himself, personally,
shall complete the girdle of the earth
in twice ten days.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It can’t be done!” declared Mr. Burch.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Never!” asserted his friend.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If anybody can do it, bless my key ring,
Tom’s the boy!” voiced Mr. Damon.</p>
<p class='pindent'>So the wagers had come to be laid. Mr.
Swift had spoken at first rather rashly and in
the heat of excitement. But he was not one to
back down, and he listened to the reading of
the simple agreement which Mr. Burch wrote
out.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Item,” droned the retired manufacturer as
he scanned his paper, “a wager is entered into
this third day of June to the effect that if Tom
Swift can circle the globe inside of twenty days,
actual time, in any machine or machines of his
own or any make, then I, Thornton Burch, and
I, Medwell Trace, agree that we will each and
severally pay to Barton Swift the sum of ten
thousand dollars. If, on the other hand, Tom
Swift fails to circle the globe inside of twenty
days flat time, then the said Barton Swift will
pay each and severally to the said Burch and
Trace the sum of ten thousand dollars.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Suits me!” exclaimed Mr. Trace, after a
moment of thought.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s my understanding of the wagers,”
assented Mr. Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then we’ll all sign this,” suggested Mr.
Burch, “and Mr. Damon can put his name down
as a witness and also keep this agreement.
There is no need of putting up any money
among gentlemen,” he added, and this was assented
to.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What about a time limit?” asked Mr. Damon.
“I mean the trip ought to be undertaken
and finished within a stipulated time.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll say six months from now,” suggested
Mr. Burch, and, there being no objection, this
was written in.</p>
<p class='pindent'>One after another the four signed, Mr. Damon
finally as a witness.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Hardly had the last of the fountain pens
ceased scratching than there was reflected across
Mr. Swift’s private office a flash of fire, followed
by a dull, booming sound that seemed to
shake the whole building.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“An explosion!” cried Mr. Damon, and from
without, while the men looked anxiously at one
another, a voice cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The works are on fire! They’ve been blown
up! The works are on fire!”</p>
<div><h1 id='ch2'>CHAPTER II<br> <span class='sub-head'>TOM ACCEPTS</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Pausing</span> only long enough to lay aside the
pens they had been using to sign the strange
agreement, Mr. Swift and his friends rushed
from the private office of the aged inventor
where the talk had been going on.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Silence had settled over the great Swift plant
following that booming explosion. But the silence
was quickly broken by voices calling:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Fire! Fire! Fire!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bless my insurance policy, something has
happened!” gasped Mr. Damon.</p>
<p class='pindent'>This was so obvious that no one took the
trouble to agree with him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I hope nothing has happened to Tom!” exclaimed
Mr. Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As the four rushed out they were met by
Eradicate, an old colored man, a sort of family
retainer, who was limping along, trying to forget
his rheumatism long enough to keep pace
with a veritable giant of a man who, with
Eradicate, was rushing to tell Mr. Swift the
news.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Master’s shop—him go boom!” roared
Koku, the giant whom Tom had captured during
one of his strange trips.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I seen it same as he did!” cried Eradicate
in his quavering cracked voice. “Massa Tom’s
office done cotch fire!” he added.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s bad!” Mr. Swift murmured, as he
looked toward the part of the works where his
son had his own private place for experiments
and tests. A pall of smoke hung over it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>While Tom’s father and his friends are rushing
to do what they can to rescue the young inventor,
something about the hero of this story
will be told to new readers of this series.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom Swift lived with his father in their beautiful
home in Shopton, a town in one of our
Eastern states. Tom’s mother had been dead
some years, and Mrs. Baggert was the housekeeper,
and a veritable second mother to the
young inventor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>For Tom was an inventor, like his father, and
in the first volume of this series, entitled “Tom
Swift and His Motorcycle,” it is related how
he bought Mr. Damon’s smashed machine, improved
it, and turned it into one of the speediest
things on the road.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom had many adventures while doing this,
as he had while in his motor boat, his sky racer
and other machines by which he ate up time
and distance as set forth in the various volumes.
It was on one of Tom’s journeys to unknown
lands in a machine of the air that he had brought
back Koku, one of a race of giants, and since
then the big fellow had faithfully served Tom
Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Just before the present tale opens, Tom, as
related in the volume just preceding this, entitled
“Tom Swift and His Airline Express,”
had perfected an aeroplane that could pick up
a coach, something like a Pullman car, and
bear it quickly through space. Tom established
an airline service across the United States,
dividing the journey into several laps, picking
up different coaches in Chicago, Denver, and
San Francisco.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He succeeded after battling with unscrupulous
men who sought to hamper his efforts, and
he also succeeded against a financial handicap.
When almost doomed to failure, however, Tom
saved a millionaire, Jason Jacks, from death in
a runaway accident, and out of gratitude Mr.
Jacks loaned Tom the money to complete and
perfect his Airline Express.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The odd machine, an airship with a detachable
car, met with favor, and from the proceeds
of it Tom and his father gained large sums.
Then, running true to form, the young inventor
looked for a new world to conquer and turned
his attention to a machine he hoped would move
rapidly over the land, like a racing automobile,
in the air, like an aeroplane, and on the water,
like a motor boat.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom had practically completed his plans,
and work on the new apparatus was well under
way when the visit of Mr. Burch and Mr. Trace
occurred, resulting in Mr. Swift’s rather rash
wager.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I guess I’m likely to lose before Tom even
has a chance to try,” mused Mr. Swift as he
hurried on toward his son’s private workshop.
“If his place is blown up, he may be blown up
with it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>A pall of smoke hung over that part of the
works, and it was impossible to see what really
had taken place. Men were running from other
parts of the plant, and the fire alarm was clanging.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom and his father had mapped out a plan
for their own private fire company, since the
city engine house in Shopton was too far away
to be depended on and the Swift plant covered
a large space of ground. In this plant many
machines, not all of Tom’s invention or his
father’s, were turned out and scores of men
were employed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Many of these, realizing the danger as soon
as they heard the explosion and listened to the
clanging of the fire bell, realized what portended
and rushed to their stations. Some hurried toward
Tom’s own particular part of the shop
with chemical apparatus, others dragged lines of
hose into which the water would soon be turned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I hope this is nothing serious,” voiced Mr.
Trace.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bless my spectacles, it looks bad enough!”
fairly shouted Mr. Damon, pointing to the thick
pall of black smoke. “The whole place is gone,
I guess!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>However, it was not quite so serious as that,
and a moment later, when a puff of wind blew
aside the dark vapor, it was seen that Tom’s
small, private experimental building was standing
intact. Smoke was pouring from several
windows, however, and the shattered glass told
its own story. But the smoke was lessening,
and this seemed to indicate that the fire was not
increasing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As several of the workmen, bearing portable
chemical extinguishers, hurried into the building,
Mr. Damon pointed to a plot of grass beneath
one of the windows that, Mr. Swift well
knew, was the place where Tom had his desk.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s your boy, now!” said the odd character.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mr. Swift caught his breath sharply, for he
beheld the prostrate form of Tom stretched motionless
on the sod.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s bad!” murmured Mr. Burch softly,
and he had it in mind to tear up the wager
agreement as soon as possible.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Ho, Massa Tom!” yelled Eradicate in his
high-pitched voice. “I save yo’!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>But Koku also had a desire to be of service
to the master who had been so kind to him,
and he likewise pressed forward.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was a look of pain, grief, and anxiety
on the face of Mr. Swift, and his friends were
about to murmur some words of sympathy, for
it looked as if Tom had been killed, when suddenly
that young man stirred, put his hand to
his head in a dazed fashion, and then sat up.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Glory be!” shouted Eradicate. “He am
alive!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was no doubt of it. Tom Swift was
not only alive, but he did not seem to be hurt.
There were black marks on his hands and face
and his clothing was torn, also he was mud-stained
where he had fallen into a soft spot on
the turf. But he seemed not to be crippled or
otherwise seriously injured.</p>
<p class='pindent'>His first glance, after he had looked toward
his father and the advancing friends, was to his
shop, and when he saw smoke pouring from
several windows he leaped up with a cry of
alarm.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But a moment later Garret Jackson, the shop
manager, who had been among the first to enter
the building, came running out to call:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Fire’s out! Not much damage done!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Thank goodness for that!” murmured Mr.
Burch.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What happened, Tom?” asked Mr. Damon,
with the freedom of an old friend. “Sounded
as if the place went up.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It pretty nearly did,” answered the young
inventor, looking at his smudged hands and
then wiping his face, on one cheek of which appeared
a small trickle of blood. “Have you got
the fire under control?” he asked Mr. Jackson.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes,” was the answer. “Don’t turn on the
water!” he shouted as those in charge of a hose
line were about to give a signal. “The chemicals
are all we needed. The blaze didn’t
amount to much.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m glad of that!” Tom was heard to say.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are you sure you’re all right, my boy?”
asked his father.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Positive!” was the quick answer. “Sound in
wind and limb!” and Tom jumped about and
executed a few side steps to show that he had
not suffered. “I was mixing some chemicals,”
he added, “when something went wrong and I
saw a smoulder of fire that I knew would turn
into an explosion in a few seconds more. So
I stood not on the order of my going, but
jumped out of the window instead of running
to the door.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We were wondering why you were lying on
that grass plot,” said Mr. Damon.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I landed there when I jumped,” explained
Tom. “And I wasn’t sure but what some of my
clothing had caught fire, so I rolled over and
lay on my face to protect myself. I couldn’t
get up right away—sort of stunned I guess.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What were you working on, Tom—that new
triple traveler?” asked his father, giving the
name temporarily assigned to the strange machine
that Tom hoped would go on land, in the
air and in the water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, not directly on that,” said the young
inventor as he walked toward his shop to ascertain
the extent of the damage. “Yet it had to
do with it. I was experimenting on a mixture
to make gasoline more explosive. Not like
ethyl gas, though,” he added, “for I want mine
to be more powerful but not dangerous.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not dangerous!” exclaimed Mr. Damon.
“Bless my accident policy, don’t you call a fire,
an explosion, and having to jump through a
window dangerous enough, Tom Swift?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes. But I haven’t got my new gasoline
mixture perfected yet,” was the answer.
“When I do there won’t be any fires or explosions.
Why did you think I might be working
on the triple traveler, Dad?” he asked his
father.</p>
<p class='pindent'>By this time the fire in the young inventor’s
private building was practically out and most
of the smoke had blown away. Tom and his
father and friends entered, and Tom pointed
to the table where he had been working. Some
shattered retorts and glass tubes testified as to
the explosion’s power. Tom had been slightly
cut by flying glass, but that was the extent of
his injuries.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I had the triple traveler in mind,
Tom,” said Mr. Swift, “because, just before you
tried to blow yourself up, my friends and I were
talking about round-the-world travel. And I
guess I sort of made a foolish boast, Tom.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What was that, Dad?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Why, I said, Tom, that you could circle the
globe in twenty days actual time—nothing taken
out for stops or anything like that. In twenty
days flat, Tom.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I guess maybe it can be done when I
get my new machine perfected,” the young inventor
said, calmly enough.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s got to be done, Tom, unless you want
me to lose twenty thousand dollars!” said his
father.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Twenty thousand dollars! What do you
mean?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He wagered us ten thousand dollars apiece,”
said Mr. Burch, indicating his friend, “that you,
Tom Swift, could circle the globe in twenty
days. We say it can’t be done!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>For a moment Tom Swift did not answer.
His eyes roved to the wall of his office where a
world map hung. Quickly Tom’s eyes glanced
along the fortieth parallel of latitude, the most
logical course to follow on a race of this sort.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It can be done,” said Tom quietly. “You
may take on those bets, Dad! I’ll see that you
win!” and there was a determined air about
him. “I’ll circle the world in twenty days!”
promised Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bless my alarm clock, that’s the stuff!”
cried Mr. Damon.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A moment later a girl’s voice out in the plant
yard was heard excitedly asking for Tom Swift.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch3'>CHAPTER III<br> <span class='sub-head'>INTO A NOSE DIVE</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“What</span> happened? Is Tom hurt? Let me
go to him at once!” the voice exclaimed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A smile came over Tom’s face.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s Mary Nestor,” he murmured, and to
the two visitors Mr. Damon explained in an
aside:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“She and Tom are engaged.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Lucky boy!” murmured Mr. Burch as he
caught sight of a pretty girl hurrying into the
rather upset office. For the place was upset in
spite of the comparatively small damage caused
by the explosion and fire.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, Tom! are you hurt?” Mary cried,
hastening toward him, totally oblivious of all
the others in the disordered room. “I heard a
rumor that your whole plant had burned and I
came over as fast as I could.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, Mary,” went on the young inventor,
with a smile, “I’m glad to say that, for once,
rumor got ahead of itself. Nothing very much
happened. Just a few chemicals went off unexpectedly.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But you’re cut!” Mary gasped, as she saw
the blood on Tom’s cheek. “Oh!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Just a scratch from a broken test tube,” he
explained.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then Mr. Burch, with a fine sense of what
was fitting, said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Mr. Trace, since we have concluded our
business here and have made arrangements for
separating our friend Bart from twenty thousand
dollars, we might as well get out and——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He did not say it, but the inference was obvious
that he wanted to leave the two young
people alone. Tom seemed to sense this for he
said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Just a moment, please. I want to understand
a little more about this wager.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’ll understand it better when your dad
has to take some of his big profits and hand
over twenty thousand to us,” chimed in Mr.
Trace. It was true that the Swift Company had
been very profitable of late, thanks to some of
Tom’s inventions.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But still I don’t like the idea of losing twenty
thousand, or even ten,” said Tom, with a smile.
“And I don’t intend to lose it, either, gentlemen!”
he concluded.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m glad you are backing me up, Tom,”
murmured his father. “How soon will the
triple traveler be done?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom looked at some plans on his desk,
glanced at the world map and was about to answer
when Mary broke in with:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Is this a hold-up?” Her smile took any
menace from the words.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s just a little bet among three old
friends,” said Mr. Burch, with a chuckle, “and
our friend Tom is going to be the goat. I mean
he is going to lose the race!” he concluded.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not much I’m not!” cried the young inventor,
and when Mary looked a bit mystified Mr.
Trace explained:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We were discussing various means of travel,
Miss Nestor, and the feat of Jules Verne’s hero
in girdling the earth in eighty days. That time
has been brought down to about thirty, but
Tom’s father declared it could be done within
twenty days.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That suits me!” cried Tom. “If you give
me time to complete the making of my new
machine I’ll prove my father to be right.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good boy!” murmured the aged inventor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then you will have a part in this wager,”
suggested Mr. Trace.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That suits me!” went on Tom. “Let me see—what
can I do with my share of twenty thousand
dollars?” he asked musingly, and with a
smile. But the smile faded when he looked at
Mary’s face and saw how distressed she was.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, Tom,” she murmured, “think how near
death you were just now in the explosion! And
now you are going to risk your life again in one
of your strange machines!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>She bit her lips to keep back her tears, it
seemed, and the young inventor, seeing that she
was on the verge of a nervous alarm, quickly
said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Don’t worry, Mary! There’s no danger at
all. Wait until you take a look at my new
triple traveler. Come on out and I’ll show it
to you.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom did not invite any of the others into
that part of the works whither he led Mary
Nestor, and Mr. Damon and his friends had
common sense enough not to intrude where,
obviously, they were not wanted. Tom did
not stop to wash his hands or face of the grime
of the explosion, and he only wiped away the
blood, which had now almost ceased to flow
from the slight cut.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He led the girl into a large building, the doors
of which were carefully locked, and when
Mary’s eyes had become accustomed to the
gloom she saw a dim shape of something which
seemed to have the elongated body of a boat,
beneath which were sturdy wheels and above
which were stretched big wings like those on an
aeroplane, with two rear propellers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This is really only a working model,” Tom
explained.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A working model of what?” inquired Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, the triple traveler is all we call it at
present,” Tom answered. “As you see——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I can’t see anything much!” interrupted
Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well you’ll see later,” went on Tom. “It’s
a secret yet and I have the windows shrouded.
That’s also why I keep the doors locked. No
telling who of my enemies might try to sneak
this new machine away from me. I’ve got to
be careful. But when it’s finished it will be
one of the best things I have ever made.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And are you really going to circle the earth
in it, Tom?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m going to try. There’s no question but
what I can do it. But whether I can do it inside
of twenty days is another question.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You don’t mean to say you are going to try
to win that foolish bet?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t see how I can help myself,” replied
Tom. “It may have been a bit rash of dad to
make it, but, now that he has, I must do all I
can to help him win it. I owe it to my own
reputation. It isn’t so much a question of the
money.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, dear!” sighed Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the matter?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I wish you weren’t always chasing off on
these wild trips, Tom!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t go very often. And they aren’t as
wild as the ones I used to take at first—like
those to the bottom of the sea, for instance. I
haven’t been on any for a long while, either.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No! Not since last fall when you inaugurated
the Airline Express,” said Mary, a bit sarcastically.
“And look what a lot of danger you
were in!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But I came out all right and I made a lot of
money,” said Tom, defending himself.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And now you’re going around the world.
Oh, dear!” and Mary sighed dolefully.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom looked at her sharply. He saw that she
was laboring under the reaction of fear after
having heard the false report that his plant
was blown up.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look here, Mary,” he said, “I’m afraid
you’re losing your nerve! That will never do!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Losing my nerve?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes. I’ll wager right now any flavor of ice-cream
you care to name that you don’t dare
take an aeroplane ride with me!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll take you up!” cried Mary, and she
smiled. “I’ll show you!” and she tossed her
head.</p>
<p class='pindent'>She often accompanied Tom on his trips in
one of his smaller and less complicated aeroplanes,
for Tom traveled this way on many occasions,
to transact some business or to conduct
experiments having to do with other machines.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then you’ll take a sky trip with me, Mary?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I surely will. I think it will do me good!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m sure of it,” said Tom, smiling.</p>
<p class='pindent'>They went out of the partially wrecked
office, Tom giving orders to have it cleaned up
and his gasoline experimental apparatus put
aside for future use.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom next gave orders to have one of his
speedy double planes run into the flying field
while he went to the house to wash and get
ready for the trip with Mary. Then he added
his name to the signatures on the bet agreement,
and said inside of six months from the
present time he would start to circle the globe.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mr. Swift, who had somewhat regretted his
rash action, was all smiles now, for he had
great faith in Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Of course twenty thousand dollars won’t
break us, Tom,” he confided to his son as the
latter was putting on his leather flying helmet
and getting one ready for Mary, together with
a leather jacket. “But, at the same time, I’d
like to win it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Same here, Dad,” echoed Tom. “And we
will, too!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>In a short time the little plane, which would
carry only two, was in readiness. The motor
was tuned up and Tom and Mary took their
places in the double cockpit, where the girl sat
beside her sweetheart. It was a type of plane
perfected by Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Where to, Mary?” asked Tom, as he looked
over the controls.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, anywhere,” she answered. “I want to
get away from everything for a while.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then maybe you’d rather go up alone,” suggested
the young man.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I said <span class='it'>everything</span>—not every<span class='it'>body</span>,” and
Mary’s accent made the meaning clear, at which
Tom laughed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He turned on more gas, there was a roar from
the motor, the plane taxied across the field, and
a few seconds later was soaring up toward the
blue.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I suppose you’ll be traveling like this when
you start on that—I can’t help saying it—foolish
trip around the world, Tom,” said Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A lot faster,” was his answer. “You see I’ve
got to do twenty-five thousand miles in twenty
days. That’s twelve hundred miles a day.
Counting twelve hours to a day on the average,
that’s a hundred miles an hour. But of course
there will have to be stops, forced or others,
and so practically I’ll have to double that rate
and make it two hundred miles or more of flying
every hour.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Can you go that fast, Tom?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Faster, I hope. I just read of a navy seaplane
that did two hundred and fifty-six miles
an hour. I’m going to better that record if I
can. Just wait until I get the new triple traveler
finished.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I hope it doesn’t finish you, Tom,” said
Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He leaned over toward her. By a new muffler
attachment on the engine the roar of the exhaust
was deadened and it was possible to talk
without shouting. Love making can never be
carried on in shouts, as you know well.</p>
<p class='pindent'>On and on flew Tom and Mary, the little
plane gaining speed and height each minute.
They were soon up above the clouds, flying fast.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’re a good traveler, Mary,” said Tom.
“How’d you like to come along on the world-circling
jaunt?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“In some ways I’d like it—I could make sure
you were safe,” she said with a smile. “But
I’m afraid I can’t manage it,” she added, as
Tom gave her hand a squeeze. To do this he
had to release one of the levers he was manipulating,
and when he again shifted it there was
a peculiar sound.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s that?” cried the girl.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom Swift did not answer, but began frantically
manipulating the controls. The plane
was acting in a peculiar manner—even Mary
with her inexperience realized that.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Is anything wrong?” she asked.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid there is,” Tom answered with a
grim tightening of his jaws. “We seem to be
going into a nose dive!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Hardly had he spoken than the plane tilted
forward and plunged toward the earth at frightful
speed.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch4'>CHAPTER IV<br> <span class='sub-head'>JUST IN TIME</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Tom Swift</span> had been in dangerous situations
before with aeroplanes and other machines of
his invention. He had more than once been
close to death, and he knew that the only way
to get out of a tight corner was to keep his head.
Now he did not so much fear for himself as for
Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Is there any danger?” asked the girl, who
had sense enough to sit quietly in her seat and
not grab Tom’s arms or interfere in any way.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, there is danger,” the aviator answered
quietly, as he kept at his task of trying to
straighten out the plane. “If I can’t bring her
up we’re likely to crash.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Beyond a gasp of her breath and a look of
terror in her eyes, Mary showed no signs of the
fear that was within her. Yet she was terribly
frightened, for Tom as much as for herself.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Come up here!” cried the young inventor,
speaking to the plane as he might to a horse.
He adjusted the levers, pulled back on the one
that tended to raise the forward edges of the
plane to tilt her nose, and he tried to get the
elevation rudder up. But in the end he had to
admit that he was beaten.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“She won’t come up!” he gasped.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then we’ll have to crash!” murmured Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom nodded hopelessly. He reached over and
began loosening the buckle of the girl’s safety
belt before unfastening his own.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The only thing to do is to jump when I give
the word.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Is there no chance of saving the plane,
Tom?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t believe so, Mary. But I’m not worrying
about the machine. I can make another.
It’s you!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom put his arm around her and she leaned
close to him. The machine was dashing downward
now at terrific speed, and on a dangerous
slant that meant the nose would strike the earth
first, driving the engine back upon those in the
cockpit. The motor had stopped, whether having
been cut off by Tom or because of some
defect Mary did not inquire.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Leap clear when I tell you to,” said Tom, as
he made one more fruitless effort to straighten
the plane out so he could pancake down instead
of hitting on the nose. “You go out on that
side, Mary, and I’ll go on this.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If there was only some water for us to land
in,” murmured the girl. “If we were only over
Lake Carlopa instead of having to jump on
the hard ground, it wouldn’t be so bad, Tom!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m heading for Jamison’s cranberry bog,”
the aviator answered, pointing to a marshy
place just ahead. “It will be a softer place to
jump on than the fields or in the woods. I
hope we can make it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Nearer and nearer the earth the plane was descending.
In a few seconds more it would be
all over, and the machine would crash itself
into a mass of tangled wreckage, while the bodies
of Tom and Mary—it was terrible to think of.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Shall I jump now?” the girl asked as she
leaned over the edge of the cockpit and saw how
perilously close the earth was.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Just a moment,” said Tom. “Wait!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He made one last attempt to straighten the
plane out, pulling on the lever with all his force.
To his joy and surprise it yielded where before
it had held firm. Back it came to the last notch
and, with a suddenness that was like the quick
stopping of a falling elevator, the plane flattened
out on a level keel just as it started over
the big cranberry bog, part of which was flooded
with water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I leveled her out!” cried the young man.
“There’s a chance now that we can make a three
point landing and save ourselves.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The plane, however, had acquired terrific
speed during her dive, and was going much
faster than would have been the case had she
been driving along under the power of the motor
and on a level. In this latter case Tom could
have eased the machine down gently.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As it was, they were going to strike the ground
while going at terrific speed. Though in their
favor was the fact that they could now hit the
earth at a long slant instead of at an acute
angle.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Shall I jump?” asked Mary, who was closely
watching her lover.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No!” he cried. “Sit tight! Maybe we can
do it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He was making some adjustments to the
wings and tail rudder. The controls had jammed
just when they were most needed, but they
had now suddenly loosened up in as strange a
manner as they had tightened, and this gave
Tom Swift his chance.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He looked down, picking out the best possible
spot for a landing, since he could now steer the
plane somewhat. The spot he picked was
where the water was deepest over the cranberry
bog. The plane was not fitted with pontoons
for landing on water, and doubtless the under
carriage was going to be greatly damaged in the
fall. But, other things being equal, a fall into
water in an aeroplane is less harmful to the occupants
than a landing on the hard ground.</p>
<p class='pindent'>With steady hands and clear eyes that sought
for the most advantageous spot, Tom guided the
almost unruly craft. It was now within a few
hundred feet of the earth, and a couple of seconds
more would tell the tale.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Aside from the rushing of the wind past them,
causing a roaring noise in spite of the helmets
they wore over their ears, there was silence in
the plane, for the motor was still dead. Amid
the silence Tom heard some voices shouting
below him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He wondered dimly who could be calling,
but guessed it was some autoists on the highway
that bordered the cranberry bog.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’re going to see something they didn’t
count on!” thought Tom grimly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Stand up, Mary, when I give the word!”
said Tom to her as he leaned over the edge of
the cockpit and looked down. His gaze took in
a small automobile racing along the highway
toward that part of the bog where he hoped to
land.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Stand up! What for?” asked the girl.
“Shall I have to jump after all?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, but by standing, instead of sitting, the
shock of landing will be less,” Tom said. “Get
ready now!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>His eyes were measuring the distance. In
three seconds more, he calculated, the plane
would crash into the bog of mud and water.
But it would crash on a nearly level keel instead
of on its nose, in which case nothing, in all likelihood,
could have saved the occupants from
death.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Up!” cried Tom sharply, and he and Mary
rose in their seats, clinging to each other.</p>
<p class='pindent'>An instant later the plane hit the ground with
terrific force, but fortunately in the middle of
a soft spot of mud and water which greatly reduced
the shock. As it was, the jolt knocked
Tom and Mary down, stunning them as they
were crushed back into their seats, so that for
a few seconds after the forced landing they did
not realize what was happening.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mary was the first to recover her senses. She
struggled to a position where she could look
over the side of the cockpit and at once cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Tom! We’re sinking! We’re almost submerged!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>By this time the young inventor had aroused
and, pulling himself to the edge of the cabin
space, he glanced over.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re in a bad hole!” he exclaimed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He learned later that the plane had gone
down in what was virtually a quicksand in the
cranberry bog—a place shunned by all who
knew its dangers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s to be done, Tom?” cried Mary. “We
got out of the nose dive just in time, but if
we’re going to sink in this bog it will be just
as bad, though not so quick!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>She saw, in fancy, a slow, terrible death by
suffocation in the mud and water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let’s jump out and try to wade to solid
ground!” she went on.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No! No! Don’t do that!” yelled Tom.
“It would be sure death! The plane will hold
us up for a time—perhaps until help comes.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Where will help come from?” asked Mary.
“No one knows we are here, Tom.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Before he could answer there came the sound
of shouting voices and the tooting of an automobile
horn from somewhere in the distance.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Maybe that’s help now,” Tom said. “But
they’ve got to hurry,” he added grimly. “We’re
sinking fast!”</p>
<div><h1 id='ch5'>CHAPTER V<br> <span class='sub-head'>THE AIR MONARCH</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Rapidly</span> the small plane settled in the mud
and water. It was down almost to the edge of
the cockpit, and Tom was about to advise Mary
to climb out and up on the upper surface of
the wings, which he, likewise was going to do,
when shouts over to the left attracted the attention
of the two.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A couple of men—automobile mechanics to
judge by their grease-soiled garments—stood on
the edge of the bog, waving their hands.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hold fast!” the taller one urged. “We’ll
get you in a minute!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You can’t come out here!” Tom shouted
back. “It’s a regular quicksand. You’ll get
in yourselves!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s some sort of a boat here,” said the
other man. “We’re coming out in that!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A boat! Then they’ll save us!” gasped
Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Maybe,” returned Tom grimly. He did not
understand how a boat could be propelled
through that bog which was more like thick,
slimy mud than it was water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The two men disappeared behind a screen of
bushes, and Mary cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, they are leaving us!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>But the reassuring shout came back:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll be there with the boat in a minute!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>By this time the thick, muddy water (quicksand
in solution it was) began seeping over the
edge of the cockpit. Tom was helping Mary to
climb up to a dry place, back on the fuselage
of the machine, when out of the underbrush the
two men emerged, pushing, by means of poles,
a low, broad, flat-bottomed punt, which was
so broad of beam that it did not sink in the
swamp.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll have you off in a minute!” called the
shorter of the two men encouragingly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>By dint of hard pushing they worked the
punt to the side of the stranded and bogged
aeroplane, and Tom and Mary lost little time
in getting into the safer, if less picturesque,
craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Will it float with all four of us in it?” Tom
asked anxiously.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I guess so,” the tall stranger said. “But it
will be slow work poling back to solid ground.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Sorry we can’t save your bus, mister,” remarked
the other.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Don’t worry about the plane,” was Tom’s
answer. “There are more where that came
from. And I may be able to save it at that.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It would take a tank to yank that bus out,”
said the short man.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What do you know about tanks?” asked
Tom, as he took up a pole from the bottom of
the punt and helped the two rescuers push the
craft toward the solid point of land whence the
welcome hails had come.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I used to manicure one on the other side
when we had the Big Fuss,” was the answer,
and Tom knew the man had been in one of the
ponderous tank machines of the World War.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I hate to leave that bus,” sighed the tall
man, with a look back at the now almost submerged
plane. “She’s pretty, but you had some
trouble, didn’t you?” he asked. “Sounded to
me like your motor died on you.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It did,” admitted Tom. “And I couldn’t
straighten out.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“She was nose diving when my buddy and
me saw you as we were riding along in our machine,”
went on the tall man.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Nose diving is right,” conceded Tom. “But
I got her straightened out just in time.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But not enough to zoom up,” went on the
other, and Tom was sure the man knew whereof
he spoke.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’ve run a bus?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“In France,” was the sufficient answer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>By this time the punt had been poled through
the mud, water, and quicksand of the cranberry
bog far enough so that all danger was past. It
was shoved against the point of land on which
the two men had run out as they leaped from
their auto, which they said they had left back
on the highway.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I guess you’ll be all right now,” remarked
the tall man as Tom and Mary got out
of the punt.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, thanks to you,” said the young inventor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If we can drop you anywhere in our flivver,”
went on the short man, “we’ll do it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If you can take us to the Swift plant,” said
Tom, “it will be a great accommodation.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll do that,” said the short man, as his
companion made the punt fast to a stump.
“That Tom Swift is the big inventor, isn’t he!
Do you know him?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Slightly,” was the answer, with a smile.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This is Tom Swift!” exclaimed Mary, unable
to resist the opportunity. She indicated
Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You are?” gasped the short man.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Gee!” exclaimed his tall companion.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I happen to be,” replied Tom. “And if you
will leave us at my plant and come in so that
I can thank you properly for what you did——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Aw, forget it!” snapped out the short man.
“We don’t want any thanks. You’d do the
same, wouldn’t you?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Of course,” said Tom. “But——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Forget it!” said the other again.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“At least tell me who you are,” begged Tom,
as the two led the way to where they had left
their small touring car.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m Joe Hartman,” said the tall man who
had admitted he was an aviator in the World
War.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And when I hear anybody yell for Bill
Brinkley then I come and get my chow!” added
the short chap whimsically.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This is my friend, Miss Mary Nestor,” introduced
Tom, and the girl held out a hand
each to the two mechanics.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All oil and grease!” apologized Brinkley,
putting his hand behind his back. “We work
in a garage at Waterford,” he went on in explanation.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And we’ll gum you all up if we shake
hands!” added Joe Hartman bashfully.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“As if I cared!” exclaimed Mary, and she insisted
on grasping their oil-begrimed palms in a
warm pressure. “I want to thank you, too,”
she said as she told where she lived, begging the
two to call and see her father and mother.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If you fellows work in Waterford, maybe
you know Mr. Wakefield Damon?” Tom added.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Guess not,” admitted the short man, while
his companion shook his head in negation. “We
haven’t worked there very long,” he went on.
“Just now we had to deliver a repaired car in
Shopton and we two went together. I drove
this flivver,” he added with a kick at one of the
tires, “so I could bring Joe back.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, it’s a good thing you happened to be
where you were,” said Tom. “And I wish
you’d come and see me some time,” he added
as the little auto was headed for his plant.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Maybe we will,” was all the two would
promise when, a little later, they let Tom and
Mary out at the office entrance and then drove
on.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As the accident to the plane had happened
several miles from Tom’s plant, neither his
father, Mr. Damon, nor the two wagering
friends, Medwell Trace and Thornton Burch,
were aware of it. Not until Tom and Mary
came in, somewhat spattered by mud, and told
of their experience was anything known of it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom sent Mary home in an automobile and
dispatched some of his workmen with a big
truck and long ropes to see if it was possible to
get the little plane out of the swamp.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And now,” said Tom, as he finished washing
off some of the grime, “I’m going to get seriously
to work and help dad win that twenty thousand
dollars.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom Swift had made a start on his new machine
some time before. He had conceived the
idea of a craft that was at once an automobile,
a motor boat, and an aeroplane, and though his
father had at first been doubtful and some of
the mechanics who worked on it openly skeptical,
Tom had persisted and now the craft was
well on in the process of manufacture.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A model had been made, and though at first
it would not work, Tom had kept improving it
until it was perfect. The only thing that disappointed
the young inventor was that it was
not speedy enough, and he was looking for fast
performances, not only in the air but on land
and water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ve got to use a more powerful gasoline,”
he decided and he was experimenting on this
fluid when the explosion came. Luckily, little
damage was done and three days after the fire
Tom’s office had been repaired and he was hard
at work again.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What are you going to call it, Tom?” asked
Ned Newton, the young former bank cashier
who was a close friend of the young inventor
and, of late, treasurer and one of the managing
officials of the Swift Company. Ned was in
Tom’s private workshop looking at the strange
device.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I did think of calling it <span class='it'>Monarch</span>,”
was the answer. “The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> might not
be such a bad name, if it does what I think it
will do.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“When will you know?” Ned asked.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“In a few weeks. I’m going to rush work on
it, now that dad has made his wagers. I’ve got
to help him win that twenty thousand dollars.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you think you can?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m going to!” declared Tom, with conviction.
“Take a look at the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, Ned,
and see what you think of her as far as I’ve
gone.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Looks pretty good,” admitted the young
treasurer. “What’s that for?” and he pointed
to a small door in the rear of the machine, a
door under the tail rudder.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s where the propeller is concealed,”
was Tom’s answer. “Look and you’ll see how
it works!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He pulled a lever, the door slid back, and in
a tunnel-shaped compartment was a large, three-bladed,
bronze propeller.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s for use when running on the water,”
the inventor explained.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“How does it run on land?” inquired Ned.
“Like an automobile?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not exactly,” Tom said. “The same propeller
that sends the craft through the air
sends it along on the ground. Just as an aeroplane
taxies across the field before mounting,
you know. By keeping the tail rudder depressed
I prevent the machine from rising, and it moves
over the ground, though of course not as fast
as in the air.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There is no direct drive on these wheels
then?” asked Ned, pointing to four strong
wheels on which the machine rested and on
which it would land after making a flight.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, yes, I can drive the car on the ground
by gearing the motor directly to the wheels,”
said Tom. “But I can’t get much speed that
way, though I do get a lot of power. And in
front here——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>But Tom suddenly stopped his explanations
and looked toward the door of his private shop.
The knob was turning in a stealthy manner.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch6'>CHAPTER VI<br> <span class='sub-head'>KICKED OUT</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“What’s</span> the matter?” asked Ned Newton,
who was very much interested in Tom’s new
machine. Ned had gone on air trips with his
chum before and, having heard of the wager and
now seeing the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, it is not at all unlikely
that Ned had visions of another strange
journey. “Anything wrong?” went on Ned, as
Tom did not answer, but continued to stare at
the door.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There may be—I’m not sure,” was the answer
in a low voice. “Wait a minute.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom tiptoed softly to the door, opened it
suddenly, and then uttered an exclamation of
disappointment.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the matter?” asked Ned again.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He skipped,” answered Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The fellow who was outside that door trying
to overhear some of my secrets and find out
about the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>,” was Tom’s answer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Spies?” exclaimed Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s about it. Ever since I first started
on this new idea and began work on the model
and the craft itself, I’ve had a sneaking idea
that I’m being spied upon. I am sure of it now.
Somebody was listening at the keyhole, but
they heard me coming and skipped.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who is it?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s what I’ve got to find out. Keep
quiet about this, and I’ll set a trap.” Then the
two friends went to a far corner of the room, out
of all possible range of the door, and talked for
a long time.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The next few days were busy ones in the shop
of Tom Swift. Now that his father, by his
rashness, had committed his son to the attempt
to circle the earth in twenty days, the older inventor
was as enthusiastic over the matter as
was Tom himself.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll help you get the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> finished,
Tom,” said the old man, “and then you can
start. I’m not going to have Burch and Trace
crowing over me!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They won’t crow, Dad,” said Tom, with a
smile. “I’ll win that money for you!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>In order to hasten the completion of the <span class='it'>Air
Monarch</span>, men who were in other shops controlled
by Tom and his father were taken off
their work and put to finishing the triple traveler.
All who were admitted into the shop
where the big new machine was housed were
sworn to secrecy.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The new machine was like a large aeroplane,
but with an enclosed cabin something like the
European air line <span class='it'>de luxe</span> expresses. Built like
a Pullman car, only lighter, the cabin of the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> afforded sleeping berths for five.
When not in use the bunks folded up against
the wall, thus making an observation room.
There was a combined dining room and kitchen
where meals could be served.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The motor of the craft was abaft the living
quarters, thus keeping the sleeping compartment
free of gasoline fumes. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was
of the pusher and not the tractor type of plane.
Extending over the cabin, and out on either
side was the big top plane. There was another
plane below this, and from the lower one extended
the long tail which carried the rudders,
one for directing the craft up or down and the
other to impart a lateral motion.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The body of the craft was something like a
seaplane, staunchly built to enable it to travel
the surface of the ocean if need be. And, as
already explained, there were four sturdy wheels
on which the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> could roll along the
ground. These wheels could be geared directly
to the motor, as are the wheels of an automobile,
or by using the air propeller the craft
could be sent along as an aeroplane taxies across
its starting field. The housed propeller for use
in water has already been mentioned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>To such good advantage did Tom Swift set
his men to work that four weeks after the laying
of the wager the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was completed
except for the fitting up of her cabin and the
taking aboard of supplies.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The motor’s the main thing, and that’s completed
and installed,” said Tom to Ned one
evening.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Does it work?” asked the financial representative
of the firm.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It sure does!” was the enthusiastic answer.
“Tried it on a brake test this afternoon and she
did a little better than two thousand seven hundred
R.P.M.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hope that doesn’t mean ‘Rest In Peace',”
chuckled Ned, who was not versed in mechanics.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“R.P.M. stands for revolutions per minute,”
Tom explained. “And when I tell you my new
motor did more than twenty-seven hundred it’s
going some. That motor will rate better than
six hundred and ninety horse power.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes?” asked Ned, politely enough.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, you big boob!” cried Tom with good-natured
raillery. “Why, don’t you understand
that the best performance a naval seaplane ever
did was only twenty-seven hundred R.P.M.,
and they couldn’t get more than six hundred
and eighty-five rated horse power out of their
V-type motor? But at that they made two
hundred and fifty-six miles an hour,” said Tom
with respect.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who did?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The United States naval flyers,” Tom replied.
“I’m ashamed of your ignorance,” he
chuckled. “Think of it—two hundred and
fifty-six miles an hour! If I can equal that
record, and I think I can, I’ll win the twenty
thousand dollars for dad with my hands down.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let’s see,” said Ned musingly, and he began
doing some mental arithmetic. He was good at
this. “The distance around the earth, say at
the fortieth parallel of latitude, is, roughly,
twenty-five thousand miles. At the rate of
two hundred and fifty-six miles an hour, or
say two hundred and fifty to make it round
numbers, it would take about a hundred hours,
Tom. A hundred hours is, roughly, four days,
and you’ve got twenty! Why, say——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look here, you enthusiastic Indian!” yelled
Tom, playfully mauling his chum’s hair. “You
can’t fly one of these high-powered machines for
a hundred hours straight! They’d burn up.
You have to stop now and then to cool off, take
on gas and oil, make adjustments, and so on.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I thought you were going to do continuous
flying,” objected Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m going to do it as continuously as possible,”
was Tom’s reply. “But I’ll need all of
twenty days to circle the globe. There will be
accidents. Storms may force us down, and you
may want to stop and inquire into the financial
system of the Malays.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Me?” queried Ned. “Am I going?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You sure are!” was the answer. “You’re
going to be official score keeper. Dad needs
that twenty thousand dollars. Yes, sir, you’re
going and it’s about time we began to make
serious preparations to start. You won’t back
out, will you?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, I guess not,” Ned said. “Who else is
going? Mr. Damon?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, he wants to go,” said Tom; “but he’s
afraid his wife won’t let him. Dad is too old,
of course. But I’ll need three good mechanics,
besides myself. With you that will make five—just
enough to fill the cabin nicely. Come on
out and take a look at the boat.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Going to take along plenty to eat?” asked
Ned, as he and his chum went across the now
dark shop yard toward the brick building that
housed the newest creation of the young inventor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, sure!” was the response. “But we
won’t have to stock up very heavily. You see
we’ll make several stops on the way.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Just what are your plans?” Ned wanted to
know.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I thought of starting from around
here, or, possibly, from the vicinity of New
York,” Tom answered. “You see, there’s a
possibility of a race.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A race to circle the earth?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes. The papers have got hold of this
wager of dad’s—I think Mr. Damon, in his enthusiasm,
spilled the beans—and there is some
talk of a national aero club taking the matter
up. A paper or two has mentioned that such a
trip will greatly advance the science of flying,
and there may be a big prize offered for the winner
of the race—the one who makes the best
actual time around the world.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then you’re likely to win considerable
money,” suggested Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If the plans are carried out, yes. But I’ll
be satisfied to win that twenty thousand dollars
for dad. It will just about make me come out
with an even break.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“An even break?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes. This machine will cost me around
twenty thousand,” said Tom. “Of course, I’ll
be out my expenses, but then dad got me into
this thing unthinkingly and I’m going to see it
through. But if some one offers a prize and I
can win it, I’ll have that much velvet.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s a bigger thing than I thought,” Ned
stated. “I hope you won’t be disappointed in
your craft, Tom. I mean I hope it will work.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It will work—I’m sure of that,” said the
young inventor. “Of course whether I can eat
up the miles and actually get around the world
in twenty days remains to be seen. But I’m
going to try!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The two were at the workshop now. It was
shrouded in darkness, for the day’s labor was
over.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Stand still a minute until I turn on the
lights,” Tom said, as he opened a little side
door and stepped in, leaving Ned to follow.
“It’s as dark as a pocket in here.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Ned could hear Tom fumbling for the electric
switch. Then, just as the light was turned on,
there came, from the other side of the big shop
and back of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, a clicking sound
followed by a scream of pain.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s that?” cried Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I think it’s my sneak trap!” answered Tom.
“I hope I’ve caught him!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>In an instant the shop was flooded with light,
and Ned followed Tom on the run around the
big <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, which occupied most of the
space. A moment later Ned saw Tom spring
upon a man who was caught by one leg in a
curious wooden trap, the smooth jaws of which
had clamped around the intruder’s ankle.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Help! Help!” screamed the man, for such
he was—a burly, ugly, lowering chap dressed
in the greasy clothes of a mechanic.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You aren’t hurt!” said Tom, pausing in
front of the captive and eyeing him. “I set
that trap there to catch any one who came in
here unauthorized. It isn’t meant to hurt—just
to hold you fast. And I’ve got you, Cal Hussy!
Got you good!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let me out of here!” snarled the man, trying,
without success, to free his foot.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I will in a minute. But first I’ll find out if
you have taken anything,” Tom said coolly.
“Here, Ned, search him!” he called to his chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then, while Tom deftly caught Hussy’s hands
in a loop of rope drawn tight, Ned went through
the intruder’s pockets. Aside from some personal
effects, the search revealed nothing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You let me go!” snarled the man, with an
evil scowl.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I will if I make sure you haven’t damaged
my machine,” went on Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A quick inspection showed nothing wrong.
The motor compartment of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was locked, and Tom knew the fellow had not
been in it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Now I’ll let you go,” said the inventor to
the fellow. “But I warn you the next time you
step into my trap it will have teeth!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Pulling on a lever, Tom opened the jaws of
the trap and the man was free to step out. He
limped slightly as he walked toward the window
by which he had entered, for the spring of the
trap was strong.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who is he?” asked Ned as the man started
to crawl out. He had cut a pane of glass out
of the window, sawed some of the iron protective
bars, and gotten in that way. But in walking
across the floor in the dark he had stepped
into one of several traps Tom had set recently.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That is Cal Hussy,” explained Tom, watching
every movement of the man. “He works
for the Red Arrow Aeroplane Company, one of
my rivals. Evidently they have heard something
of my new invention and are trying to
find out its secret. But I’ve fooled them. I
caught Hussy the first crack out of the box.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, you caught me all right, Tom Swift!”
snarled the man, turning when he was half way
through the window. He scowled and shook his
fist at the young inventor. “You caught me,
but I’ll catch you next time!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>This threat seemed to enrage Tom. He
rushed at the fellow just as Hussy cried again:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It will be my turn next time!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom raised his foot and planted a well directed
and richly deserved kick on Hussy where
it would do the most good. Like a football
dropping over the crossbar, the intruder went
tumbling over the window sill, to fall heavily to
the ground below.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He grunted, uttered some strong language,
and then, as he ran off down the road in the
darkness, he called back:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’ll be sorry, some day, you did that,
Tom Swift! You’ll be sorry!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m sorry now that I didn’t kick you twice!”
cried the angry inventor.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch7'>CHAPTER VII<br> <span class='sub-head'>STRUCK DOWN</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“What’s</span> the idea, Tom?” asked Ned when
his chum had returned to the middle of the big,
barnlike room where he stood in front of the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, contemplating the powerful machine.
“What’s the game?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A dirty game!” snapped out Tom Swift.
“This Red Arrow gang has been trying to sneak
around and discover some of my secrets for a
long time. This is another attempt. Hussy has
been here before. But I don’t think he’ll come
again,” added the young inventor grimly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are they trying to do you out of this new
contrivance?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know that they are specifically after
this,” stated Tom. “They’ll steal any new invention
they can. But from the fact that Hussy
was in here I judge they must have heard something
about the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> and they want to
get an idea of how she’s made. I suspected they
might try something like this, and so I set several
traps. Hussy happened to step into one,”
and taking Ned to the various windows Tom
showed other devices to nab intruders.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Going over the machine and making an examination
of the workshop in company with
Ned, convinced Tom that Hussy had been
caught before he could do any damage.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But from now on I’ll have to be doubly
careful,” Tom declared. “And if I see Hussy
around here again——” he did not finish, but it
could easily be guessed what would happen.</p>
<p class='pindent'>From then on it became increasingly difficult
for strangers to get near the Swift plant. Eradicate
and Koku were kept on guard in the shop
where the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was housed and Mr.
Swift, with a smile, said they at times even
looked on him with suspicion.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But the days passed and the big machine was
practically completed, and then came a trial
flight which was successful. The giant craft
took the air like a bird, and though its speed
was not quite up to Tom’s expectations, he said
that with some adjustments he thought it
would beat any aircraft he had ever made.</p>
<p class='pindent'>On land the progress was necessarily slower,
and in the water it was slower still. But even
at that the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> did well, and it could
do still better, Tom declared.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The machine was taken back to the shop for
some final adjustments, and Tom was busy
superintending these one day when Ned Newton
burst into the building, waving a paper over his
head and exclaiming:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look at this, Tom! Listen to this! You’ve
got a chance to make a fortune!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I sure need it,” said the young inventor, with
a smile. “This machine is costing a lot more
than we’d figured on. But what’s the idea?
Has some one left me a million?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No,” answered Ned. “But this paper, the
New York <span class='it'>Illustrated Star</span>, offers a prize of one
hundred thousand dollars for an international
race around the world in the shortest time—actual
time. Why, Tom, those are exactly the
conditions under which your father wagered
with Burch and Trace! Why don’t you go in
for this?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Maybe I will,” said Tom. “Let’s have a
look!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Eagerly he read the story in the paper, setting
forth the terms of the prize offer. They
were simple enough.</p>
<p class='pindent'>At a date about a month off, any person who
wished to contest must start from an aero field
on Long Island. The first person to return to
the starting point, after actually circling the
globe, would be given a hundred thousand dollars.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There were no conditions except that all contestants
must prove by documentary evidence,
such as having signed statements from officials
in various countries, that they had passed
through or over them on certain dates. The
world must be girdled on a circle of one of its
great circumferences, that is the equator, or a
parallel not too far above or below it. Or, if
a contestant desired, he could circle around a
longitudinal line. But as this would mean flying
over the north and south poles, that was
practically out of the question. It was assumed
that those who took part would travel along
about the fortieth parallel, as this would keep
them over fairly civilized countries for the longest
period.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Contestants could travel as they liked, in any
sort of conveyance, motor car, steamer, train,
airship, or submarine. They could change conveyances
as often as they pleased. The sole
requisite was that they must come back to the
starting point, after traveling completely around
the earth, and they must prove that they had
done it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This suits me!” exclaimed Tom, as he read
the conditions.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then you’ll enter for the hundred thousand
dollars?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I certainly will, and I hope to win it. Now
this race is going to be worth while. If I won
the twenty thousand dollars for dad, I’d hardly
break even. But if I win the prize—oh, boy!”
and Tom patted the big machine into which his
hopes were built.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Keyed up to a high pitch by the prospect,
Tom hurried his mechanics and helpers to the
limit. Not any too much time was left to enter
the <span class='it'>Illustrated Star’s</span> contest, and within a few
days Tom Swift’s entry had been formally sent
in and acknowledged.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Each succeeding day’s issue of the paper gave
Tom and Ned news of the event, and one day
Tom pointed to an item in the general story.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The Red Arrow people are going to try for
the prize,” he said. “They’re going to fight
me. That’s why Hussy was sneaking in here,
I guess. They wanted to see if they could add
anything to the aeroplane they are going to
enter.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are they going to try in an aeroplane?”
asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“So it says here. It doesn’t mention any boat
or automobile auxiliary.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom had been obliged to describe the method
he proposed to follow in the world race, and of
course it was publicly known now that he would
try in a combined automobile, motor boat, and
aeroplane. Aside from some hydroplanes, which
of course can skim along on the surface of the
water, as well as soar over land, Tom’s was the
only machine of more than a single ability.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Many of the contestants, of which there
seemed likely to be plenty, at least at the start,
were going to make the attempt by special
steamers or trains, for not a few wealthy globetrotters
entered the contest for the big purse.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It lacked about a week of the time of the
start of the international race when one morning
Tom Swift received a telegram. It was
signed by a name he did not at first recognize,
that of Armenius Peltok, and read:</p>
<div class='blockquote'>
<p class='pindent'>“If you are going to enter international world
race I shall be honored if you will take me with
you. I speak all civilized languages and some
uncivilized, and am also an aircraft mechanic.
Reference the National Aero club.”</p>
</div>
<p class='pindent'>“Another crank,” murmured Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know about that,” voiced Tom. “It’s
worth looking up. See if you can get the Aero
Club on the wire.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>When Ned had done so and had been told
that Peltok, though little known in America,
had a great reputation in Europe and was thoroughly
reliable, a message was sent asking him
to call at the Swift plant. Peltok had wired
from New York. A day later he telephoned
that he would be with Tom very shortly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We need another good man,” Tom said to
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“How many are going?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Five.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, who are the other two besides you,
Peltok, and me?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I haven’t decided yet, but I have my eye on
a couple of young fellows. Now let’s see what
we have next to do.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s plenty,” stated Ned, with truth.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The work went along. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was
fully equipped for the race, and another trial
flight showed big improvement as regarded her
three speeds, on land, water, and in the air.
Night and day men were on guard now, to keep
Tom’s secret of his craft. Though in general
its character was known, there were many things
about it that the inventor did not want to reveal.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Meanwhile, the plan of an international world
race was meeting with favor on all sides.
Though one paper had offered the prize, the
other journals gave plenty of space to the event
and excitement was at a high pitch. Some wild
and rash schemes were talked of, and not a few
new and queer machines, both for land, air
and water travel were entered. One man proposed
to go in a motor car, hiring speedy, small
steamers when land failed him, to transport his
machine.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Peltok arrived and created a favorable impression
on Tom and Ned. He was a quiet,
reserved man, of great muscular strength, and
he knew travel machines from end to end.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And he can speak anything!” declared Ned.
“He even talked to Koku in the giant’s own
language.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No!” cried Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Fact! You ask Koku.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom confirmed Ned’s statement. Peltok was
a great linguist, and it was felt this accomplishment
would be valuable should the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
have to land in uncivilized countries.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A few days before the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was to
leave for Long Island, Ned came to Tom with
rather a serious face.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We need more money, Tom, to complete the
stocking of the ship and arranging for carrying
on the business here while you are gone,” said
the financial manager.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Get it from the bank,” said Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We can’t. We’ve stretched our credit to the
limit. We need ten thousand dollars in cash.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>For a moment Tom did not know what to do.
Then he remembered his millionaire friend
Jason Jacks, who had helped him on the Airline
Express in a like emergency.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Call Jacks,” Tom decided. When Ned did
this, explaining Tom’s predicament, that eccentric,
but kindly, character at once arranged
the matter, sending, not ten, but fifteen thousand
dollars to the credit of the Swift Company
in the bank.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And if you want more you can have it,”
added Mr. Jacks. But Ned said that would do.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I go to New York to-morrow,” said
Tom to Ned one evening, “to sign the final papers
in the race contest. All contestants are to
be present in the <span class='it'>Illustrated Star</span> office.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Where are you going now?” asked Ned, for
his chum had on his hat and the electric runabout
was at the door.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Over to see Mary,” was the answer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A little later Tom Swift was on his way. But
for some reason or other, when he was within a
quarter of a mile of the girl’s house, the electric
machine suddenly went dead and stopped.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s queer!” mused Tom, as he got out of
the stalled car to have a look. “I thought the
batteries were fully charged. Some one must
have been running it without telling me. Well,
I can walk, I suppose. It isn’t far.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He tested the storage batteries, found that
his surmise was correct—that they had exhausted
themselves, though unaccountably—and
then he started to walk.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But he had not gone far along the road, which
was very lonely at this point, when a dark figure
sprang suddenly from the bushes, leaped
toward the young inventor, and uttered a
smothered imprecation. There was a dull, thudding
blow, and Tom was stricken down, sinking
unconscious in the long grass at the side of the
highway. Then the dark figure, with a sinister
chuckle, fled amid the shadows of the night.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch8'>CHAPTER VIII<br> <span class='sub-head'>MIDNIGHT PROWLERS</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“Well</span>, Mary,” remarked Mr. Nestor as he
looked at the clock. “Tom is a bit late, isn’t
he?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, he’ll be here,” said the girl, with a smile.
“He said he was coming to take me for a little
ride in the electric runabout before he has to
go to New York to-morrow to sign up in the
world race. Tom will be here.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, I never knew him to fail an engagement,”
went on Mr. Nestor with another look
at the clock. “Yet he’s a bit late. I’m going
out and smoke a cigar. If I see him coming——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Now, Daddy!” laughed Mary, “you don’t
need to tell Tom to hurry. He isn’t a child.
What if he is late?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, well, nothing. But I just thought I’d
mention it,” and with that Mr. Nestor went out.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Though Mary would not admit to her father
that Tom was later than usual, she was more
honest with herself. And when nine o’clock
came and Tom had not appeared, she became
uneasy.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If anything in the way of business had detained
him he would have telephoned,” said the
girl. “I wonder if anything could have happened?
Highfield Lane is lonesome after dark,
and he would come that way.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>She waited a bit longer, growing more nervous
all the while, and then she came to a decision.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m going to walk along toward the Lane
and see if he’s coming,” she said.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mary expected to see her father out in front,
also peering down through the darkness for the
approach of Tom’s headlights, for the young
inventor and Mr. Nestor were firm friends.
But the glow of two cigars on a side porch and
the murmur of voices there told Mary that her
father had met Mr. Goodrich, from next door,
and the two were visiting.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Where are you going, Mary?” her father
called to her as he heard her go out the front
gate.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“To look for Tom. He’ll be along pretty
soon.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Though the girl peered sharply all along the
quarter of a mile that lay between her house and
Highfield Lane, she did not see her lover.
Then she turned into the lane proper and
caught sight of the glowing lights of a car she
knew, because of their peculiar position, to be
on the runabout.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here he comes now!” Mary exclaimed. A
moment later she was aware that the lights were
not moving. The car was standing still. “He
must have had a break down,” thought Mary.
She knew, from often having ridden in it, that
the car lights were hooked up to a separate battery
from the powerful ones that operated the
motor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>When the girl, wondering what had happened,
hurried toward the machine, she stumbled over
Tom’s body, prone on the ground. She recognized
him by the light from the car lamps.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, Tom! what has happened?” she cried.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was no answer, and when Mary put her
hands to his head she felt a dampness that told
of blood. But she was a girl of grit and spunk,
and, exerting all her strength, she managed to
half drag, half lift Tom into the machine. Mary
knew how to operate the runabout, but when
she turned on the current there was no response
and she realized that the batteries were useless.</p>
<p class='pindent'>She hardly knew what to do, but was about
to shout and summon help. Should this fail to
bring assistance, she planned to hurry to the
nearest house. But just as she was about to
call she became aware of an approaching car.</p>
<p class='pindent'>For a moment she feared that it was Tom’s
assailant returning to finish the cruel work, for
that Tom had been attacked Mary at once
guessed. But the car proved to contain a man
whom Mary knew, and when he had stopped in
response to her frantic hail he helped her lift
the unconscious form into his car and took Tom
to the Nestor home.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Nothing but a nasty crack on the skull,”
said Dr. Blake, who was hastily summoned, and
he soon restored Tom to consciousness, after
which the young inventor looked around him
curiously and murmured a question as to what
had happened and how he got where he was.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mary told of having stumbled over his unconscious
body, and then Tom remembered.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s a plot!” he exclaimed. “They want to
get me out of the world race!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who would do such a thing, Tom?” asked
Mr. Nestor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There are several who would have an object
in keeping the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> out of the contest.
The Red Arrow people for one.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom did not mention the name of Hussy, but
it was this scoundrel whom he had in mind as
the author of his misfortune. He had not seen,
and had only faintly heard the noise of the man
emerging from the bushes, for Tom had been
struck down very suddenly. But he strongly
suspected the man who had been caught in the
wooden trap.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom’s strong constitution and his robust
health enabled him to recover quickly from the
blow, which had been a glancing one, and by
midnight he was able to proceed back home.
Mary insisted that she and her father accompany
him in a taxi, and Tom was glad of the
company.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Before he went to bed he sent Koku and a
mechanic back to tow in the stalled runabout,
and the next day, though suffering from a
severe headache, the inventor examined the
motors and batteries of his machine, finding that
both had been tampered with.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hussy, or whoever it was, left just enough
juice for me to get to the lane,” reasoned Tom.
“He knew I’d stall there and he was waiting
for me. But this means I am still being spied
upon. I’ve got to take more precautions.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>As Tom was expected in New York that day
to sign final papers in the contest, he left Ned
in charge of the works, with Eradicate and
Koku to help guard them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Dey ain’t nobody gwine to git in even to
smell dat <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> while I’s heah!” declared
the colored man.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Me—I sit on um when um come in!” stated
Koku, in his own peculiar way.</p>
<p class='pindent'>In due time Tom was in the <span class='it'>Illustrated Star</span>
office. There he met a number of the other
contestants. The young inventor knew some
of them as men who had made reputations
piloting fast automobiles, aeroplanes, or speed
boats.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, Kimball, what’s your game?” asked
Tom of a man with whom he had several times
raced at county fairs in autos.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Tom, I’ve got ’em all beat, including you!”
declared Jed Kimball, with a good-natured
smile. “I’ve got an air hydroplane that’s a
wonder. If I don’t circle the globe in fifteen
days I won’t take a cent of the hundred thousand
dollars.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, you won’t!” Tom chuckled.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He turned to Bob Denman, a rich and sporty
young fellow who had been in several balloon
and aeroplane accidents. He loved sport for
the sport of it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, Bob,” asked Tom, as he shook hands
with him, “are you going in for it?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I sure am.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Balloon or skyplane?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Neither, Tom. I’m going by special trains
and steamers. I’ll be back on the starting field
waiting for the rest of you fellows to come and
have lunch with me after I win that hundred
thousand. You can boast all you like about
fast motors, speed boats, and aeroplanes, but
I’m going to go by regular lanes of travel. I’ve
chartered five steamers and ten special trains to
take me around the world. There won’t be a
minute of delay, and I’ll finish as fresh as a
daisy.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If you finish at all!” laughed Tom. “Who’s
that?” he asked, pointing to an eccentric man
who was nervously pacing the office while waiting
for the newspaper officials to get the papers
ready for final signing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Some Professor Modby,” was the millionaire
sport’s answer. “He’s going in a new dirigible
that uses a gas he claims he can make out of
burning weeds, rotten potatoes or apples and,
on a pinch, from green grass.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He must be crazy,” murmured Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, he’s got a queer looking machine,”
stated Bob. “He showed me some photographs
of it. Looks like a combination of one of your
Airline Expresses and the <span class='it'>Los Angeles</span>.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Guess I haven’t much to fear from him,”
thought Tom, for he knew how the big dirigibles
suffer in stormy weather.</p>
<p class='pindent'>In a room opening out of the main one where
the various contestants were gathered a self-important
sounding voice was saying:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, I agreed to all your terms, and I want
to add one of my own. That part of the prize
money be devoted to charity. The concern I
represent doesn’t need the cash. It is only going
in to encourage others. So I would stipulate
that part of the prize, which we expect to win,
must go to charity.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If you win the hundred thousand, Mr. Kilborn,”
stated Mr. Elliot, the managing editor
of the <span class='it'>Illustrated Star</span>, “you may give it all to
charity if you wish. But we cannot now, at this
late hour, stipulate that. The prize will be paid
in cash to the winner, and he may do as he
pleases with it. Now if you will come out with
the others we will sign the final papers.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Kilborn!” muttered Tom to Bob Denman.
“Is that Dan Kilborn of the Red Arrow concern?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s the bird,” assented Bob. “He’s been
fussing around here all morning, telling what a
wonderful new hydroplane he has. Named after
the company—<span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>. He says he’s going
to burn up distance with it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let him try,” returned Tom, and then he
caught a nod from the boastful Kilborn, whom
he knew slightly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’d like to ask him how much his tool Hussy
told after his midnight visit to my shop,”
thought Tom. But he did not want to start
any unpleasant altercations in the newspaper
office.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Dan Kilborn was an ace of the World War
and had done well in France and had proved
himself a brave man. After the end of the conflict
he had gone into air racing, and since affiliating
himself with the Red Arrow concern
there were ugly stories going around that he
was not fair to other contestants in sky races.
Several other pilots had more or less openly accused
Kilborn of banking so close to them as to
endanger their planes. But Kilborn only
laughed this off.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If he tries any trick with me,” muttered
Tom, “I’ll show him where he can get off, and
I won’t provide a parachute, either!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The terms of the contest were explained by
Mr. Elliot, all present agreed to them and the
final signatures were affixed. The start was to
be made that day a week, from a large field in
Long Island, whence all must start at once.
From that field the air machines would take off,
and those who were to cover the first leg of
their journey in water craft must leave the field
in autos which would convey them to the docks
where their boats or hydroplanes were moored.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Time will be counted as soon as the cannon
is fired on the starting field,” said Mr. Elliot.
“Contestants can travel in any way they choose,
and the one back on the field in the shortest
actual time, with proof that he has really circled
the globe, will win. Now then, gentlemen,
I wish you all the best of luck.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom hurried back to Shopton. There were
still some things to do on and about his craft,
but a few days later all would be in readiness
for the start. In order to get a chance to tune
his craft up a day or so in advance of the actual
start from Long Island, Tom planned to fly
there and wait until the signal cannon was fired.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But who are going to be the others of your
crew?” asked Ned the day before the start for
Long Island. “You said there would be five,
but you, Peltok and I are only three. Is Mr.
Damon going?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bless my parachute, I wish I was!” exclaimed
the eccentric man. “I’m going to put
a big bet down on you, Tom, but I can’t go with
you.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Why not?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“My wife won’t let me. She says it’s too
dangerous for an old man. Good night! I’m
not old!” asserted Mr. Damon. He certainly
was not, in spirit at least.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ve got two young fellows who will form
the others of the crew,” Tom said as Mary Nestor
came to where he and Ned were standing.
For there was to be a christening ceremony and
Mary was to break a bottle of ginger ale on the
sharp nose of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>. “There they
are now,” he added, as two figures approached.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Why, Tom!” exclaimed Mary as she saw
them, “those look like the two men who rescued
you and me when the plane almost took a
nose dive into the cranberry bog.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They not only <span class='it'>look</span> like them but they <span class='it'>are</span>
those lads,” chuckled Tom as he introduced Joe
Hartman and Bill Brinkley to Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>They nodded and smiled at Mary. After the
rescue Tom had made some inquiries about
these automobile mechanics and, learning that
Hartman had been an efficient flying man in
France while Brinkley had managed one of the
big tanks, Tom concluded they were just the
men he wanted.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Accordingly, he had engaged them, much to
their delight, and they were now ready to set
off on the trip around the world. They went
into raptures over the mechanical perfection of
Tom’s latest machine.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, Mary, I guess it’s up to you,” said
Tom a little later when the invited guests had
all assembled. “Do your stuff!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What do you mean, Tom?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I mean christen my bus.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are you going to make a speech?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I am not!” was his hasty reply. “I’ve got
enough else to do to get ready for the take-off
to-morrow morning. Come on now, my dear,
make it snappy!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mary made it snappy by cracking the bottle
of ginger ale on the prow of the shining craft
and murmuring:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I christen you <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And long may she sail!” cried Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>After this the workmen and guests gave three
cheers and the informal ceremony was over.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bless my fountain pen,” murmured Mr. Damon,
a bit sadly as he looked at the beautiful
machine, “I wish I was going!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom, with the help of Ned, Peltok, and the
two mechanics, spent the remainder of the day
putting the finishing touches on the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.
Stores were taken aboard, together with
a supply of a new form of gasoline Tom had
perfected in spite of having been nearly blown
up by it. There was not enough of this for the
entire trip, and it was impossible to provide
any at various stopping places or stations
around the world. So what had been made was
to be reserved for special occasions where great
power or speed was needed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I guess everything is ready for the
hop-off to-morrow morning,” said Tom to Ned
that night as they made a last inspection of the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> in her hangar, which stood in a
field not far from Tom’s house. “I hope everything
will be all right.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It won’t be your fault if it isn’t,” stated
Ned. “But if any little thing wrong develops
you’ll have time to tinker with it on the Long
Island field, won’t you?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, yes! But I don’t like these last-minute
repairs. I’m hoping I sha'n’t have to make
any.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Same here,” murmured Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom and Ned were sleeping in adjoining
rooms, and it must have been some time after
midnight that they were awakened by hearing
a commotion in the hangar where the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was kept. Several shots were fired, and
Koku’s booming voice could be heard saying:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Master! Master! Come! Bad man try to
break in!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’re after my machine!” yelled Tom,
leaping from his bed and taking an automatic
pistol that lay ready to his hand. Ned, too,
leaped after his friend to do battle with the
midnight prowlers.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch9'>CHAPTER IX<br> <span class='sub-head'>THEY'RE OFF!</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Out</span> into the night rushed Tom Swift and
Ned Newton. They quickly shook the sleep
from them and were ready to fight. A noise and
commotion in the vicinity of the hangar where
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> rested drew them in that direction.
Several figures were seen rushing about
in the gloom, and Ned easily made out the form
of the giant.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the row, Koku?” yelled Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bad mans!” was all the giant could say, and
then Tom and his chum saw him start to run
after a man who was trying to get away.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Burglars, dat’s what dey is!” shouted Eradicate.
“Tryin’ to steal yo’ new machine, Massa
Tom!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’ll have some job if they try to steal
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch!</span>” the young inventor exclaimed.
“I’ve got the motor doubly locked.
But they may damage her.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who?” asked Ned, as he ran on beside his
chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That bunch from the Red Arrow concern,
I suspect,” was Tom’s answer. “There goes
one!” he cried as a second figure, besides the
one Koku was after, started away.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom sped after this fellow with Ned closely
following. As the two ran on there came a
sliver of flame in the darkness, followed by the
report of a shot, and Koku yelled.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’ve winged the giant!” shouted Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It will take more than one bullet to stop
him!” panted Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Another shot was fired, and then came a yell
of fear and terror. But it was not the voice of
the giant It was the cry of an ordinary man,
and Ned guessed what had happened and yelled:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Koku got his man!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>This was proved a moment later as the giant
shouted:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Me got ’im! Me got ’im!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom, however, was too busy chasing after his
quarry to pay much attention to his big guard
who, he expected, could look after himself.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The fellow Tom was chasing was running
fast, but he was no match for the young inventor
whose anger lent him added speed, and just
as the retreating form reached the outer gate of
the big fence which surrounded the hangar, Tom
made a flying football tackle and downed his
man.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let me go! Let me go!” the intruder
pleaded.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not much I won’t!” panted Tom, as he got
a firm hold on his man. “And I think I know
who you are, too! Here, Ned! Bring that
flashlight!” the inventor shouted.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A moment later the financial manager had
joined his chum, aiding him in subduing the
rascal. Then, when the fellow, thoroughly
cowed, was taken in charge by several workmen
who had been aroused by the alarm, the
light was focused on his face.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I thought so!” exclaimed Tom, as he scanned
the features. “Hussy! You got trapped
again, but in a different way!” chuckled Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If you know what’s good for you, let me
go!” snarled the man, endeavoring to break
away. But he was too firmly held for that.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll let you go after I start on my world
trip, and not before!” declared Tom. “Hold
him,” he directed to his men. “And we’ll see
who Koku got!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The giant and Eradicate could be heard approaching,
the big man muttering again and
again:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Me got ’im! Me got ’im!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>While Eradicate, not to be left out, added:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I help cotch him, too! I tripped him up wif
mah foot!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good work, Rad! And you, also, Koku!”
cried Tom. “Bring him here!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The second prisoner was placed alongside of
Hussy, the latter scowling over his fate. Tom
looked at the fellow Koku and Eradicate had
caught, but found him a stranger.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Though I don’t doubt,” said Tom to Ned,
“that he’s one of the Red Arrow gang. Well,
two in one night isn’t so bad. Lock ’em up,
men,” he said to his employees, several more of
whom came running up, for a general alarm
had sounded throughout the works. Many of
the mechanics lived close to the shops.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Lock us up!” burst out Hussy. “You don’t
dare do that!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Don’t I?” cried Tom angrily. “You’ll soon
see! Why shouldn’t I dare, you trespassing,
thieving rascal?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Hussy and his companion, the latter saying
nothing, were hustled off to one of the shops
and locked in a steel enameling oven, where
various parts of machinery were baked to give
them a high polish. There was no fire under
the oven when the prisoners were put in, of
course, and the steel cage made a most effective
jail.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“In the morning you’ll be locked in regular
cells,” Tom said.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You don’t dare hold us!” stormed Hussy.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’ve got another guess coming,” Tom
chuckled. Then, when a guard had been posted
near the prisoners, the young inventor asked
Koku and Eradicate what had happened.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It developed that the two who were on guard
had heard a disturbance shortly after midnight,
and, investigating, had seen Hussy and his companion
sneaking into the hangar. At once the
colored man and the giant gave the alarm and
rushed to capture the intruders, the end of the
affair coming about when Tom and Ned joined
the party.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What was their game?” asked Ned, when
he and Tom had made sure the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
had not been tampered with.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, they couldn’t hope to steal any of my
patent ideas in time to add them to their machine,”
decided Tom. “There isn’t opportunity
for that, with the start of the race almost
here. I think they were trying to disable my
machine so I couldn’t start. Kilborn and his
bunch know I’m the most dangerous rival in
this globe-circling race, and with me out of the
way they stand a good chance to win. They
wanted to cripple the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, I’m sure.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But they didn’t!” echoed Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, they didn’t,” echoed Tom, “thanks to
Rad and Koku.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Additional guards were placed about the
hangar for the remainder of the night, but there
was no further disturbance and early in the
morning Tom had the two prisoners, in spite of
their strenuous objections, taken to the Shopton
jail where they were held in default of heavy
bail on a charge of breaking and entering with
intent to steal. They had broken a lock on the
big gate to get in, but had been detected in
time.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’d better withdraw this charge against
me, Swift!” stormed Hussy when he was being
arraigned before being taken off to jail.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Withdraw nothing!” snapped the young inventor.
“You’re going to stay locked up a
long time! Kilborn will have to get along
without you and your pal!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>A dangerous look came into the eyes of the
trapped man. He shook his fist at Tom when
being led back to a cell and muttered:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’ll be sorry for this, Tom Swift!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>But Tom was not worried and hastened back
to his hangar to make ready for the flight to
Long Island whence the world race would start
the following day.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was little ceremony attendant upon the
departure of Tom and his friends from Shopton,
since Mr. Swift, Mary, and Mr. Damon
had arranged to see them off in Long Island.
When the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> had been gone over finally
by Tom and his mechanics, the craft was
wheeled out of the hangar, the five who were
to make the trip got into the cabin, and Tom,
at the motor controls and steering levers, called:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All clear?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All clear!” answered Mr. Jackson.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let’s go, then!” exclaimed the young inventor,
and with a wave of his hand to his father,
Mary, Mr. Damon, and the crowd of workmen,
Tom pulled the starting lever.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The big propellers began whizzing, the machine
moved across the smooth aero field with
ever increasing speed, and a moment later took
the air with the ease and lightness of a regular
aeroplane and not like the heavy craft she was.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Starts well!” observed Ned in the cabin beside
his chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Like a sewing machine!” said Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Up and up he pointed the nose of his craft
and they were soon headed for Long Island.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Never have I ridden in a better craft,” declared
Peltok who, with Brinkley and Hartman,
was in charge of the machinery. “She is perfect!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That remains to be seen,” said Tom, though
he was much pleased. “We haven’t really
started yet.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>No attempt was made to get speed out of the
craft on what was, practically, but another trial
flight. But Tom knew he had plenty of power
in reserve. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> had been tried
in the air, on land, and in water and had performed
perfectly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Under the skilled hands of the three mechanics
the machine behaved well and in a comparatively
short time she settled gracefully down
on the field in Long Island and took her appointed
place. Many other machines were already
there, and others were constantly arriving.
The field was a busy place. All contestants
had to start from there, though those going
in motor boats, or by trains and steamers
would, as has been said, leave in autos which
would take them to the beginning of the first
leg of their journey. But time would start to
be counted when the cannon boomed on the
field.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There were two or three free balloons and
several small dirigibles, including the one operated
by Professor Modby and his crew. The
<span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> hydroplane was floating in Long
Island Sound, not far away, and Kilborn planned
to reach his craft in a speedy auto. He was
walking about his car when Tom got out of the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“So, that’s what you hope to win with, is it?”
sneered Kilborn.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s the little old bus!” said Tom, with a
grin. “And I’m afraid you aren’t going to have
all the company you counted on to be with you
during your trip.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Company? What do you mean?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I mean that Hussy and the man you sent
with him to tamper with my machine are arrested
and locked up in the Shopton jail,” said
Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hussy arrested?” gasped Kilborn. “I told
him—I mean I didn’t send him to do anything
to your craft!” he cried quickly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Didn’t you?” asked Tom, with a smile.
“Well, he didn’t get a chance to do anything,
though he tried. But if you’re looking for
Hussy—call up the jail!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Kilborn muttered something under his breath
and turned away.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I guess that will hold him for a while,”
chuckled Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>From then on Tom and his crew were kept
busy. There were many last-minute things to
be done and final adjustments to be made to the
motors, as well as food supplies to put on board.
So it was not until night that Tom and Ned
found time to rest.</p>
<p class='pindent'>All the other contestants were equally busy,
and many police were required to keep back the
curious crowds. The start was to be made in
the morning, and Tom and Ned arranged with
some workmen from the shops to guard the <span class='it'>Air
Monarch</span> zealously during the hours of darkness.</p>
<p class='pindent'>In spite of fears that something might happen,
nothing did, and when morning dawned
clear and bright it was seen that the day of the
start was perfect. Tom and his crew were up
early, making final changes and adjustments, as
all the other contestants were doing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Final instructions were given, and the rules
gone over again to make sure all understood.
Mr. Damon, Tom’s father, Mary and her father
and other friends arrived by auto to see the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> take off. All the other contestants
had scores of friends also, so the field was
a mass of humanity.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There goes the warning gun!” cried Ned as
a shot boomed out. “Are you all ready, Tom?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All ready!” was the answer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Stand clear!” came the order from Peltok.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good-bye, Mary! Good-bye!” called Tom
to his sweetheart.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good-bye!” she echoed. “I know you’re going
to win!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Thanks! I hope I shall!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Tom, remember, I’ve got my money on
you!” said Mr. Swift, with a smile.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll not forget, Dad!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bless my Liberty Bonds, I’ve got a bet on
you myself, Tom!” exclaimed Mr. Damon.
“Oh, dear!” he sighed, as he saw the final preparations
for the start, “if it wasn’t for my wife
I’d go, even now!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You just let me see you get on that ship!”
said Mrs. Damon in a low voice close to her
husband’s ear.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, I’m not going to, my dear! I’m not
going to!” he said hastily.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Ready?” called the official starter.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Ready!” answered Tom Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Ready!” came from the other contestants.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Boom!” echoed the big cannon.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’re off!” yelled the crowd, and with a
roar of her exhaust pipes the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> shot
across the field, followed by several other craft
seeking to beat her.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The globe-circling race had started!</p>
<div><h1 id='ch10'>CHAPTER X<br> <span class='sub-head'>ACROSS THE OCEAN</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“There</span> goes the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>!” said Ned,
standing beside Tom in the control cabin as
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> mounted the air and they
could look down on the earth. “He made good
time!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll say he did,” agreed Tom, who was turning
on a little more power, now that his craft
was in the air. “Some bus he’s got there, too!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> hydroplane was, in truth, a
craft not to be despised. Kilborn had left the
starting field in a swift automobile. He had
given orders that the motors of his hydroplane
were to be kept turning over so that he could
get aboard and start at once. This he had
done, and, as she was moored not far from the
aero field, had taken the air only a little behind
Tom Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There goes the dirigible—I mean Modby’s,”
went on Ned, who was viewing the start of the
other contestants while Tom attended to the
running of his machine.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He must have had some trouble with his
motors,” the inventor stated.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He did,” agreed Ned. “He’s a bit late in
starting. Well, I wish Modby all sorts of luck,
but I’m afraid he hasn’t much of a chance.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Professor Modby was considered a friendly
rival, for he and Tom had been associated in
aeroplane research on several occasions. The
<span class='it'>Cloud</span>, as the big dirigible had been named, was
now soaring into the air, but her speed was as
nothing compared to that of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.
Ned noticed, however, that the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> was
a very fast machine, and she might prove a
dangerous rival, for she was not as heavy as
Tom’s craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But this is only the beginning,” murmured
the young inventor, as he noticed how the <span class='it'>Red
Arrow</span> was picking up speed. “We’ve got to
go twenty days yet—more or less,” he added,
with a grim smile.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Bob Denman, the millionaire sport, had
started from the flying field in a rush in one of
his high-powered cars. He was off to catch a
special train that would hurry him across the
United States. He said he would take a special
steamer in San Francisco, cross the Pacific, and
then, by means of other special trains and boats,
endeavor to come in ahead of everybody else.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Jed Kimball, in an aeroplane somewhat like
the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>, also got off to a good start, but
some of the other contestants, especially one in
a free balloon, did not have such good luck.
One of the big hydrogen gas balloons, of which
there were several, was caught by an adverse
wind soon after rising and entangled in a clump
of trees. Tom and Ned had only time to observe
this before they were out of sight, speeding
on their way over the Atlantic Ocean.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was no rule as to what direction the
contestants must take in this world race. They
could start east or west. Those who started
west would cross the United States and then go
over the Pacific, as Bob Denman planned to do.
They would come to the Japanese Islands in
due time, cross China, Persia, the top of Africa,
perhaps go across the Mediterranean Sea and so
reach the Atlantic. Crossing this they would
again reach the eastern shore of America and
so complete the circuit.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom’s plan, and that of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> and
several hydroplanes, dirigibles and other aircraft,
was to cross the Atlantic first, then go
over Europe and Asia, reach the Pacific, and
eventually get to the western coast of the United
States, crossing that as the last leg of their
journey.</p>
<p class='pindent'>When he had seen to it that the motors were
working well under the care of Peltok, Brinkley
and Hartman, Tom let the linguistic foreigner
take the controls while he and Ned went to
their stateroom, which they shared in common,
to go over the route in detail.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This is going to be our route, Ned,” said
Tom, as he laid a large map on the table and
pointed to a red line approximately running
along the fortieth degree of north latitude.
“We’ll cruise due east from where we started,
bearing a bit south, and head for the Azores.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Going to land there?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not unless we have to,” said Tom. “We’re
going to keep moving all the while.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“At the rate of two hundred and fifty miles
an hour,” said Ned, “we can——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We can’t keep up a speed of two fifty per
hour for more than a little stretch at a time,”
interrupted Tom. “In fact, I don’t expect to
reach that rate for another day. It would rack
my engines to pieces to maintain it for any
length of time. I can do it, but I’m going to
save that burst of speed for emergencies. No,
if we can average a hundred miles an hour in
the air we’ll be doing well. And when we have
to land and taxi along, or when we have to go
as a boat, we won’t do that, of course.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Where do you go from the Azores?” asked
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We don’t exactly go to the Azores Islands,”
corrected Tom. “We’ll fly above them if I hit
the right route. From there we head for Spain,
move along across the Mediterranean and over
the northern part of Turkey and then across
China. We may land in the Philippines before
we complete the trip across the Pacific.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And then from there you’ll head for San
Francisco I take it?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s the idea. You know, don’t you, that
I had the Airline Express sent on to ’Frisco to
be held in readiness there?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, you told me you did,” admitted Ned.
“But I didn’t quite grasp the idea.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Simply providing for emergencies,” went on
Tom. “The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> may have a breakdown
when we get over the United States again,
and if an Express machine is waiting for me I
can just hop aboard her and complete the trip—on
time I hope.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Ned turned again to the route map, and then
glanced out of the cabin windows.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We seem to be having it all our own way for
the present. Nothing else is in sight,” he stated.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s getting a bit hazy,” remarked Tom as
he glanced at several gages and distance indicators
on the wall. “We’re over the ocean now.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Over the Atlantic so soon?” cried Ned.
“That’s right, quite a way out too, I hope,” he
added. “Let’s see what Peltok says.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>They went to the steering compartment where
the man who spoke so many languages was
guiding the craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We are a hundred miles out from the end of
Long Island,” Peltoc stated, after making some
computations.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Whew!” whistled Ned. “A hundred miles
and we haven’t been going an hour.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, yes, it’s a little longer than that,” said
Peltok, with a smile. “But we are making fairly
good time. I have increased the speed a little,”
he said to Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s right. We want to make all the distance
we can while the weather is good and
while we have daylight. Night flying is going
to slow us up a bit. If you don’t believe you’re
pretty well out, Ned, look down!” invited Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He pulled a lever and Ned gave a cry as the
bottom of the craft seemed to open, disclosing
below him heaving ocean waves!</p>
<div><h1 id='ch11'>CHAPTER XI<br> <span class='sub-head'>FORCED DOWN</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“What’s</span> the matter?” asked Tom, with a
smile, as he beheld Ned’s amazement.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I thought the bottom was dropping out of
the machine!” gasped the financial manager of
the Swift concern.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Just a plate glass window in the floor,” Tom
explained, with a chuckle. “It enables us to
take a look below without sticking our heads out
of the windows and looking over the side. Yes,
that’s the old Atlantic there,” and he pointed to
the heaving, foam-tipped waves that were
lazily surging far down beneath them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was now well up and moving
eastward at fast speed. As the motors
warmed up, Peltok fed them more and more
gasoline until they were approaching their
maximum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Meanwhile Brinkley and Hartman were going
about adjusting bearings, putting oil where
it was needed, and doing general work. Being
a new machine, the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> needed more
oil than a craft that had been run some time
and whose bearings would have been worn to
smoothness.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, we’re on our way,” remarked Tom, as
he moved about the cabin looking at the indicators,
noting the speed, and having a general
eye to the performance of his newest and pet
craft. “We’re on our way, and in less than
three weeks, if we have luck, we’ll be right back
where we started.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you think you can do it?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom did not answer for a moment. Then,
with a serious look on his face, he said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s taking a big chance, Ned. Twenty days
is a very short time to circle the world. I know
we talk about aeroplanes that do two hundred
and fifty miles an hour. And if one could keep
that up for a hundred hours the trick would be
pulled off in about four days. But no machine
made can keep that speed up constantly. Not
enough gasoline or oil could be carried for a
continuous flight of that kind. A man would
have to come down several times to replenish.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Of course the hundred thousand dollar prize
offer doesn’t specify that the world must be
circled in twenty days. If it takes thirty days
to do it, the one who gets under the wire first,
having used up less time than any of the others,
will win. But there’s dad’s bet of twenty thousand
with Mr. Burch and Mr. Trace. That
specifies twenty days.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Evidently they don’t think you have much
of a chance, Tom,” said Ned. “They didn’t
even come to Long Island to see you start.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, they weren’t there. And I guess they
think they have dad’s money won. But though
they couldn’t be there, they were sports enough
to wish me good luck in a telegram. It came
just before we took off. But I don’t really believe
they think their money is in danger. I’m
going to do my best, though, to win for dad’s
sake and my own. That hundred thousand will
come in very useful, Ned.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll say it will! You’ve been spending a lot
lately, and you owe Mr. Jacks fifteen thousand.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll pay him!” Tom said with a determined
air. “We’ll be on easy street if I can flash
home a winner. And she’s running mighty
sweet now,” he added, as he listened to the purr
and hum of the motors and the throb of the
propellers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A look around them showed no other contesting
aircraft in sight. But that did not mean
none were racing them for the prize. The <span class='it'>Red
Arrow</span> might be close by, hidden from them in
the mist. Below them were several motor boats
and a steamer or two, and whether or not any of
these were the craft trying for the prize Tom
Swift did not know.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you think Kilborn and his crowd will
make any trouble for you?” asked Ned when he
and Tom were sitting at ease, lulled by the
speedy, even motion of their craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I think they’ll try,” was the answer.
“They’re desperate, for some reason or other.
One is that they want to beat me, of course.
Another is that there has been for some time a
trade rivalry between us. As you know, I’ve
been making aeroplanes for a concern and Kilborn
and his crowd are trying to get the business
away from me. If I win this international race
it will be a big feather in my cap. The Swift
aeroplanes will get a big advertisement out of
it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I see,” murmured Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Brinkley appeared in the doorway of the room
where Tom and Ned were sitting. There was
a grin on the face of the former tank man.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What is it?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Come and get it!” answered the other.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Grub ready so soon?” asked Ned, who recognized
the cook’s method of summoning them
to eat.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Grub is ready,” repeated Brinkley.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Time went mighty fast,” Tom said. “I forgot
all about cooking or eating. We really
didn’t settle on who was to be cook.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, Joe sort of wished it onto me,” went
on Brinkley, with another grin. “I had a hand
in it when I was running a tank over on the
other side,” he went on, “and if you want me to,
I’ll keep at it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll tell you better after I eat this grub you
say is ready,” laughed Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s a fair proposition,” admitted Brinkley.
“Well, anyhow, it’s ready. You two can
eat and Joe and I will take a shot at the grub
later.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes,” assented Tom. “Somebody’s got to
run the ship.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>They went out to the little dining apartment,
and appetizing odors greeted the noses of Tom
and Ned. They sniffed hungrily and soon were
doing full justice to the meal.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’re elected, Brinkley!” cried Tom when
half way through the menu.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Second the motion!” echoed Ned, who was
also doing his full share with knife and fork.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Cooking aboard the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was done
on a gasoline stove. Since no hydrogen gas
was carried, as is the case in most dirigibles and
balloons that cannot get helium, there was no
danger of any explosion from an open flame.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was plenty of food on board, and Tom
planned to buy more whenever a landing was
made. He knew he would have to land several
times along the world-circling route to enable
gasoline, oil and other supplies to be taken
aboard.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The meal was nearly over and Tom was calculating
how far they had come and what speed
they had made so far, while Ned was debating
with himself whether he could eat another slice
of boiled ham, when there came a series of loud
noises from the motor compartment back of the
dining salon.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s that?” cried Tom starting up.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“One of the main bearings has burned out!”
exclaimed Hartman. “Oil feed failed. The
bearing’s red-hot!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>At the same moment the craft began to lose
speed. Ned felt her being forced down, for
when it does not move fast enough to overcome
the pull of gravity, an aeroplane must fall.
Slower and slower moved the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, and
lower and lower she sank toward the heaving
surface of the Atlantic.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch12'>CHAPTER XII<br> <span class='sub-head'>THE HURRICANE</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“What’s</span> going to happen, Tom?” asked Ned
as he saw his chum leap toward the motor room.
“Are we in danger?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“In danger of losing time on account of a
hot bearing, yes,” admitted Tom. “But in no
danger as far as being forced down is concerned.
I had planned for this—a landing in the sea.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Our boat-like body will keep us afloat,” explained
Brinkley to Ned, whose strong point
was certainly not mechanics, but finance. “You
know we’re a hydroplane as well as an aeroplane.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I had forgotten it for a moment,” admitted
Tom’s chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The first alarm over, he watched Tom and the
three mechanics so manipulate the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
as to bring her out of the partial nose dive
into which she had fallen on losing speed. She
was now coming down to the sea on a gentle
slant.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t like nose dives!” murmured Tom,
remembering the peril which he and Mary had
so narrowly escaped from with the help of
Brinkley and Hartman.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll make a three point landing,” observed
Peltok as Tom, taking charge, began to guide
his craft toward the waves which Ned could see,
through the plate glass bottom in the cabin,
rushing, as it were, up to meet them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Not quite as gently as a feather, but with
hardly enough of a jar to spill the water in the
glasses on the table which Tom and Ned had
quit in such a hurry, the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> sank to
the surface of the sea where she rode easily under
the influence of a gentle swell.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are we going to stay here?” Ned asked,
when he found that the craft was making no
forward progress.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not any longer than we can help,” Tom answered.
“Every minute counts when you’re
trying to circle the globe in twenty days. But
we’ll have to wait for that bearing to cool. Did
she chew up the metal?” he asked Peltok, referring
to the soft anti-friction lining material
which the axle, or shaft, of any fast-moving
machine comes in contact with instead of directly
on the bearing itself.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid so,” was the answer. “But I can
cast a new journal for you.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good!” exclaimed Tom. “You three had
better get something to eat,” he added to Brinkley
and the others. “Ned and I will stand
watch. Not that there’s anything we can do
until she cools down, though,” he added, with a
rueful laugh.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Since the machinists had had nothing to eat
since early in the morning, before the take-off,
they did ample justice to the meal the tank man
had gotten ready.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Meanwhile, Tom and Ned went to the engine
room to examine the damage. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was gently rising and falling on a long swell.
Just where they had come down Tom did not
know, without taking a marine observation, but
he judged it to be perhaps four or five hundred
miles off the Atlantic coast—not a bad bit of
distance to have covered in this time. But of
course he realized he would have to do much
better than this to win the race.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It did not take Tom long to find the overheated
bearing. It had become red-hot from
lack of oil, which was supposed to be fed to it
constantly, but it was now cooling down and
when it was completely cool the burned anti-friction
metal could be cut out and new put in.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s what did the damage!” exclaimed
Tom as he unscrewed the coupling of
a small copper oil feed pipe and took out a little
ball of what seemed to be rubber. “That
kept the oil from cooling the bearing.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you think the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> imps had anything
to do with that?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s possible, of course,” Tom replied. “But
hardly probable. This isn’t one of the main
bearings, and the oil feed pipe would be hard to
get at to tinker with. Hussy and that fellow
we caught in the hangar night before last didn’t
have time to unscrew the coupling, slip in the
rubber, and then put it together again. And it
was all right when we started.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What I think is that this bit of rubber came
from a gasket—it just naturally worked loose
and was forced into the pipe. I use a forced
feed oil system. It’s just one of those accidents
that will happen. Lucky it wasn’t any worse.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Have we got to lay to like this until the
bearing is fixed?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No,” Tom said, after looking over the motors.
“We can taxi along on the surface with
one motor, but of course not as fast as if the
two were working. However, it will help some,
and every mile and minute count. Whew, she
certainly got hot!” he exclaimed, as he burned
himself slightly from putting his hand for too
long a period on the defective bearing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The three machinists were so eager to make
repairs and hop off again that they hurried
through their dinner and were soon in the motor
room again. There Peltok proved his worth,
as did Hartman and Brinkley. They wasted no
time, but began taking down the motor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>While the aeroplane man and his tank companion
did this, Peltok was busy casting a new
bearing, filing it down to a perfect fit so the axle
would run smoothly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Will it bother you if I start up with one
motor?” asked Tom of the three who were
working at top speed to finish the repairs in the
shortest possible time.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not a bit!” Peltok answered. “You can’t
go very fast with only one motor running, and
she’ll ride on a pretty even keel, for there is
scarcely any sea at all—it’s almost a dead
calm.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But it isn’t going to remain so long,” stated
Ned, who knew a little of weather signs.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Why not?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The glass is falling,” and Ned pointed to the
barometer. “I think we’re in for a storm.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It does look so,” remarked Tom, who noted
the reading now and compared it with the
height of the mercury column when they had
started. “I guess we’re in for a blow. It will
be better to take it up above than down here.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll finish this as soon as we can,” said
Peltok, but there was no occasion to say that.
Tom and Ned could see that the three were
doing their best.</p>
<p class='pindent'>So, having learned that he would not disturb
them by sending his craft along, the young inventor
started the undamaged motor and soon
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was moving at fairly rapid
speed over the surface of the calm sea. Tom
steered by a binnacle compass, heading due
east, and knew that every mile he gained was
so much to the good.</p>
<p class='pindent'>With the other motor in commission, he knew
he could more than double the present speed.
But his main reliance was going to be travel in
the air, for that was his speediest medium.</p>
<p class='pindent'>After about an hour, during which the craft
had sped along for several miles over the sea,
they ran into a thick fog, which seemed another
indication of a change in the weather.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Got a fog horn?” asked Ned, as he stood
beside Tom in the motor control cabin.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What for?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“To signal so we won’t run into any ships.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I guess we won’t be down on the sea much
longer,” Tom said, for he had asked Ned to
take the wheel while he went back to note what
progress the three mechanics were making.
“They have almost finished. We’ll be going up
directly.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Glad of it,” remarked Ned. “I don’t like it
down here—not in a fog.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s no danger,” began Tom, with a
laugh. “I’ll take a chance——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He was interrupted by a heavy, throbbing
noise in the air over their heads. The fog was
too thick to enable them to see what it was, but
Ned cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Wind!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Of a sort—yes!” admitted Tom. “But it’s
wind from the propellers of some sort of an aeroplane!
There’s a craft passing overhead.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>When Ned listened more carefully he knew
this to be right. Some big dirigible or aeroplane
was passing above them, and the throb of
her motors and the beat of her propellers could
plainly be heard.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Think that might be the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> passing
us?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s possible,” Tom admitted. “She’s got
powerful motors.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>They looked upward, trying to pierce the fog,
and a moment later the wind began to blow,
tearing the blanket of vapor apart. It was just
in time for Tom and Ned to see, high up, a great
craft heading toward the east. But whether it
was the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> or some other machine they
could not tell. It seemed likely that it was one
which was racing against Tom for the world
circuit prize.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then the fog drifted in again and there was
a wall of white all about them. Ned looked at
the glass once more and found that it was still
dropping. As he took this in he gave a low
whistle.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s going to blow and blow soon,” he said
to Tom. “How much longer are we going to
be here?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not much longer, I hope,” answered the
young inventor a bit impatiently. The sight of
that big craft passing overhead had made him
apprehensive. “I’ll go and find out. Keep her
on this course, Ned,” and he turned the steering
wheel over to his chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Hardly had Tom gone back to the motor room
than the voice of Peltok was heard exclaiming:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“She’s done! The bearing is finished. Now
we can use the other engine!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>This was good news, and a few minutes later,
when it was made certain that the oil feed system
was working properly, the second motor
was started and the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> began to
gather speed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll be up in a minute,” Tom said, taking
the wheel from Ned. Hardly had he spoken
than as if a giant’s breath had blown it away,
the fog vanished and out of the west rushed a
wind of great force. It caught the craft broadside
on and heeled her over so far that she was
in danger of capsizing. But Tom speeded up
the starboard motor and pulled the machine
around just in time.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Go on up!” yelled Peltok. “There’s a hurricane
coming! Go on up!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Up she is!” echoed Tom Swift. With a motion
of his hand he turned more gasoline into
the motors and they roared out as if eager to
do their work. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> surged forward
over the surface of the sea, gathering speed
to enable her to lift herself into the air.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Just as Tom was about to pull the lever of
the rear elevating rudder planes, the hurricane
burst with all its force around the craft, twirling
her about, howling through the struts and
wire stays like ten thousand demons and sending
a shower of spray clear over the top wings.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re in for it now!” yelled Tom, as he
headed the craft up on a long slant.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch13'>CHAPTER XIII<br> <span class='sub-head'>A CLOSE CALL</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Doubtful</span> it was, for what seemed a long
time, whether or not the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> would
justify her name and rise from the water. She
seemed held fast to the surface of the sea along
which the craft was being driven by the force of
her propellers whirled by the two powerful motors,
now both working well.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Will she make it, Tom?” cried Ned, above
the roar and howl of the hurricane which seemed
bent on destroying the globe-circling craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Can’t tell yet,” was the grim answer.
“We’re just about holding our own and no
more!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom had headed his craft into the very teeth
of the strong wind, for this is the proper way in
which to make an aeroplane rise. If the pilot
should try to rise with the wind the chances are
that his ship’s tail would flip up and he’d find
himself standing on his head with the nose of
the machine buried deep in the earth.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But such was the power of the wind, and such
its peculiar downward pressing force that, for
a time, it seemed that the ship would not rise.
She seemed held down as by a giant’s hands.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ve got to get up more speed!” yelled Tom
to those in the motor room.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m giving her all the gas she’ll take!”
shouted Peltok.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Turn on the super-charger!” the young inventor
directed. “If ever we needed that high-test
gas of mine we need it now!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He referred to the new gasoline he had been
experimenting on when he had to leap through
the window of his shop to avoid being blown
up.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That ought to do the trick!” exclaimed Hartman,
who had seen some demonstrations of the
new fuel.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Turn it on,” cried Tom again, and his mechanics
made haste to carry out this order.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Meanwhile the hurricane was increasing in
violence. The wind howled as if in rage that
any man-made craft should try to fight it. The
sea, too, was whipped into salty spray and the
waves were rapidly becoming larger and more
dangerous. Two or three times water sprayed
all the way over the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, and when
Ned discovered that some was entering the interior
of the ship through an open window he
hastened to close it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All ready, Chief!” called Brinkley, addressing
Tom Swift. “Here goes for the super-charger!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If she doesn’t rise now she never will!” murmured
Tom as he yanked the throttle around to
turn on full power with the new fuel, a tank of
which had been hastily connected with the carburetor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>If the motors had hummed and purred before,
they fairly roared now with this new form of
gas, and Tom exulted in his heart.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It wouldn’t do to use that all the while,
though,” he said to himself. “It would rack
the engines to pieces. But it’s good to have in
an emergency. Now let’s see if we can take
off.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The craft was now skimming the surface of
the sea at a greater speed than she had ever before
attained on water. Tom pulled the throttle
back another notch, advanced his sparking
system a trifle, and then pulled the handle that
tilted the tail rudder. Until this was done the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> would sail along on an even keel.
But with the back rudder tilted so that a current
of air would strike on the lower surface,
the effect would be to elevate the nose of the
ship and send it up into the air on a long slant.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I hope she’ll work,” Tom told himself, as he
pulled the lever.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There came another burst of wind, and now it
began to rain in a torrent, while lightning flashed
from the cloud-obscured sky and the deep booming
of thunder seemed to shake the craft from
stem to stern.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The machine quivered. It seemed to be a
struggle between the elements of air and water
as to which should claim her, but in the end the
air won.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re rising!” cried Ned, who stood behind
Tom. But the young inventor had already
noted on the altitude gage that the machine was
leaving the sea and going up.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not much too soon, either!” muttered Peltok,
who stood with the two machinists in the
motor room where another gage showed them
that the fight was being won.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re all right now,” said Tom with an air
of relief as he guided his craft on a long slant
up through the wind, the rain, the lightning
and thunder. “We’re all right now.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The engines were still rotating furiously under
the power of the new gas, and Tom kept
them at this speed until he was well up above
the surface of the sea. Then, turning the craft
about, to take advantage of the wind, instead
of heading into it, he ordered the ordinary motor
fuel gasoline turned on and slowed down his
ship.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Slowed down, yes, but the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was
still moving along at a terrific speed. And Tom
knew that speed was necessary, for he had lost
considerable time. He had counted on some delays,
but the fewer of these there were the better.
And Tom preferred to have them come, if
they must, when he was back again on United
States soil. For if the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> failed him
then, he could use his Airline Express.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Up, up and up soared the powerful craft,
boring her way through the storm. Now she
was where she properly belonged, for though
Tom’s craft could travel on land or water she
was designed, primarily, for the air.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Going above the storm, Tom?” asked Ned
when things were more nearly normal aboard.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Going to try,” was the answer. “But there’s
a big area of disturbance, I think.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>So it proved. For it took an hour of hard
work before Tom could force his machine to
climb high enough to be above the howling
wind and rattling rain. But then the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
found herself in a calm atmosphere, above
the clouds with the sun shining, and in that
peaceful region, far away from the hurricane
and the lashing sea, she sailed along on her
journey.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, she came out of that pretty well,” remarked
the young inventor as he turned the
wheel over to Peltok while he went with Ned to
work out their position. Ned was good at figures,
and intricate calculations were necessary to
determine how many miles had been traveled in
the machine.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“She done noble, as Eradicate would say,”
agreed Ned. “But it’s getting on toward dark,
Tom,” he observed, as he noted the position of
the sun.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s right. It will soon be night. But I
think we can still travel on.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“About where do you guess we are?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“About half-way across the Atlantic, I think.
But we’ve got to work it out. We lost considerable
by being forced down.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>When the observations had been made and
the computation completed it was found that
Tom was a little off—that about twelve hundred
miles had been covered in the twelve hours since
the start. But this was very good, considering
the time lost, and Tom felt that the first day, or
rather, the first half day, was a successful one.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As evening came on, supper was got ready
and served several miles high in the air. But
eating thus was no longer a novelty to Tom and
Ned. They had done it too often on other
daring cruises.</p>
<p class='pindent'>They had been blown somewhat off their
course by the hurricane, but managed to get
back on it when the stars began to appear and
then, the night watches having been arranged,
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was driven along through the
darkness. There was little danger in thus traveling
at night unless some accident should befall
the craft itself. Though a number of air
machines had started in the great race, Tom
had no fear of colliding with them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I think the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> is ahead of us,
though,” he said to his chum as they made
ready to turn in for a sleep.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It doesn’t seem to worry you.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the use of worrying? The race has
hardly begun yet. I’m satisfied.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Through the hours of darkness the craft was
driven on, the five taking turns in steering, even
Ned being able to keep on the course by means
of observing several compasses, though he did
not attempt to regulate the motors, which, however,
were practically automatic once they were
started.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A rosy tint in the east apprised Tom and his
friends that the sun was rising and that morning
was at hand. It was the second day of the great
race, and a hasty calculation, while Brinkley
was preparing breakfast, told Tom that they
were approaching the coast of Spain.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A few hours later Ned, taking an observation,
exclaimed:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s some sort of a big harbor down
there. Might be a good place to land, Tom,
since you say we’ve about crossed the Atlantic.
What place do you think that is?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Lisbon, Portugal!” exclaimed Peltok. “I
know it. I have been there many times. It is
a good place to land!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then we’ll go down!” decided Tom. “We’ll
get oil and gas. We’ve done pretty well to
cross the Atlantic in about twenty-four hours.
But that doesn’t mean we can always make as
good time as that.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Amid screams from the whistles of steamers
in the Lisbon harbor, the big craft slowly settled
down, Tom, who was steering, picking out a
clear space in which to anchor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Like a great bird, the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> dropped
into the peaceful waters and slowly came to a
stop. At once there were signs of activity on
all the vessels within sight while the wharves
alongshore became black with a mass of humanity
drawn by the news of the arrival of the
strange craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Seems as if they were expecting us,” observed
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Shouldn’t wonder,” agreed Tom. “This
world race has attracted a lot of attention.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you think any of the other contestants
are here, or have been here and gone?” went on
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll soon find out,” his chum answered.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Suddenly Hartman uttered a cry and pointed
upward. There, hovering above them, was a
great craft, painted red—a hydroplane—and it
seemed to be steering straight for them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>!” cried Tom. “We were
ahead of him after all!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But he’s going to land on top of us!” cried
Ned. “Look out! Keep off!” he yelled.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> came down swiftly, and it
was a close call for the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> as Kilborn’s
craft landed, skimmed over the water,
and came within a few feet of crashing into
Tom’s craft.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch14'>CHAPTER XIV<br> <span class='sub-head'>WHIZZING BULLETS</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Hardly</span> had the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> stopped, some
of her men coming out of the cabin to drop a
light anchor, than Tom ran to the prow of his
craft, where there was a little landing stage.
Seeing Kilborn tantalizingly smiling at him, the
young inventor cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What do you mean by that?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Mean by what?” sneered the pilot of the
rival plane.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“By landing so close to me that you nearly
grazed my wing tips? Don’t you know how to
make a landing yet? Seems to me there was
room enough for even an amateur!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Kilborn’s face turned an angry red at hearing
this taunt.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I know as much about running a bus as
you do!” he retorted.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You don’t seem to!” fired back Tom. “After
this you keep your distance!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Aw, you don’t know what you’re talking
about!” sneered Kilborn.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Don’t I?” retorted Tom. “Well I think I
do! And, what’s more, I have a strong suspicion
that you wouldn’t have cared much if
you had crashed into me. It would have given
you a chance to take off ahead of me. But
you didn’t pull your trick, did you?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I wasn’t trying any trick!” snapped Kilborn.
“And if you accuse me of——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m not exactly accusing you,” broke in the
young inventor. “But I have my suspicions
and I’m going to watch you. Don’t forget that
your tool Hussy and the fellow with him are
still in jail!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know anything about Hussy!”
stormed the owner of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I think you do,” was Tom’s reply. “But
keep away from me and my machine—that’s all
I ask. I can beat you in a fair race, and I don’t
want any dirty work, nor will I stand for it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom turned and went back in his ship. The
talk was in English of course, and few of the
Portuguese who had gathered about to view the
strange craft knew what it was about.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He sure tried to foul you,” declared Ned
when his chum had rejoined him. “He had
plenty of room to land clear.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“More than he needed,” agreed Peltok. “That
man will bear watching, Mr. Swift!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And we’ll watch him!” replied Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here come a couple more of the contestants,
I guess,” called Hartman as he pointed upward,
where two specks, like big birds, were observed
in the sky.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Either that, or it’s a welcoming delegation
of Portuguese airmen,” suggested Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But the first surmise proved correct, and a
little later two big hydroplanes, one piloted by
Jed Kimball and the other by Harry Walton,
whom Tom knew slightly, settled down in Lisbon
harbor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>This harbor, while not an official landing,
since the race was a go-as-you-please one, was
the objective of most of the contestants who
flew eastward in aircraft. Some were not able
to cross the Atlantic in one hop, and were
obliged to stop at the Azores. But the bigger
machines, including Tom’s, the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>, and
the two to arrive later, carried fuel enough for
the longer journey.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’re making almost as good time as you
made, Tom,” remarked Ned when informal
greetings had been exchanged with the two
latest arrivals. “Doesn’t that mean they’ll
give you a hard rub?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You forget, Ned,” said the inventor, “that
we were forced down by a hot bearing and lost
a lot of time. Even with that, we beat the other
three. If we did that, bucking the hurricane
as we did, it shows we are a lot speedier than
they are, unless they, too, were delayed. We
must find out about that, but we’ll have to be
diplomatic. No use letting them know just
how speedy we are.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>While oil and gas, together with some more
food and other supplies, were being taken
aboard all four of the competing craft, Tom
signaled a small boat and visited Jed Kimball.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Run into any bad weather on the way over?”
Tom asked casually.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not a bit,” was the answer. “Had smooth
sailing all the time. And so did Walton. He
and I were close together on the way over.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom’s heart rejoiced at this. It meant that
the other craft had pushed their engines to the
limit and had been traveling steadily in clear
air, only to arrive after he did.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And we lost considerable time,” said Tom to
Ned when he was back on board the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.
“That means we have a lot the best of
them. The only one I’m in doubt of is the <span class='it'>Red
Arrow</span>. I’m not friendly enough with Kilborn
to ask him if he had any delays. If he did,
and yet came in soon after us, it means he is
pretty nearly as fast as we are. But if he came
right along without a stop, it means we’ve got
him beat.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let’s see if Brinkley or Hartman can’t pick
up a bit of information,” suggested Ned.
“They’re going ashore for a half hour, and I
notice some of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow’s</span> crew also going
to take shore leave.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That might be a good way,” agreed Tom,
and he instructed the two mechanics to get into
casual conversation, if they could, with the men
from Kilborn’s craft, but, at the same time, not
to give a hint of their own speed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Hartman and Brinkley managed to get
friendly with some mechanics from the <span class='it'>Red
Arrow</span>, but the information they secured was
not the most reassuring to Tom. It developed
that his most formidable rival had also been
delayed by the hurricane, though not forced
down, being, however, blown far off the course.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then since he arrived about the time we
did,” said Tom, talking the matter over with
Ned, “it means that he’s going almost as fast as
we are. I’m afraid we’re going to have trouble
with Kilborn.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you really think he has a chance to beat
you?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He has a good chance. The only thing is
that if he gets disabled so he can’t travel in the
air, he can’t do very much on the water and
nothing at all on land. I might have him there.
But it’s only a chance. We’ve got our work cut
out for us, Ned!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, then, the sooner we get away from here
the better!” suggested the financial manager,
and his chum agreed with him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The work of taking on the gas, oil and other
supplies was hastened, and at last the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was again ready to hop off. The mechanics
had gone carefully over every part of the
motors, and they were tuned up to the highest
notch of efficiency.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, let’s go!” called Tom when, about
three hours after landing in the Lisbon harbor,
they were ready to leave again.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The motors roared as the gas was turned on
when the starters had turned the flywheels over,
and Tom was about to guide his craft down a
long, wide lane of water in the bay when Ned
exclaimed:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There goes the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom turned to see the rival craft making
ready to take off, and then he suddenly shut
down the motors and let his craft come to a
slow stop while the other increased her speed
and was ready to take the air.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the idea?” cried Ned. “Has anything
happened?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No. But something might if I tried to take
off just when Kilborn did,” said Tom quietly.
“There’s too much chance of a collision—planned
or accidental. Let him get up—I’ll follow.
I can do as I please then. Let him go!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was evident that the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> had been
waiting for the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> to lead the way,
for just as soon as Tom started the other craft
had followed, and when Tom shut down it appeared
to puzzle Kilborn and his men. However,
they must have imagined that it was only
a temporary halt, for they roared on their way,
finally leaping into the air from a foam-crested
wave and speeding off ahead of Tom Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let him go!” the young inventor said. “I
can pass him when I need to. But I want a
clear field.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>A few minutes later Tom started his motors
again, and his craft was in the air shortly before
the other two hydroplanes took off. But by
this time the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> was only a speck in
the sky.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hope he won’t get too far ahead!” mused
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m not worrying,” declared Tom Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Up and up soared the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> and when
she was high enough Tom straightened her out
and sent her ahead on an eastern course, steering
over Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, the
lower part of Italy, and, in turn, across Turkey.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was when sailing rather low over a wooded
section of this latter country that something
happened which showed Tom how dangerous
his trip might be.</p>
<p class='pindent'>He, with Ned, was leaning out of the window
of the forward cabin looking down below and
trying to figure out just where they were when
Ned called:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look at the horsemen!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Below them was a squad of Turks riding
along and seemingly much excited by the airship
over them. The motors, though muffled,
were making too much noise for Tom and Ned
to hear what the horsemen were shouting, but
their actions were plainly discernible.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Suddenly some of them brought their guns
around and aimed up at the airship.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look out!” cried Ned. “They’re going to
shoot!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let them!” chuckled Tom. “They must be
uncivilized fellows who have never seen or heard
of an aeroplane before. They can’t hit us up
here!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” warned Ned.
“Better go a bit higher.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But I want to see what river that is we’re
coming to,” Tom said. “I need to be low
down to make an observation.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He had hardly ceased speaking when several
puffs of smoke came from the horsemen below,
and though the reports of the rifles could
scarcely be heard, there was no doubt as to the
firing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Duck!” yelled Ned as he caught the hum of
whizzing bullets.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Suddenly he saw Tom give a start and fall
back from the window.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He’s hit!” cried Ned, springing to his chum’s
side as he yelled to Peltok, who was at the
wheel: “Go up! Go up! We’re being fired on!”</p>
<div><h1 id='ch15'>CHAPTER XV<br> <span class='sub-head'>YELLOW GYPSIES</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Rapidly</span>, as soon as Peltok pulled the elevating
lever, the machine shot upward and was
quickly beyond rifle distance, though the last
glimpse Ned had of the mounted hunters they
were still firing at the aircraft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But Ned had other thoughts than those of
the men who, through fear or anger, had fired
on the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>. He had seen Tom start
back, wince, and disappear from the window.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are you hit, Tom?” Ned yelled, as he drew
in his head and had a glimpse of his chum swaying
in the middle of the forward cabin. “Did
they get you?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>As if in a daze Tom put his hand to his head
and took off his cap. There was a queer look
on his face as he looked at a neat, round hole
through the cap’s visor, close to where it set on
his head.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They missed you!” Ned joyfully cried when
he saw this. “But it was a narrow squeak,
Tom!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Holding the punctured cap in his left hand,
Tom put his right hand to his head and when
he brought his fingers down there was a little
smear of blood on them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’re hit—after all!” gasped Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, just a graze,” and Tom found his voice
for the first time since the shooting. “It was a
close call,” he went on. “It fairly had me
going for a moment or two. That bullet must
have creased me, Ned. It skimmed right past
my head. Yes, I was creased.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>This is a term used by Westerners to indicate
that a bullet grazes a man or an animal. The
effect, while not serious, is to render the victim
incapable of speech or action for a short time.
Often wild horses are subdued in that way.
Needless to say, it takes a sure shot to “crease”
a beast and not send the bullet deep enough to
kill. In the case of the hunters firing from below
on the airship it was undoubtedly accidental.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It was just a graze,” declared Tom again,
and an examination showed this to be the case.
The bullet had buried itself in the upper part
of the window frame after piercing Tom’s cap
and drawing a little blood. The wound was
treated with an antiseptic solution, and then,
feeling more like himself, Tom prepared to ascertain
their position.</p>
<p class='pindent'>They had soon left the hunters behind, and
doubtless those wild riders had a strange tale
to tell around the campfire that night.</p>
<p class='pindent'>By calculating their speed and distance and
by identifying certain landmarks, Tom made,
certain that they were over Turkey—and the
wilder part of that country.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, I think we’re keeping up to our schedule,”
Tom said that noon as they were cruising
along and he and Peltok and Ned were eating
an appetizing meal. “So far we have had very
good luck, even getting out of the hurricane
and over the hot bearing without falling back
much. If this keeps up I’ll be well within my
margin of twenty days.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The race isn’t over yet,” said Peltok, who
was an experienced aeroplane man. “Wait until
we run into some real trouble.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll strike it, of course,” admitted Tom.
“Couldn’t expect not to on a trip like this. But
the longer it holds off the better we’ll be.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hope there aren’t any other wild tribes that
are going to take pot shots at us,” remarked
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There aren’t likely to be,” said Peltok who
knew this part of the country quite well. “This
was some wild tribe, I suppose, that lived in a
mountain fastness, or some wild wooded place,
and they had never heard of an airship before.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was now running along very
easily. The motors were beginning to “find”
themselves, the rough spots were wearing down
smooth and, as Tom said, the craft was operating
like a sewing machine, which seems to be
the standard in cases of this sort.</p>
<p class='pindent'>For the first time since leaving the Long
Island field, Tom and Ned felt the relief from
nervous strain and began to take matters a little
easier.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Guess I’ll write some messages home,” decided
Tom in the afternoon, when he and Ned
sat together in the main cabin.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It wouldn’t be a bad idea,” agreed the other.
“I suppose you’ll put the letters out in front
for the mail plane to pick up,” he added, and
there was that in his voice which caused Tom
to explain:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Don’t you think I mean it?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“How in the world are you going to get any
dispatches off home from up here? We haven’t
got a powerful enough wireless to do it—you
said that yourself the other day—and——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Go slow!” advised Tom, with a chuckle.
“This is easy. I’ll write some messages—telegrams
to be more exact—and you can, too, if
you like. We’ll enclose them in some tubes I
had made for the purpose and drop them when
we pass near some city and see a crowd out
watching us. With the messages I’ll include a
request that they be sent off, and I’ll put in
some money to pay the toll and also to reward
the person who attends to the matter.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh!” exclaimed Ned. “I didn’t think of
that! Guess I’ll write to Helen Morton.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He took it for granted that Tom was going
to wire Mary Nestor that, so far, everything was
lovely. This Tom did, also writing brief words
of greeting to his father, Mr. Damon, and some
few others.</p>
<p class='pindent'>These messages were enclosed in strong but
light tubes and when the airship passed over
the next town, flying low so the crowds could be
observed, the messages were dropped. Before
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> flew on, Tom and Ned saw a
rush to pick up the tubes, and they felt sure
word of their progress would soon be ticking on
its way.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was toward the close of the afternoon that
Ned went into the engine room and was surprised
to see Hartman and Brinkley standing
together near one of the thermometers connected
with the water cooling system of the
motors. Like an automobile engine, the machinery
of some airships must be cooled by
water circulating around the cylinder walls. As
Ned came upon the two mechanics, he saw
Brinkley pointing to the red indicating column
which was higher than usual.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Anything wrong?” asked Ned, as he saw the
two talking.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This motor is heating up more than I like
to see,” stated Brinkley.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Shall I call Tom?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, no. Not yet,” was the reply.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Maybe the water is low in the radiator,”
suggested Hartman. “Let’s take a look. Yes,
that’s it,” he went on a moment later. “It needs
filling.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>As Ned walked on, satisfied that it was only a
minor trouble, easily remedied, he heard Brinkley
say to his companion:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s queer how the water got low. I filled
that radiator only a little while before the chief
so nearly got shot. I don’t see how it could
leak out.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Maybe it doesn’t leak,” said Hartman.
“There may be faster evaporation than usual.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Ned thought no more about it until an hour
later when, as night was coming on, there came
a sudden slowing of the motors and the craft
began losing speed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the matter?” called Tom, who was
on his way to the control cabin. “Why are you
slowing down, Peltok?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Something’s wrong!” was the answer. “One
of the motors is overheating. There seems to be
a leak in the water radiator. We’ll have to go
down to overhaul it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Too bad,” murmured Tom. “I thought we
could gain a little on this leg. But it can’t be
helped.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>In the gathering darkness an open spot amid
the forests was picked out where the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
could safely land and rise again after repairs
were made.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As the aircraft came gently down to the
ground, several scores of evil-looking men,
dressed in gay but fantastic clothes and bearing
long guns, rushed out from the surrounding
trees.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Looks as if we’d get a warm reception!” exclaimed
Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We shall!” declared Peltok. “These are
Yellow Gypsies—one of the worst tribes in
Persia. We’ve got to fight, I’m afraid!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The airship ceased moving, and as she came
to a halt the horde of evil-faced men rushed up
to surround the craft.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch16'>CHAPTER XVI<br> <span class='sub-head'>TO THE RESCUE</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“What</span> are we going to do, Tom?” asked Ned
of his chum, beside whom he stood in the forward
part of the airship as it settled down in
the midst of the Yellow Gypsies.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let’s wait and see which way the cat jumps,”
was the answer. “These chaps may not be as
bad as Peltok thinks they are.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They look nasty enough,” commented Brinkley.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I wouldn’t like to meet ’em after dark,” said
Hartman, to which Ned added:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, we’re going to be with ’em after dark,
all right.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was evident that this would be the case, for
Peltok, who had run back to the motor room
after the ship landed, now came out to say:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s a puncture in the port radiator.
Hole right through it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“How do you account for that?” asked Tom,
quickly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Looks like a bullet hole,” said the machinist,
while the Yellow Gypsies, their number now
greatly increased, crowded closer in on the disabled
ship.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Must have come from one of the bullets fired
by the Turks,” said Tom. “Probably it caused
a slow leak, and that’s why it didn’t develop
until just now.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But what about these chaps?” asked Ned.
“They evidently mean business!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>There could be little doubt of this, for, with
savage cries, many of the yellow-faced men
were swarming over the craft. Their complexions
were of a peculiar hue of yellow, somewhat
like Chinese, yet they did not have the cast of
features of the Celestials.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’ve got their knives out!” cried Ned.
“They’ll slit the wing fabric, Tom, and then
we shall be in bad.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They won’t slit my wing fabric!” the young
inventor said, with a chuckle. “It’s aluminum.
They can’t cut it, but they might bend it. Get
off there, you yellow beggars!” he yelled at the
Gypsies, but they did not seem at all impressed
and only laughed sneeringly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let me try to talk to them,” suggested Peltok.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you speak their lingo?” asked Hartman.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He talks anything, including United States!”
declared Ned, with a laugh, though the situation
was anything but funny. The scowling
Yellow Gypsies seemed bent on mischief—as
though they resented the coming of the airship.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Peltok took his position at one of the windows,
held up his hands for silence, which came
grudgingly from the nomads, and began to address
them. His words had a peculiar snarling
quality.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But what he said seemed to be understood, for
there were murmurs among the men as though
they were about to make reply. Peltok continued,
speaking more rapidly and emphatically.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What are you telling them?” asked Tom
when the interpreter paused for breath.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I had to romance a little,” was the answer.
“I said we were strangers from the stars who
had come to visit our earthly friends.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Will they believe you?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know,” was the doubtful reply.
“They don’t seem to think I am telling the
truth. I tried to impress them with our supernatural
origin. I’m sure they never saw an
aeroplane before and know nothing about it.
But if we could impress them in some way and
make them believe we are supernatural characters
we might get them to withdraw. I’ll try
it again.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Once more he addressed the Yellow Gypsies,
but did not seem to be making much of an impression.
They hooted and cried sneeringly
and more than one shook a gun or a knife at
Peltok.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What are they saying?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They say they don’t believe me. They say
we look just like themselves except for color,
and they think this is only a new kind of railroad
train, which of course they are more or
less familiar with. I’m afraid they’re going to
rush us.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>It did look so, for the Gypsies were now gathering
on all sides of the craft, hemming her in.
As a matter of fact, even without the savage
men, the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> could not have risen until
the leaky radiator was repaired.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If we could only impress them in some way!”
murmured Peltok.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll impress them!” cried Tom, starting for
the motor control room. “Start the land
motor!” he cried to the two machinists.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What are you going to do?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Use our wheels and roll along!” Tom answered.
“I’ll plow through that bunch if they
don’t get out of the way, but I think they’ll get
all right. If we can’t sail through the air we’ll
travel on land until we get out of the Gypsy
country. Start the motor!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was a special machine for operating the
craft when on land, and Brinkley and Hartman
sprang to get this going. Peltok went to their
aid, and Ned took his place beside Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The Yellow Gypsies seemed about ready to
make the attack, but at the sign of this activity
on the strange craft they hung back. This was
the very opportunity for which Tom Swift had
been waiting.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here we go!” he cried, as he pulled the lever
meshing the gears of the land wheels. The <span class='it'>Air
Monarch</span> leaped forward, and Tom slued her
around until her blunt nose pointed to the
crowd where it was thinnest. “I’ll ram them!”
the inventor shouted.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Some of the Yellow Gypsies seemed to understand
what was going to happen and yelled
to their companions to leap out of the way.
But those directly in front of the craft seemed
stubborn, and held their ground.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You’ll run right over them and kill a lot,
Tom!” Ned warned. “That may set them
wild!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I won’t run over any of them!” said the
other with a grim smile.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The machine was careening on over the uneven
ground, but still the Gypsies in front did
not budge. And then, when it seemed that the
aluminum nose of the craft would push into
their midst and the big wheels crush them,
Tom suddenly pulled on a lever over his head
as he stood at the steering wheel.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Instantly a white vapor was projected
straight into the faces of the Yellow Gypsies.
This seemed to knock them over as if a hail of
bullets had hit them. They fell in heaps. Tom
quickly turned the nose of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>,
and those now in its path scrambled to one side
so that a lane was left for Tom to guide his
craft down.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Though the windows of the cabin were all
closed Ned caught a whiff of a powerful, pungent
chemical.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What is it, Tom?” he cried.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Ammonia gas!” was the answer. “I rigged
up two tubes, forward and aft, to project ammonia.
I thought we might get in a tight corner
some day, and it would help. We won’t get
much of it inside here, but it’s strong out there!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>And strong it was, for the stuff, though it
would have no lasting ill effects, actually
knocked the victims down, rendering them helpless.</p>
<p class='pindent'>When those on either side saw what had happened
to their comrades in front, the horde of
Yellow Gypsies melted away like dew under the
hot sun. Tom guided his craft past those who
were knocked out, taking care not to run over
any, and in a short time had run out of the
forest clearing to a smooth, level road that led
onward in the direction he wished to travel.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good work, Tom!” cried Ned, when they
were safe for at least a time. “That ammonia
gas was a wonderful idea!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Peltok, opening a window at the rear of the
ship, which was rapidly moving out of the zone
of the powerful smell, called back to the discomfited
Gypsies, some of whom were now reviving.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I told you we were from the stars!” the interpreter
said in the Gypsy tongue. “And
doubtless you saw not only stars but suns,
moons, and comets!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then the machine moved onward, now traveling
on land, of course, not so fast as in the air.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But we’ll get to some quiet place where we
can lay to and mend that leaky radiator,” declared
Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Presently they reached a broad, level plain
which would make an ideal starting field in the
morning.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll have to work all night, if necessary, on
that radiator,” Tom said. “This is our second
delay. We can’t afford many more.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The Gypsies seemed to have been left behind
as night settled down. The travelers were in a
lonely stretch of country. For this, however,
they were glad. While Tom and Ned got the
supper, the three mechanics worked on the punctured
radiator. Presently, in one of the water
coils, a bullet was found, undoubtedly fired by
the Turkish party.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Mending the leak was not as easy as had been
hoped and it was well on toward morning before
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was again ready to justify her
name. It was found to be impossible to travel
along on land while repairs were being made,
owing to their delicacy. On other occasions this
might not be the case.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Get a little rest, men, and we’ll hop off early
in the morning,” Tom said, and while he and
Ned stood watch, the other three got some much
needed sleep.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The sun was just tinting the east when the
signal for getting under way was once more
given, but just as the craft was starting to taxi
over the plain, to get momentum to mount toward
the sky, there came rushing toward the
travelers those same Yellow Gypsies again, only
five times as many.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’re after us this time for sure!” yelled
Peltok, who caught some of the threatening
yells. “They are going to be revenged on us
for what we did last night.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What a mob!” cried Ned as hundreds of the
Gypsies rushed toward the airship, which was
all ready to leave.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom tried to increase his speed to take off
before the angry and savage warriors could approach,
but the motors were cold and not running
at their best.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Ram them!” advised Ned, and it seemed to
be the only thing to do. Some would, undoubtedly,
be killed when the craft crushed its way
through them, but she might soon rise above
them and all would be well, save that they
would probably send a volley of shots after the
travelers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom had about decided to do this, terrible as
it seemed, when Peltok, who was looking from
a rear window cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here they come! Here they come to the
rescue!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The forest patrol—like your state police.
They’ll scatter these Yellow Gypsies!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then all those in the airship saw a squad of
Persian mounted men sweeping across the plain
toward them. This squad at once opened fire
on the horde that sought to stay Tom Swift in
his world flight.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch17'>CHAPTER XVII<br> <span class='sub-head'>KILBORN'S TRICK</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“Now</span> you will see a fight!” cried Peltok. “I
know those Yellow Gypsies and I know the
Persian forest rangers. You will see a pretty
fight.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I didn’t start this world flight to witness a
skirmish between bandits and the soldiers,” said
Tom, with grim humor. “I want to get under
way again.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You will presently,” predicted Peltok.</p>
<p class='pindent'>In another moment, amid wild shouts, the
cavalry opened fire on the Gypsies, some of
whom shot in return, though most of the bandits,
for they were little less, turned to flee.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There seemed to be a perpetual feud between
these two bodies, one representing law and the
other crime, for they did not stop to parley, but
at once began fighting. And Tom Swift did not
flatter himself that the soldiers had come merely
to rescue him. No word had been sent asking
for help.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The Gypsies are bad,” explained Peltok,
“and the forest rangers fight them whenever they
can. See! They are on the run now!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s right!” echoed Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And it’s time for us to be on the move!”
said Tom. “Get ready!” he called to his helpers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The advent of the soldiers had scattered the
savage men from in front of the aeroplane, and
she could now speed over the level place and
take off into the air.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A moment later, while the “pretty fight” was
still going on, Tom pulled back the lever of the
elevating plane. Up shot the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, and
amid yells of surprise from the horsemen, some
of whom had evidently not expected the craft
to do this, the machine sailed aloft and was soon
winging its way toward cloudland, safe from
further molestation on the part of the Yellow
Gypsies.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Those rangers, or whatever they are, came
in the nick of time,” said Tom when he had
turned the management of the ship over to
Brinkley while he and Ned went to make some
calculations regarding their course. “We
couldn’t have stood much more delay.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We can make up for lost time now,” Ned
remarked, and, indeed, the craft was now spinning
along faster than it had ever gone before.
The repairs had improved the motors.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, we are holding our own, at any rate,”
Tom said when he and his chum had figured out
how far they had come, how much distance yet
remained to cover, and how much time they had
to do it in. “I hoped we’d be a bit ahead of
our schedule when we were near China, but we
aren’t. Only just above even. But that’s better
than being behind.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are we over China now?” asked Ned, “looking
down as if he expected to see a red laundry
sign,” declared his chum, laughing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We shall be soon,” answered Tom seriously
when his laugh was over. “We’ll have to land
there, too, for more gas and oil. There’s where
I arranged to take it on,” and he indicated a
spot on the map where the eastern Turkestan
city of Yarkand was located. “When we leave
there we’ll head right across the great Chinese
Empire, or rather, Republic, as it is now, over
the lower edge of the Gobi Desert, perhaps, and
then on to the Pacific.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Why, Tom!” Ned exclaimed with shining
eyes, “we’ve almost won the race already,
haven’t we?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not by a long shot!” exclaimed Tom emphatically.
“The hardest part of the trip is
yet before us, and I fear the journey over the
Pacific more than anything else!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Why?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“On account of the storms—especially in the
vicinity of the China coast and the Japanese
islands. We may run into a typhoon.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not so good,” murmured Ned, as he gazed
at the map.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, well, we sha'n’t worry about that until
we get there,” observed Tom more cheerfully.
“We’re on our way, anyhow,” and indeed they
were, with the wonderful machine throbbing her
course through space.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom Swift well realized that he must make
his best speed while in the air. Though his craft
could do fairly well on land or in the water, the
less actual distance he had to travel on <span class='it'>aqua
pura</span> or <span class='it'>terra firma</span> the better chance he would
have of winning the race. His most feared
rival—Kilborn in the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>—could travel
only in the air, and would keep to that medium.
Though of course, having a hydroplane, he
could, to a certain extent, move over the water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But the race will be decided by air travel,”
said Tom, and to this end he determined to devote
all his energies.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was shortly after noon, when Brinkley had
served an appetizing meal in the little cabin,
that Peltok, who had been told by Tom what
course to follow, announced that they were approaching
Yarkand.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Land there!” ordered Tom. “I don’t know
just how near our oil and gas supply in Yarkand
is to our landing field, but pick out the best
spot and we can have the supplies brought out
to us.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Right!” exclaimed the navigator, and a little
later the big craft came to a gentle stop on a
big plain on the farther edge of which was the
city.</p>
<p class='pindent'>No sooner had the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> landed than
she was surrounded by a swarm of curious natives,
a sort of a cross between a Chinese and
an Indian, Ned declared. They were friendly,
however, and laughed with glee as they beheld
the “foreign devils” and their queer craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Here Peltok’s linguistic abilities were useful,
for he was soon talking with the natives “like a
house afire,” as Tom said, and in a little while
the interpreter announced that he had arranged
for Tom’s supply of oil and gas to be brought
out.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then sha'n’t we take this chance to stretch
our legs?” proposed Tom to Ned. “We’ll walk
about a bit and the mechanics will have time
to tune up the motors. I don’t like the way the
starboard one is behaving.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He gave his instructions to Brinkley and
Hartman, and then, with Peltok looking after
things, uttering dire threats in their own language
to the Turkestan natives, who seemed to
want to pull the machinery apart, Tom and
Ned strolled about. They would have about
an hour to wait, and decided to go into the
ancient city.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As they were entering it, Ned pointed off to
the left and uttered a cry of surprise.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>!” he said.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s right!” agreed Tom, as he caught
sight of Kilborn’s big, crimson hydroplane circling
about as if preparing for a landing. “He’s
following me close.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But he isn’t going to land near us,” commented
Ned, for the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> was heading
down on a different part of the plain from that
occupied by Tom Swift’s craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Glad of it,” the inventor remarked. “I don’t
want any more trouble with him. He’s a
crook!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then the two young men forgot their anxieties
in viewing the wonders of the old place,
while curious natives crowded about them.
They wandered into one of the bazaars, where
Tom bought some trinkets for Mary and Ned
a souvenir for Helen.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And while we’re here,” said Tom to his
chum, “we can mail some postcards back home.
We may not get another chance.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good idea,” agreed Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>They were in the local post-office, to them a
queer sort of place, where they found a native
who could speak enough English to tell them
what they wanted to know about stamps and
cards and the mails.</p>
<p class='pindent'>While they were writing their messages, Ned
observed two men, who seemed to be officials of
some sort, hurriedly enter the post-office and
talk with the man who had acted as interpreter.
But the young man gave this scene little thought
until he and Tom were ready to leave.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then Ned saw these same two officials barring
their way out. Tom also became aware
of something and exclaimed, respectfully
enough:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“One side, please! We’re in a hurry to get
back to our ship!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>But the two officers did not move, and one
drew from its scabbard an ugly, curved sword.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look out, Tom,” warned Ned in a low voice.
“This looks like trouble!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It will be of their making, not ours!” snapped
Tom. “What’s the idea?” he went on, for
he was anxious to start off again. “Get out of
the way!” he ordered the man with the drawn
sword. “Tell him he’s making a mistake,” he
said to the man who had translated the request
for stamps and cards.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was a lively interchange of words between
the officers and the interpreter, and the
latter, with a shrug of his shoulders, turned to
Tom and Ned, saying:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You cannot go!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Can’t go where?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Away from here. You are under arrest!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Under arrest? Nonsense!” yelled Tom
Swift. “What for?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It seems you have no official permission to
land your airship near the city,” the interpreter
answered. “You must be taken to jail!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s a plot, Tom!” exclaimed Ned. “It’s a
trick on the part of Kilborn to delay us!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid it is,” said Tom in a low voice.
“We’ve got to get out of this in some way.
Stand by me now, Ned! I’ll see what a little
strategy will do!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom turned toward the two officers, a grim
look on his face.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch18'>CHAPTER XVIII<br> <span class='sub-head'>CHINESE BANDITS</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Talking</span> rapidly in his own language, the
officer with the sword said something to the man
who had acted as interpreter before Tom could
say anything further.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s he talking about?” Ned wanted to
know.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He say if you be ready he take you to jail
now. Judge hear you talk to-morrow,” was the
interpreter’s answer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, he’ll hold us for a hearing to-morrow,
will he?” snapped out Tom Swift. “That
doesn’t suit me. Look here,” he went on, to
Yal, which the interpreter had said was his
name, “ask him how it is he doesn’t arrest that
other fellow who landed not far from me. The
red airship! Why didn’t he arrest that pilot?
Kilborn his name is.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I ask,” offered Yal, and there was more talk
before he turned to Tom and Ned, saying:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Red machine man he have permit to land.
He send money on for it week ago.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s a point we missed,” remarked Tom to
Ned. “And I’m pretty sure Kilborn put up
this game on us. As soon as he landed and saw
we were here, he bribed these fellows to arrest
us. I don’t believe there’s any permit needed
at all.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, what can you do about it?” asked
Ned. “They’ve got the upper hand of us.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Truly it seemed so, for now a squad of native
soldiers, ugly and unkempt enough but armed
with swords and guns, came swarming around
the post-office. One of the two officers who had
arrested Tom and Ned took charge of the squad.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m going to buy a permit here and now,”
Tom said, with a smile. “There’s no use trying
to fight these fellows except with money.
Look here,” he went on to Yal. “Tell that officer
I’m sorry I didn’t know about a permit, but
I’m willing to pay for one now and also pay him
for his trouble in getting it, and I’ll pay you
for translating this to him.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>At this the eyes of the interpreter sparkled,
as did those of the two officers when Tom took
out some United States gold pieces. Gold speaks
a universal language, and when Tom had
clinked the pieces in his hands a few times there
was a quick exchange of spitfire language between
Yal and the tallest of the two officers.
Then Yal said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Mebby so he get you a permit for money.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Have him try,” said Tom, with a significant
smile, as he passed over some of the gold pieces.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The tall officer hurried away while his companion
arranged the ragged, dirty soldiers
rather in the form of a bodyguard about the
two aviators than as a squad sent to arrest
them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I think everything is going to come out all
right,” said Tom to his chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It did; for a few minutes later the tall officer,
now all smiles, came hurrying back, bearing a
paper covered with big red and gold seals. This
he handed to Tom while Yal said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Him got permit for you. Now you can go—for
a little more gold!” and his eyes gleamed
greedily.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I guess it’s worth the money,” commented
Tom, as he handed over the remaining five dollar
gold pieces, “if it’s only to get the best of
that skunk Kilborn.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Some orders were shouted to the soldiers, they
in turn yelled at the rabble, and Tom and
Ned were allowed to walk out as they pleased.
They lost no time in hastening back to their
craft, where they found that the work of taking
on the oil, gas, and other supplies had been
completed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Peltok was pacing about, looking anxiously
up and down. At the sight of the two young
men, who were followed by a crowd of boys, he
said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I was afraid something had happened.
That Kilborn was sneaking around here, looking
as tickled as a cat with cream on her whiskers.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Something did happen,” explained Tom.
“And that Kilborn won’t be so pleased the next
time he calls.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here he is now,” said Ned in a low voice as
the pilot of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> was observed pushing
his way through the crowd. His craft could
be seen off in the distance down in a little hollow.
He, too, it appeared, had landed for supplies.</p>
<p class='pindent'>At the sight of Tom and Ned about to enter
the cabin of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>, the face of the
rascal underwent a change. He started back as
Tom mockingly remarked:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, you’re following us pretty close, Mr.
Kilborn. How much did you have to pay for
your landing permit?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I didn’t pay—I don’t know anything about
it!” snapped the man, his face almost as red as
his machine. “I can’t help it if my route parallels
yours. The air is free.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But landing in Yarkand doesn’t seem to be,”
went on Tom. “Your little trick cost me some
money!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What trick? I haven’t done anything. I—I——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s no use in talking about it,” broke
in the young inventor. “I know what you did!
But I held a trump card,” and with that Tom
went to the pilot house and gave the word to
take off.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The machine was soon again soaring in the
air and, looking back, Ned reported that the <span class='it'>Red
Arrow</span> was also in progress.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He’s following us, Tom,” the young inventor’s
financial manager stated.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let him come!” said Tom grimly. “If he
tries any more of his tricks I’ll not let him off
so easily next time.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Wishing to put as much distance as possible
between himself and his most dangerous rival,
Tom signaled for some of the super gas to be
used, and this so speeded up the motors that
the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>, fast as she was traveling, was
soon left behind, lost in the mist of the upper
regions.</p>
<p class='pindent'>All that day and through the night, Tom
Swift’s powerful craft winged her way onward,
covering mile after mile. When the pilot
thought he had gained enough on Kilborn’s craft
he changed back to the ordinary fuel, saving the
powerful gasoline for another emergency.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was shortly after breakfast, when Tom and
Ned were taking some very much limited exercise
by walking about the cabin, that Peltok,
with a worried look on his face, came in to report:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid we’ll have to make another landing,
Mr. Swift.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Land again? What for?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“One of the carburetors seems to be choked
and the adjustment of it is such a delicate matter
that I don’t believe we can do it in the air.
We are constantly losing speed, and also getting
off our course, as one motor is more powerful
than the other.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Well, if we must land, we must,” agreed
Tom ruefully. “But we are losing too much
time. It can’t be helped, I suppose. Go down,
then!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Where shall we land?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Somewhere in China,” was Tom’s answer,
as he looked at the route map.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A little later they floated down on a vast
plain in a lonely region where there was not a
habitation in sight and where there seemed to
be no life stirring.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t believe we’ll be disturbed here,” remarked
Tom, as he got out of the machine, followed
by Ned. “It’s as lonesome as the middle
of a desert. Well, let’s have a look at that carburetor.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He had no sooner got it disconnected from
the feed line than he saw that extensive repairs
were needed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It will take all of a day, maybe more,” he
said, with a sigh.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Another day lost!” exclaimed Ned. “That’s
bad!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, we’ll make it up!” declared Tom, with
a smile. “We’ve got some of that super gas
left. I’m saving that for a grand-stand finish.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Since they were to be held in this lonely
Chinese region for a day, the young inventor
and Ned Newton planned to roam about and
take matters easy while the three machinists
made a new part for the defective one in the
carburetor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>That evening, as Tom and Ned sat in front
of the machine, they heard, off to the right, a
roaring, pulsating sound which had a meaning
for them. They looked in the direction of the
noise, but on account of the mist could see
nothing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“An aeroplane, as sure as guns!” exclaimed
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>, if I know anything
about gasoline!” added Tom. “That’s just how
her motors sound. Well, I hope Kilborn doesn’t
spot us held up here.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The sound of the throbbing engines died suddenly,
and at this Tom sprang to his feet.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He’s shut off!” he exclaimed. “He’s going
to land!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Seems so,” admitted Ned. “But he may
not spot us,” and as they had no sight of the
rival plane, they concluded that the mist hid
them as it also hid the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll stand guard to-night,” decided Tom,
and so watch was kept. But nothing happened
during the hours of darkness.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The sun was scarcely up when Brinkley and
Hartman rose, to resume work on the carburetor.
But it was Ned who, looking out of his
cabin window, uttered a cry of alarm.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What is it?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Chinese bandits!” was the answer. “They’re
going to surround us! We’re in for it now,
Tom!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>As the young inventor peered out, he saw a
horde of fierce-looking Chinese advancing toward
the stalled airship.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch19'>CHAPTER XIX<br> <span class='sub-head'>THE TYPHOON</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“Trouble</span> surely is hovering over us!” grimly
mused Tom Swift, as he leaped out of bed and
hurried into the pilot house, where he found
Peltok and the two machinists gathered.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Can you speak the language of these bandits?”
asked Tom of Peltok. For that the advancing
Chinese were bandits there was little
doubt.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, yes, I can talk to them. But it will do
little good, I fear,” was the answer. “They
make it a practice to capture foreigners whenever
they can, to hold them for ransom.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And they’re likely to capture us unless we
can rise soon!” exclaimed Tom. “Can we?” he
asked the machinists.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Brinkley shook his head while his companion
said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It will take about two hours more to fix that
carburetor and adjust it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then we’ve got to fight!” said Tom. “All
right, if they want that they can have it! Get
out the guns, Ned!” he cried. “Peltok, you man
the ammonia tubes. Hartman, you——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Wait a minute!” advised Peltok. “I think
if we drive the machine on her wheels in the direction
of these bandits they may scatter. They
are not as intelligent as the Yellow Gypsies.
We can run on land with only one motor. It
will be better than starting a fight, for it will
take only a few bullets to damage the machine
beyond repair.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s right,” agreed Tom. “But do you
think we can bluff ’em?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s worth trying,” Peltok answered. “I’ll
give them a word of warning!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He leaned out of the pilot house window and
shouted something which, as Ned said later,
sounded like the back fire of an auto. The oncoming
Chinese, none of whom were mounted,
halted and talked among themselves.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I told them,” said Peltok to Tom, “that you
would mow them down as a typhoon mows down
a rice field if they did not scatter.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What did they say?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They expressed some doubts, but I have
them frightened. If you’ll start the machine
and open the cut-out so the muffler isn’t working,
I think they’ll run.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Better that than shooting them,” declared
Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It did not take long to start the land motor,
and when the engine was warmed up Tom
opened the cut-out, and such a staccato, rapid
series of explosions resulted as to make it sound
like a battery of machine guns in action.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There were surprised shouts from the bandits,
and some of them started to run. A few however
held their ground.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Shave her nose right into the midst of
them!” advised Peltok. “But run slow, and
knock them down gently. Since the propellers
are aft they will do no damage.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>So Tom, guiding the craft, put her in motion
toward a knot of the scowling Chinese bandits,
some of whom seemed about to fire with their
antiquated guns.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But when the bandits saw the powerful craft
headed straight for them and when the foremost
in the line were gently but effectively
bowled over, rolling out of the way of the
wheels just in time to save their lives, it was
too much for the spirit of the rascals.</p>
<p class='pindent'>With cackling, shrill cries they turned and
fled, and in a little while the plain was cleared
of them. At this Tom Swift was well pleased,
for he did not wish to take life, even of a bandit,
if he could avoid it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Might just as well keep right on with the
land motor,” advised Ned when the way was
clear before them. “We can get to some place
better fitted to stand off an attack than we were
back there. And we’ll be delayed a bit yet,
sha'n’t we?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid we can’t get that carburetor tuned
up before to-morrow morning,” Hartman reported.
He was an expert on this particular
part of a gasoline motor. “It wouldn’t be a
bad idea to get to some place where we’d have
a hill at our backs,” he added.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All right,” agreed Tom Swift, so he guided
the craft for several miles across the treeless
plain until they reached a plateau which they
thought would be a good place to stop.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Now, boys, make the best time you can on
that carburetor,” begged Tom of his mechanics
when they were again at rest. It was decided
that it would be wiser to lay to until the repairs
were completed, rather than to try to make distance
by traveling on land. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was not at her best climbing hills.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Though the delay fretted Tom, there was no
help for it, and as the afternoon wore away and
nothing further occurred to disturb the party,
they had visions of taking off early in the morning
and heading once more through the air on
their course.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“An hour’s work in the morning, and we’ll be
all set,” announced Hartman as he and the
other two mechanics, weary with their labors,
sought some much-needed rest. Peltok, who
was a nervous, restless man, said he would stroll
about a bit before turning in, and as Tom and
Ned sought their bunks they saw him walking
off in the darkness.</p>
<p class='pindent'>In spite of his anxiety over the delay, Tom
Swift was soon asleep. How long he had slumbered
he did not know, but he was suddenly
awakened by some one shaking him and in the
dim light of a small electric lamp in his cabin
he saw Peltok bending over him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What is it?” asked Tom, starting up. “Is it
morning? Are we going to leave now?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know whether we can leave or not,”
was the answer. “We are in great danger.
Listen. I walked out this evening and, most
unexpectedly, I came upon a place where the
<span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> is hidden in a glen.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>?” cried Tom. “You mean
Kilborn’s ship?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes. She is right near-by, and I believe he
and his men know we are here. But that isn’t
the worst. Kilborn has hired a band of Chinese
bandits to attack us just before sunrise, disable
our plane, and capture us!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Are you sure of this?” gasped Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Very sure! I crept near enough in the darkness
to overhear all the details. Kilborn was
talking to the bandits through an interpreter,
and I heard all that was said. The bandits are
angry because we repulsed them this morning,
and they are eager for revenge. They promised
Kilborn to attack us in force, to wreck our machine
and to carry us off.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The dirty rascal!” cried Tom. “What can
we do?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If we could finish those repairs and be ready
to start up before they got here, we’d trick
them,” said Peltok. And when Ned, who was
aroused by the talk, heard what was in prospect,
he too, advised the same thing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then we’ll do it!” decided Tom. “I hate to
route Joe and Bill out of bed again, but it’s got
to be done.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Never a word of protest came from the two
mechanics as they sleepily rolled out of their
berths, and, with the help of Peltok and Tom,
while Ned managed a flashlight, went to work
adjusting the carburetor and fitting it in place.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Now we’ll try it,” said Hartman when, toward
morning, the last of the adjustments were
made.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But if we start the motors and they don’t
work,” objected Ned, “won’t those bandits, who
must be camped near here and waiting, hear
them and come to the attack.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ve got to chance it,” said Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Luckily, just as they began to make the test
a violent storm, with heavy thunder, came up,
and the sound of the motors’ exhausts were
drowned in the furious rumbles from the sky.
The bandits heard nothing of the trial of the
airship’s machinery and, to the delight of Tom
and his friends, the carburetor functioned perfectly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re ready to go up now!” announced Peltok,
as the first rosy tints in the sky denoted the
coming of dawn. “Everything is all right.
We’re going up!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And here come the bandits!” cried Ned as,
through the windows of the pilot house, he saw
a crowd of Chinese advancing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Lively!” ordered Tom. “It’s going to be
touch and go!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The motors roared as more gas was turned
on. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> trembled, seemed to cling
for an instant to the earth, and then she began
moving rapidly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A cry of astonishment and rage burst from
the bandits, who had not expected this. It was
rapidly getting light. Tom was in charge of the
controls and, waiting only until the craft had
acquired sufficient momentum, he pulled on the
elevating rudder handle.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s Kilborn!” shouted Ned, as he caught
sight of the rascal who had come out to see how
his plot worked. He was yelling something,
though what it was could not be heard, and he
seemed to be urging the bandits to rush up and
grab the airship before it could get fully off
the earth.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But now the motors were warming up. The
nose of the craft lifted. In desperation Kilborn
yelled and waved his hands wildly. One of the
bandits, directly in the path of the plane, made
a jump and grabbed a rope that had, inadvertently,
been left dangling. He caught it and
was lifted up in the air.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re taking him with us!” cried Ned, leaning
out of the window to observe.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That’s his lookout!” said Tom coolly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But the Chinese bandit had no relish for being
taken from his home in this strange fashion.
With a yell, he let go the rope when he was ten
feet up, and down he fell.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Wow!” yelled Ned, with a laugh of delight.
“He got his all right!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who?” asked Tom, who was guiding the
plane up higher and higher, out of danger.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Kilborn,” was the answer. “That bandit
fell squarely on top of him, and they both went
down in a mud puddle! Oh, baby!” and Ned
chuckled in delight while grins of satisfaction
spread over the faces of the others.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom looked down in time to see the discomfited
pilot of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> picking himself up
from beneath the bandit, his clothes dripping
mud and water, and then the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> shot
on her way.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The remainder of that day was one void of
excitement. They traveled in the air over the
vast extent of China, making only one descent
to get some oil, as a leak developed in one of
the reservoirs, allowing much of the precious
fluid to drip away. They had a little trouble
with the Chinese authorities in the city where
they landed. But this was not due to any
scheming on the part of Kilborn. It was just
a local “squeeze” custom, and Tom had to pay
out money for graft. But he said he did not
mind as long as he was ahead of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>,
and he felt sure that he was.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was the middle of the next day, when they
were about to leave the region above land, once
more to sail over water, that Tom observed the
barometer falling.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Does it mean anything?” asked Ned, as he
saw the serious look on his chum’s face.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A storm, I’m afraid,” was the answer. “And
a storm here, in the region of the Japan Sea, is
anything but pleasant.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Bad?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The very worst,” was Tom’s reply. “But
we may be able to get above it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He increased the speed of the motors and
headed the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> in a different direction.
But the glass continued to fall. The sky soon
became overcast and there was a dead calm, as
they could tell by looking down on the surface
of the sea, which was as flat as a mill pond.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But not for long.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Suddenly there was a puff of air that swerved
the craft, powerful as she was, to one side.
Then came a howl as from some mighty siren
whistle. Tom, who had given Peltok charge of
the steering wheel, sprang to aid him as the
spokes were almost torn from his hands. At the
same time the young inventor cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Typhoon! Typhoon! It’s going to hit us
hard!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then, in spite of all efforts to keep her nose
up, the airship began shooting down toward the
surface of the sea that was now lashed into
foamy waves by the power of the awful wind!</p>
<div><h1 id='ch20'>CHAPTER XX<br> <span class='sub-head'>MALAY PIRATES</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Typhoon</span> in itself has a sinister sound, and
when, coupled with that, was the knowledge of
what such a storm was capable of doing, it is
no wonder that there were anxious hearts aboard
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the matter?” asked Ned of his chum,
as he realized that Tom was not going to be able
to do as he hoped and send the craft up into a
calm area above the outburst.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I don’t quite know,” was the answer. “It’s
just as if we were being pulled or pushed down.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If we land in that sea—well——” Ned did
not finish, but Tom knew what his chum meant.
If it was bad in the air it was worse on the water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A typhoon is a hurricane of the worst sort,
this particular name for violent wind and sea
disturbances being common to China and Japan
where these storms rage from May to November,
being at their worst in the summer months.
Tom and his party had arrived just at the very
height of the stormy season, and were now in
the grip of a typhoon of the most dangerous
character.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Our only chance is to fight it!” cried Tom,
while he aided Peltok in handling the wheel.
“Once we are forced down, we’ll be swamped.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The craft was built to navigate on water, it
is true, but not amid big waves and swells
kicked up by a hurricane. Yet it might chance
that Tom would have to battle with the elements
of water as well as those of the air.</p>
<p class='pindent'>For a time it seemed that the typhoon would
conquer and force the machine down. At first
Tom thought something had gone wrong with
the machinery, so reluctant was his ship to respond
to the controls. But when he looked at
the wind gage near the front window and noted
that its hand was hovering around the 150 mark
on the dial, he understood what was taking
place.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The wind was approaching a rate of two hundred
miles an hour, and as the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was
not making that speed she was being blown
back, and her propellers were not even holding
her stationary in the gale. Not only was she
being forced back, but she was being forced
downward.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ve got to have more power!” cried Tom.
“Turn on the super-gas!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There isn’t much left,” said Hartman. “You
were to save that for the last lap!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There won’t be any last lap if we don’t get
above this typhoon!” shouted Tom. “Turn it
on!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“On she goes!” echoed the mechanic.</p>
<p class='pindent'>With Hartman at the super-charger, while
Tom and Peltok managed the wheel, Ned and
Brinkley looked to the oiling systems. If they
failed now, when it was necessary to run the
motors at their top speed, it would be disastrous.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Though the wind howled about them and
heavy rain now dashed against the thick plate
glass of the windows, and though the typhoon
was increasing in power, it was soon evident
that the machine was doing better. With the increase
in speed and power of the motors, because
of Tom’s newly invented gas, the <span class='it'>Air
Monarch</span> began to recover lost ground, and soon
she began progressing straight into the teeth of
the hurricane. To have turned and sailed before
it would have meant that she would be
turned over and over, her wings shorn off and
that she would be dropped into the raging sea,
a helpless wreck.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll make it! We’ll make it!” exulted
Tom, as he saw the speed indicator hand slowly
move along until it was passing the two hundred
mark. He knew his ship was capable of over
two hundred and fifty miles an hour, or more
than four miles a minute, though how long she
could keep up this speed was a problem. And
the young inventor knew he could not hope to
reach that goal with a typhoon blowing against
him at more than half that speed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>So Tom was satisfied when he saw his craft
making a little more than the two hundred mile
rate, and he had hopes of coming out of the
contest not only with a whole skin himself but
with his plane intact.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Howling and yelling, the wind threatened to
tear the machine apart. But the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was stanchly made, and she forged ahead. Now
and then some more violent outburst than usual
caused the craft to dip down toward the raging
sea, but Tom and Peltok forced her up again,
and she rode above the waves, though sometimes
perilously close to their crests.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There is one thing about typhoons that is in
their favor, if such a thing can be said. This
is that they do not last long. From the very
nature of these storms, they cannot last long.</p>
<p class='pindent'>So, after about half an hour, there was a
diminishing of the force of the hurricane, as
Tom could note on the gage, and he was able to
send his craft up higher, soon being in a region
of comparative calm.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, boy! That was some blow!” Tom confided
to Ned, when he could let Peltok manage
the wheel alone and the young inventor went to
get some rest in the main cabin with his chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ll say it was!” Ned echoed. “Do they
have many of these out here?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“More or less. We’re well out of that one.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The typhoon was passing almost as quickly
as it had arisen, and when it was possible to
slow down the motors, to save as much as possible
of the now precious super-gas, Tom gave
orders to that effect.</p>
<p class='pindent'>They were now over a portion of the ocean
that had not, as yet, responded to the whipping
and lashing of the terrific wind, and Peltok, who
had given Hartman charge of the wheel, came
in to say:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I think we had better drop down to the water
and give the airship an overhauling. No telling
what might have been strained by that gale.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I agree with you,” Tom said. “We’ll make
a landing, or rather,” he added, with a smile,
“a watering. There is a large island near here,
I think,” he went on, consulting the map, “and
we can be sheltered in the harbor if we have
to make any repairs.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The typhoon had passed. The rain was over.
The setting sun came out clear and bright from
behind the black clouds as the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
gently settled down in the sea near a large
island, with smaller islands clustered about it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Pleasant place, this,” remarked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It looks so,” agreed Tom. “I hope we find
nothing wrong and can soon be on our way
again. We have lost a lot of time.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And we’re likely to lose something else, too!”
suddenly exclaimed Hartman, as the craft came
to a stop at the entrance to a natural harbor on
one side of the large island.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the matter?” asked Tom, who was
shutting off the motors.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look!” exclaimed the mechanic, and as he
pointed ahead Tom and his friends saw, swarming
toward them, a number of long, low boats,
filled with savage warriors who set up a hideous
howling.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Malay pirates!” cried Tom, recognizing the
natives. “We’ll have a hornet’s nest about our
ears in a minute! Malay pirates!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>On came the savages chanting a war song to
keep time with the flashing paddles as they
urged their boats toward the floating aeroplane.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch21'>CHAPTER XXI<br> <span class='sub-head'>AMONG THE HEAD-HUNTERS</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“What</span> shall we do, Tom?” exclaimed Ned, as
he stood beside his chum, regarding the pirate
flotilla. “Going to fight? Better turn on the
ammonia tubes! Let’s get out the machine
gun!” One of these weapons had been brought
along. “We can stand them off!” and Ned
started back to the rear of the cabin where the
weapons were kept.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Wait a minute!” ordered Tom Swift. “I
don’t believe we’d better shoot, Ned!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But, man alive, why not? They’ll kill us if
we don’t. Look at their savage faces!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’re regular fiends!” said Peltok.
“They’ll not only capture us, but they’ll torture
us before they eventually kill us. This tribe is
one of the worst of the Malay pirate bands!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I haven’t the least doubt of it,” assented
Tom. “But at best we can kill only a few of
them before the rest will swarm over us.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s something in that,” agreed Hartman.
“But still we shall have to do something.
They’ll capture the ship if we don’t! Get
down off that!” he yelled as one of the boats
was suddenly paddled forward and a Malay,
horribly decked out in war paint and feathers,
leaped up on one of the plane’s wings. Impulsively
Hartman jumped outside and pushed
the pirate off the airship into the water, where
he fell with a splash.</p>
<p class='pindent'>This did not disconcert him, however, for the
Malays were like fishes in the ocean, and he
swam back to his canoe while his companions
laughed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>At this Tom Swift’s face brightened and he
exclaimed:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We have a chance. Any tribe, no matter
how savage, that can see the funny side of life
is open to reason.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do you mean you’re going to reason with
these fellows?” asked Ned. “What’s the idea?
We can’t hang around here making those fellows
laugh and getting them into good humor
so they’ll let us go. If you’re going to win this
race, Tom——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m going to do my best to win it,” was the
answer. “But harsh measures may be the very
worst sort we could adopt. I have an idea we
can escape from these pirates by a little
strategy.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What kind?” Ned wanted to know.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’ve got to work out a plan,” Tom answered.
“Meanwhile, how will this do to impress them?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Without waiting for his chum to answer and
not consulting the others, Tom went to a chest
in the corner of the cabin and took out a small
black globe. From it dangled the end of a
fuse, and to this Tom set a match.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Going to bomb them?” asked Ned. “Good!
I’d never thought of that! But I thought you
advocated peaceful measures.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This will be peaceful enough,” Tom said
with a smile, looking out on the ever increasing
flotilla of Malay canoes. So closely were they
now clustered around the airship that it would
have been impossible for her to have gotten up
speed enough to taxi across the water and to
rise in the air. The engines had been shut
down, and it seemed that the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was
at the mercy of the pirate horde.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A peaceful bomb!” cried Ned. “That’s one
on me. But be careful where you throw it,
Tom, or you may damage us more than you
damage those imps. Though I’d like to see ’em
all blown sky high!” he added vindictively.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They won’t be blown far with this,” remarked
Tom Swift, as, noting that the fuse was
almost burned down, he hurled the black object
through the open window straight into the midst
of a number of canoes.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was a yell of surprise from the pirates
as they saw the object, with its faint trail of
smoke, coming toward them. A moment later
there was a little explosion, hardly louder than
that of a fire-cracker, and a great cloud of smoke
floated over the scene, hiding the pirates from
view.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I get you now!” yelled Ned. “A smoke
bomb such as they use in the movies! We’ll
escape while they are blinded by the smoke.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, not exactly,” Tom said. “The smoke
will hamper us as much as I hope it scares these
pirates. I only want to impress them and lay
pipes for another demonstration later. I brought
some of these smoke bombs along to use for
signaling, but they may serve another purpose.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Indeed, this one seemed destined to act that
way, for from the midst of the heavy cloud of
white vapor came yells and cries of fear and
astonishment. Meanwhile, those in the airship
waited for Tom’s next move.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“This will give them the idea that we are a
supernatural bunch, I hope,” said the young
inventor. “They’ll hesitate about rushing us,
and that’s what I want—to hold off that overwhelming
rush.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom Swift seemed likely to get his wish, for
when, after a minute or two, the smoke screen
was blown away, the water about the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was clear of pirate canoes. The paddlers
had hastily drawn back from too close proximity
to the “foreign bird-ship,” as, doubtless,
they called the craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But if the danger of an immediate and overwhelming
rush was over for a time, the menace
of the Malay horde still remained. For though
the canoes had withdrawn to a respectful distance
they still hemmed the aircraft in, and it
would have been impossible to get headway
enough to rise without crashing into part of the
flotilla. This might kill a number of the pirates.
It was also likely to damage the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here comes the chief. I think he wants a
parley,” said Peltok, as the largest canoe of all,
much bedecked with feathers and other ornaments,
shot out from the midst of the boats and
was paddled toward the aircraft. On a raised
platform amidships sat a fat Malaysian surrounded
by his attendants. One of them began
shouting something to which Peltok listened attentively.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He’s the chief, all right,” he translated to
the others after an exchange of talk between
himself and the Malaysian. “He says he will let
us depart in peace if one of us will remain to
be offered as a sacrifice.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A sacrifice!” cried Tom. “A sacrifice to
what?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“To one of their heathen gods,” Peltok announced.
“It seems the tribe has had bad luck
and they think their god should be propitiated.
A white man as a sacrifice will do the trick, that
Malay chap said. That smoke bomb scared
them,” he went on. “They can see that we
have great power. But still they are not enough
impressed to let us go free, though they say
they will withdraw their boats and let us go on
our way if one of our party is handed over for
sacrifice.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And if we refuse?” asked Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then they will rush on us and kill us all, no
matter how many of them we may kill,” translated
Peltok. “Thus will their god be appeased
and fortune will smile on them, the chief says.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’re desperate enough to do just that,”
said Tom. He seemed lost in thought for a
moment, and then he added: “Tell them we will
let them know in the morning. Hold them off
until after dark,” he added. “By that time
we’ll have had a chance to go over our motors
and be ready for a rush.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But it will be dangerous to crash through
those canoes,” objected Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Maybe there won’t be any canoes left when
we get ready to leave,” replied Tom, with a
smile. “Go ahead, Peltok, tell them we will
decide by morning.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Again there was an interchange of words in
the Malay tongue, and when there was a pause
Peltok turned and said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They agree. If by morning you will donate
one of the party to sacrifice they will give us
free passage over their sea. If not, they will
kill us all!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There are two sides to every story,” quoted
Tom. “Ours yet remains to be told. Come on
now,” he urged his companions. “Let’s get
busy on the motors. They may not need much
tinkering with. But we’ll tune them up and be
ready for the dash.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>While the mechanics were making some adjustments,
which fortunately proved to be very
few, Ned asked Tom:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the game?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Fireworks,” answered the young inventor.
“I’ve got a few I brought along, Ned, not really
knowing what use I might make of them. But
now I see a chance.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“To-night,” went on Tom, “when we are ready
to start, I’ll shoot some rockets and Roman
candles over the heads of the Malays. They’ll
probably be surrounding us in their canoes.
But the fireworks will scatter them and we’ll
have a clear lane to shoot through.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good!” cried Ned. “I wondered what you
were going to do. This will turn the trick, I
think.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Though the triple ring of canoes had withdrawn
a little distance from the airship, the big
craft was still so well invested that unless the
rings were broken escape would be out of the
question.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Darkness fell rapidly. Tom and Ned got a
meal ready, serving it to the mechanics who were
working fast to complete the adjustments made
necessary by the strain to the ship caused by
the typhoon.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was nearly midnight when Tom, having
got out the fireworks, made ready for his surprise.
With the help of his four friends, he
laid a battery of rockets in wooden troughs so
they would shoot in four directions from the
airship. Then, directly ahead, in the path he
intended to use to get up speed to mount into
the air, he aimed some big Roman candles.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All ready!” cried Tom when Ned and the
others had announced that they were prepared.
“Let ’em go!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>With terrifying roars, with sharp explosive
pops and showers of sparks, the rockets and
Roman candles whizzed forth. The darkness
was set aglow with a terrifying glare, and from
the watchers in the canoes came yells of dismay.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Start the motors!” cried Tom when, by
means of the red glow, he saw the canoes scurry
away, leaving a free passage.</p>
<p class='pindent'>With a roar, the powerful machines got into
action, the propellers whirled, and the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
shot across the water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A few seconds of this ever increasing speed
enabled the craft to rise into the air, and then
she was on her way, winging her flight high over
the heads of the terrified and disappointed savages.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That will hold them for a while!” cried Ned,
as he aimed the last burning balls of his Roman
candle down on the dark mass of fleeing natives.</p>
<p class='pindent'>All through the night the machine roared on,
reducing each hour the distance that separated
her from the final goal. There were still many
thousands of miles to cover, however, and several
days would be needed to do this.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was on the third day after having escaped
from the Malay pirates and while proceeding
along over the Pacific that the machine which
Tom was guiding swerved sharply to the left.
It almost turned turtle, but he righted it quickly
and then shut down the power.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What’s the matter?” shouted Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re wrecked, I’m afraid,” was the answer.
“One of our propellers is broken. We’ve got to
descend! I’ll head for that island!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No! Not there! Not there!” cried Peltok,
who had been studying the charts just before
the accident. “Don’t go down there.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s no help for it,” said Tom. “But
what’s the objection?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That island is inhabited by head-hunters!”
was the answer. “They are even worse than
the Malay pirates!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It can’t be avoided!” said Tom Swift.
“We’re disabled. We’ll have to take our
chance!” and a few minutes later he guided his
craft down into a little natural harbor of the
island, the shores of which swarmed with savage-looking
men.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch22'>CHAPTER XXII<br> <span class='sub-head'>THE RAFT</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Scarcely</span> had the aircraft come to a stop,
gliding over the water, than scores of canoes,
smaller than those used by the pirates, but containing
fully as many savages, put out from the
sheltered shore of the little bay and began approaching
the machine housing Tom Swift and
his party. Their horrid cries rent the air and
they brandished their spears, axes, clubs and
bows and arrows.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What are we going to do, Tom?” asked Ned.
“Are you going to fight them or scare them?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You can’t scare these natives!” shouted Peltok.
“They are utterly savage. They have no
gods. They worship only human heads, and
they are after ours.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Then we won’t waste any time parleying,”
decided the young inventor. “Unlimber the
machine gun!” he called to Hartman and
Brinkley. “Ned, get out the rifles! If they
want to fight we’ll give ’em one!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But what if we can’t beat ’em off?” asked
Ned, as he ran to get some of the arms. “We’ll
be stuck here sha'n’t we, with one propeller
gone?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll be stuck if we can’t ship a new one, but
we have two spares,” said Tom. “We’ve got to
fight these head-hunters off—that’s all there is
to it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Realizing how desperate was their situation,
the party, one and all, resolved to die fighting
rather than fall into the hands of the evil savages.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The machine gun was set up on its tripod just
outside the motor room, on a small platform
which was hastily screened in by some boxes,
chests and movable lockers. Hartman and
Brinkley, who were to work this automatic
weapon, would thus be protected from the spears
and arrows of the head-hunters. Luckily the
islanders did not seem to possess firearms.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom, Ned and Peltok would take their stand
in the front cabin and fire on the savages from
there. No sooner were these measures of defense
taken than the head-hunters rushed to the attack,
yelling, shouting, and brandishing their
weapons.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was quite a party of them coming up
in canoes at the stern of the floating airship, and
Tom, seeing this, yelled to the machine gunners:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Let ’em have it!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>A moment later the automatic began its staccato
roar and the bullets fairly riddled several
canoes, sinking them, spilling their warriors and
paddlers into the water, and killing numbers of
them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But while the rear attack was thus repulsed,
there was a rush toward the front and sides.
There the savages were met with a sharp fire
from the rifles of Tom, Ned and Peltok, and
great execution was done.</p>
<p class='pindent'>With yells of dismay at this hot reception,
most of the canoes that were not disabled swung
back, but one containing half a score of natives
dashed on and bumped against the fuselage of
the aircraft. Screaming and brandishing their
weapons, the occupants tried to swarm up the
slippery metal sides.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Repel boarders!” yelled Tom, rushing out,
followed by the others.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Despite a flight of arrows and spears, one of
which latter wounded Peltok and Ned slightly,
the three drove the invaders back, firing in their
very faces, and actually kicking some of them
off into the water. Then this canoe turned back,
but not before several of the occupants had
been killed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Good work!” cried Tom, turning to go back
to the shelter of the cabin to avoid more arrows
and spears which were now showering toward
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>. “A little more of this and
we’ll have them on the run.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>As he spoke he uttered a cry of pain, for an
arrow took him in the thigh, inflicting a painful
wound.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It may have been a poisoned arrow, too!”
said Peltok. “Better put some disinfectant in
the wound.” This Tom did, in the shelter of
the cabin.</p>
<p class='pindent'>After the first rush the head-hunters withdrew,
their ardor somewhat cooled. But Tom
and his companions knew the fight was not yet
over. The canoes still hung about and more
savages were coming to the coast from the interior
of the island. Some of them bore freshly
severed heads, and it was a foretaste of what
might happen to Tom Swift and his party
should they be captured.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Meanwhile, Hartman and Brinkley had used
the machine gun to such good advantage that
they had repulsed the savages at the rear with
great loss, though both machinists had been
slightly wounded by arrows.</p>
<p class='pindent'>All five of the airship occupants were now
hurt, but none of the wounds amounted to much
save in the case of Tom Swift, and he made
light of his pierced thigh. It was, however, very
painful.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What are we going to do?” asked Ned, who
was beginning to lose heart when he saw the
increasing crowd of savages and realized that
the airship was disabled.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Do?” cried Tom. “Why, we’re going to
carry on, of course! It will not take long to
attach a new propeller, and we’ll have to fight
off these imps while it’s being done. Hartman
and Brinkley can do the work, while you and
I, Ned, with Peltok, will stand guard.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>This program was carried out, though under
great difficulties. The head-hunters, in spite of
their heavy losses, returned to the attack soon
after the two machinists began attaching the
spare propeller. The old one had lost a blade,
possibly through some defect in it, Tom decided.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Ned and Peltok worked the machine gun at
the stern, thus protecting Hartman and Brinkley
from an overwhelming rush, while Tom,
with several magazine rifles ready to hand, peppered
the natives who sought to come at the
craft from the front.</p>
<p class='pindent'>In this way the fight and repair work went on
for a couple of hours, until, at last, the execution
among the head-hunters was so great that
they were forced to withdraw. Ned received
another slight scratch from an arrow, but there
were no other casualties on board the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>,
which was rapidly being put in shape for
another flight.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was not until late in the afternoon, however,
and following a most strenuous hour, that
the machinists announced that the propeller was
in place.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And it’s about time, too,” said Tom. “I
think the head-hunters are going to make another
grand rush.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>This was plainly evident from the additional
canoes that were being filled with islanders who
swarmed down to the shore. They seemed determined,
no matter how severe their own
losses, to get the heads of these strangers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Peltok tried to listen to the shouted talk of
the savages, but had to admit that they spoke a
dialect unfamiliar to him. However, it was
evident that the yells and shouts had to do
with the intentions of the war party.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here they come!” yelled Ned, when word
had been given to start the motors. “Wow, what
a mob!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Hundreds of the head-hunters were now paddling
to the attack. But when they were within
range they were met with a sharp fire from the
rifles and machine guns. At the same time the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> began moving, and before the attackers
could get close enough to interpose their
canoes in her path, the machine had risen and
was soon high over their heads and out of danger.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Whew!” whistled Ned as they sailed on.
“If we don’t get the prize for the international
race, Tom, we ought to get one for an international
globe-circling fight. We’ve had a lot
of it since we started.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, we have,” Tom admitted, wincing a bit
as he moved his wounded leg. “And we may
have more. We still have Kilborn to reckon
with.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I wonder where he is,” mused Ned as the
machine straightened out on her course.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hard to say,” was the answer. “But we
aren’t making as good time as I’d like to make.
He may pull in ahead of us.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>At the thought of this the speed of the craft
was increased and as night came she was winging
her way over the vast expanse of the Pacific
Ocean toward the shores of the United States.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was just at dawn the next morning when
Ned, who had got up early to make Tom a cup
of coffee, looked down toward the sea. What
he saw caused him to cry out.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What is it?” asked his chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s a raft just below us.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A raft?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Yes, with a couple of people on it. Looks
like a raft from a wrecked ship. I think they
are castaways. Can’t we rescue them, Tom?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The young inventor came limping out of his
cabin to look down at the sea. Rising and falling
on the heaving swells below the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
was a big raft, on which were two men waving
frantically to those sailing above their heads
in the airship. Faintly their cries floated up,
for the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was flying low.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Help! Help!” the castaways shouted.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch23'>CHAPTER XXIII<br> <span class='sub-head'>THERE SHE BLOWS!</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Tom Swift</span> for a moment was torn between
duty and ambition.</p>
<p class='pindent'>His machine was winging along at wonderful
speed and he was beginning to make up for
much time lost. To slow up, descend and rescue
these two on the raft meant more delay—a
delay that would be dangerous to his chances
of winning the prize. He did not know how
many or what other ships, whether of the air
or the sea, containing his rivals, might be ahead
of him or close behind.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But it was for only a moment that Tom hesitated.
He gave one look down at the despairing,
helpless men on the raft and cried to Ned:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ll go down!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Ned knew, as well as Tom, what this might
mean.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As the young inventor sprang into the motor
room to give the order to Hartman, who was on
duty, he practically gave up all hope of winning
the race. Yet he had no regrets.</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was another thought that came to Tom
as he told the surprised Hartman what was
about to be done and mentioned the raft with
the shipwrecked ones on it. This was the problem
of caring for the two castaways when they
were taken aboard the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s hardly room for them,” reasoned
Tom. “Their added weight will hold me back,
even if I’m able to make up any of this lost
time. And we haven’t any too much food.
Didn’t have a chance to lay in any at the camps
of the pirates and head-hunters,” he grimly reflected.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But he did not hesitate, and a little later two
very thankful, but much wondering, men were
being taken aboard the airship. They were
thankful for their rescue but surprised at the
manner of it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We thought some steamer might pick us
up,” said one, “but we never counted on something
coming out of the sky to do it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Sam thought I was out of my head when I
told him an airship was coming,” remarked the
other.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom had sent his craft slowly over the water
on her pontoons as close as he dared to go to
the raft, and the men had leaped into the sea,
swimming the intervening distance, since it
would take but a slight bump from the jagged
edges of the raft to puncture the frail body of
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Once on board, and again riding through the
air, Tom listened to the stories of the castaways.
They were part of the crew of a small
lumber schooner that had broken up in a terrible
storm. For more than a week the men
had been drifting about on the raft which had
been made from some of the deck load of lumber.
Five of their companions had been washed
off, and one, in delirium, had leaped into the
sea and was eaten by sharks. The two who
were left had only a little food and water remaining
when they were saved.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m sorry that I can’t take you men all the
way back to San Francisco with me,” Tom said,
when the two had been made comfortable in
temporary bunks and given some extra garments
in place of their wet and storm-torn ones.
“But I’m trying to win a race. How would it
do if I landed you on one of the Hawaiian
Islands? I’ve got to stop there for oil and
gas.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That would suit us fine, Captain,” said Sam
Stout, while his companion, Frank Madler, said:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We can easily get another ship there.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>So it was arranged, and Tom, still with a
faint hope in his heart that he might at least
come in a good second if not the winner of the
world race, turned on a little more power and
headed for the east. There lay the United
States, and once over that territory there remained
only the last part of the flight—across
the continent.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The motors of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> were not behaving
as well as Tom liked, and he had an idea
it was due to the poor quality of the last gasoline
he had put into his tanks. He dared not
use the last of his super-fuel, but he hoped in
Hawaii to get some better than the last.</p>
<p class='pindent'>If worse came to worst, he thought he could
finish the race in his <span class='it'>Airline Express</span> craft, but
he wanted to do it in the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>. It
would be much more satisfactory, he told Ned,
who agreed with him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was only half a day’s travel from where
the shipwrecked ones had been picked up to the
harbor of Honolulu, and it was about mid afternoon
when Ned, who was on watch, gave the
cry:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Land ho! All out for Hawaii!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The beautiful islands were looming ahead of
them through the mist. Quarter of an hour
later they made out Diamond Head and knew
they were close to Honolulu, the chief city of
the territory.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom was in the pilot house, prepared to make
a landing, if such a term is permissible when
one means to drop into the water. He had
headed the craft for a spot somewhat outside a
harbor, intending to taxi up into it to avoid
the shipping when, suddenly, Sam, one of the
shipwrecked sailors, who was looking from the
pilot house window, pointed to a spot directly
in front of them and cried:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There she blows!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What?” asked Tom, though a second later
he realized what was meant.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“A whale!” cried the sailor. “There she
blows, and you’re going to bump right into her!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom tried desperately to shift the wheel and,
at the same time to elevate the airship to pass
over the monster of the deep. But they were
now so close that it seemed impossible. With
the motors shut off the sound of the whale’s
blowing could be heard and each moment the
vast bulk became plainer. If the airship hit
that mountain of flesh she would be instantly
wrecked!</p>
<div><h1 id='ch24'>CHAPTER XXIV<br> <span class='sub-head'>THE LAST TRICK</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“Start</span> the engine! Give me some speed!”
Tom yelled desperately. “I’ve got to zoom!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He meant, by this, a sudden and sharp lifting
of the airship over the whale, as a birdman often
zooms to avoid crashing into trees or some obstruction.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Luckily, Peltok was on duty in the engine
compartment. He had shut off power but a
short time before, and the cylinders were still
hot. In a second the machinist switched on the
spark, hoping to start the motors on compression
as can sometimes be done. To his delight
it happened this time.</p>
<p class='pindent'>With a roar the powerful engines started up,
whirring the propellers and giving the craft
enough momentum for Tom to lift her over the
whale’s back.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But so little room was there to spare that
afterward, observers in near-by boats declared
that the spouting of the whale wet the lower
portion of the <span class='it'>Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom could well believe this, for when the big
creature, alarmed by the near approach of the
air craft, raised its flukes and slammed them
down on the surface of the sea, preparatory to
sounding, the water was washed in a big wave
over the rudders of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> tearing
loose some of the stays and guy wires of the
elevating surfaces.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was a narrow escape, and Tom realized this
as, a little farther on, he brought his craft safely
to the calm surface of the bay while behind him
the waves were ruffled by the sinking of the
whale that was soon lost to sight.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If this keeps us,” remarked Ned whimsically,
as he sat on a locker, “I’ll be a nervous
wreck after this race. It’s just one bit of excitement
and narrow squeak after another.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We have had a little more than our share,”
admitted Tom. “But I think the worst is over
now.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You sure handled your ship like a veteran!”
commended the two shipwrecked sailors.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom’s arrival at Honolulu was greeted with
a great demonstration on the part of officials
and the populace, some of whom had expected
that one or more of the world racers might pass
over their islands. So when word came that
Tom had stopped to take on gasoline and oil,
arrangements were made to fête him. But he
had little time for any ceremonies although he
did consent to be decked with a wreath of
flowers—a native custom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I want to hop off again as soon as I can,”
he told the welcoming delegation, though as
politely as possible. “You understand how it
is.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, yes, we understand,” was the reply.
“But one of your rivals is here, and he seems
to be taking his time.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Who is it?” asked Tom, though he was almost
prepared for the answer that came.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Dan Kilborn in the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Here ahead of us!” exclaimed Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That isn’t to be wondered at!” remarked
Tom. “The thing for us to do is to leave ahead
of him and keep him at a distance.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>They learned that the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> had arrived
two days before with a broken cam shaft
and that the repairs were nearly completed. On
hearing this Tom hastened as much as he could
the taking on of gas, oil, and other necessities.
But when it seemed that they might get under
way again a few hours after landing in Honolulu,
Peltok discovered another small burned-out
bearing that must be replaced.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It will not take long,” he said, “as we have
spare parts for that. By night we can be moving
again.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I hope so,” murmured Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The two shipwrecked sailors were taken in
charge by the captain of a vessel who promised
them berths, and Tom and Ned sent home radiograms
telling of their progress up to date.</p>
<p class='pindent'>In spite of Peltok’s assertion that it would
not take long to replace the burned-out bearing,
it did, and he had to amend his calculation so
that it would be midnight before the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
could take off again.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom and Ned occupied their time by visiting
places of interest, and it was when they were
coming out of a restaurant that they saw a
crowd approaching them. Thinking it was only
curious ones who wanted to look at the “world
fliers,” the two young men paid little heed until
they heard a voice they knew saying:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s Tom Swift now! Arrest him! I’ll
make the charge!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom and Ned wheeled about to see Dan Kilborn
facing them. The pilot of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>
was in company with a police officer, and again
he exclaimed:</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Arrest Tom Swift!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“On what charge?” asked the officer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“He tried to kill me!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Kill you!” shouted Tom. “Are you crazy?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, I’m perfectly rational!” sneered Kilborn.
“But I make that charge. A charge of
attempting my life! Tom Swift dropped from
his airship a Chinaman on my head, severely injuring
me.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>And then it came to Tom and Ned what the
rascal meant. He was referring to the time he
had set the Chinese bandits on to wreck the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>. One of the bandits had been carried
up by catching hold of a rope as Tom sent
his craft aloft, but the frightened fellow had
loosed his hold and dropped on Kilborn’s head.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Arrest Tom Swift!” again demanded the
<span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> pilot.</p>
<p class='pindent'>As he hastened forward, so did the police
officer, accompanied by a number of others.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I am sorry,” said the officer to Tom, “that
I shall have to take you into custody. There
must be a hearing, but probably, since no one
was really killed, you will be admitted to bail.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“You mean that I must submit to arrest and
probably lose a day, if not more, arranging for
bail on this untrue charge?” asked Tom indignantly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Such is the law,” was the answer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s a foolish law!” cried Ned. “It was Kilborn’s
own fault that the Chinese bandit dropped
on him. He sent them to attack us!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I did nothing of the sort!” declared Kilborn
brazenly.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I must take you into custody, young man,”
said the officer. “I am sorry, but this gentleman,”
and he pointed to Kilborn, “has sworn
out a warrant against you, charging you with
assault with intent to kill. I must do my duty.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“All right,” assented Tom, with such seeming
cheerfulness that Ned looked at him curiously.
“If I have to go with you I suppose I
must. But this is your last trick, Kilborn!”
the young inventor suddenly cried. “I’m going
to play trumps from now on! Follow me, Ned!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>With a sudden motion Tom tripped the officer
who had reached out a hand to apprehend him.
He pushed the man backward into the midst of
his fellows, and then sent a fist full into Kilborn’s
face, whirling him aside.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then, like a football player, Tom turned and
ran back into the restaurant, followed by Ned,
who did not know what to make of it.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They’ll trap us in here, Tom!” panted his
chum.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“No, there’s a back way out that leads directly
to the beach!” whispered Tom. “I noticed
that when we were in there. Come on.
We can beat Kilborn yet!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>On they rushed, through the midst of the astonished
waiters and patrons in the dining room.
Out through the kitchen they went and into a
back alley. Tom had marked the way well, and
in a few minutes, leaving a confused and yelling
crowd of men behind them, the two reached
the harbor, and, engaging a motor launch by the
simple but effective method of shoving gold
coin into the owner’s hand, were soon aboard
the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“How about it?” gasped Tom to the workmen.
“Can we start?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“At once, if there is need!” answered Peltok.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There’s the greatest need in the world if I’m
going to win the race!” cried Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A minute later the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> rose.</p>
<div><h1 id='ch25'>CHAPTER XXV<br> <span class='sub-head'>ACROSS THE CONTINENT</span></h1></div>
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“Well</span>, Tom, what do you make it?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>The young inventor and his chum were in
the snug cabin of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> which was
speeding over the last few hundred miles of the
Pacific that lay between her and the Golden
Gate. Tom was poring over a chart and making
some calculations.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If we reach San Francisco by night, and we
ought to do it at the rate we’re traveling, we’ll
have used up nearly eighteen days of the
twenty.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That leaves you one day to cross the continent,”
remarked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Correct,” agreed Tom. “But we’ll have to
stop in Frisco to take on more gas and oil.
After that we’ll have a straight-away run to
New York.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And victory,” added Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“That remains to be seen,” replied Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was the day after the sensational escape in
Honolulu from the trumped-up charges of Kilborn.
The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> had got away to a flying
start, though what Kilborn had done remained
a matter of conjecture. Doubtless,
tricked by Tom’s quick action, the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>
pilot had also completed his repairs and was
racing after his most dangerous rival.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“With good luck, no more delays and fair
feather, we’ll just about do it,” Tom said, putting
away the maps and calculating tables and
instruments as they neared San Francisco.
They had arranged for a landing field there—the
same field that Tom used for his <span class='it'>Airline
Express</span>, though he did not now consider using
that machine, since the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was doing
so well.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was evening when the great craft, going
fast, passed the Golden Gate amid a salvo of
whistles from all sorts of craft in the harbor,
for scouting aeroplanes had discovered Tom’s
approach and heralded it. Out to the landing
field without mishap the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>
soared, and there willing hands assisted in making
a few slight repairs and in filling the gas and
oil tanks.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’d like to have you address our Chamber
of Commerce,” said the president of it to Tom,
as that young man was nervously walking about
his craft. “We have our annual meeting this
evening and——”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Sorry,” cut in Tom, with a smile. “But
I’m going to hop off at once. I have only about
a day left of my allowance, and there’s too much
at stake to take any time here. If I win this
race I may fly back and give you a talk.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I wish you would,” said the president.</p>
<p class='pindent'>At last everything was in readiness, and while
police were clearing the field that Tom might
have a runway to get a start for taking the air,
there echoed above the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> a throbbing
and beating in the night. It was a sound
the nature of which Tom and Ned knew only
too well.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“There goes the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>!” cried Tom, recognizing
the peculiar throb of his rival’s propellers.
“He’s ahead of us!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>In vain Ned sought to pierce the blackness
above for a sight of the other machine. He
could see a dim blur of light, and that was all.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Cast off! Let’s start!” cried Tom, and a
moment later, amid shouts of farewell and cries
of good luck, the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> started on the
last lap of the twenty-five-thousand-mile journey
around the earth.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Think we can make it, Tom?” asked Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’re going to try,” was the answer.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But as Tom, during the night that followed—the
last night of their flight—looked at the
barometer, he shook his head a bit dubiously.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid we’re going to run into a storm
when we hit the Middle West,” he said.</p>
<p class='pindent'>That is just what happened. Through the
night the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> soared on, crossing the
Rockies and heading for the East. When dawn
broke the occupants of the craft found themselves
navigating in the midst of a swirling
storm of wind, rain, and, at times, beating hail.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Some storm!” cried Ned, as the fierce wind
careened the aircraft. “Will it hold us back,
Tom?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s bound to, somewhat, but it isn’t as bad
as the typhoon or the hurricane.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>There was an anxious look on the young inventor’s
face, however, and Ned guessed that it
was caused as much by the thought that Kilborn
in the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> was ahead of him as it
was by the storm. The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> might
beat the storm, but could she beat the rival
plane?</p>
<p class='pindent'>On and on raced Tom’s craft, until at last
she was clear of the storm which had done its
best, but in vain, to hold her back or cripple
her.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Pittsburgh!” shouted Ned, who was marking
off the principal cities as they flew over them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Four hundred miles more to New York and
victory!” echoed Tom.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It was shortly after noon. A hasty meal had
been served. In about two hours more, if all
went well, the race would be over. The twenty
days were not quite up. Tom Swift still had a
chance to win the twenty thousand dollars for
Mr. Swift. Would he also win the prize money?</p>
<p class='pindent'>Suddenly, through the mist in front, Ned
caught sight of another plane, traveling in the
same direction as the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Look, Tom!” the financial manager cried.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom leveled a glass at the other craft.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It’s the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>!” he yelled. “And she’s
limping. We’ve got a chance to beat her!
Turn on the super-gas. We’ve got just about
enough to finish the race!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>In an instant the powerful new gas Tom had
evolved was turned on, and at once the improvement
in the pace of the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was
noted. Tom had been saving his precious fuel
for just such an emergency as this. He gave the
<span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> a wide berth in passing her, lest perhaps
Kilborn, in his rage at seeing himself about
to be beaten, might try to ram Tom’s craft.
Then the mist closed in again and it is probable
that those on the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> did not know the
<span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was passing, unless they heard the
throb of her propellers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>On and on rushed Tom Swift and his
friends. One hour passed. In less than
sixty minutes they would be in the neighborhood
of New York City and could glide out to
the Long Island landing field.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“If this mist would only let up!” complained
Tom. “We may over run the field in the fog!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Passing Pittsburgh and other cities, messages
had been dropped, to tell the committee
in charge of the race the <span class='it'>Air Monarch’s</span> progress
and let them know the approximate time
she would arrive. He also hoped his father, and
perhaps Mary, would be on the field to greet
him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Suddenly the mist cleared away and Ned,
looking down, saw the tall and jagged skyline of
New York’s big buildings.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We’ve arrived, Tom!” he yelled.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Not quite yet! A few minutes more!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Tom steered with a clear vision now, out toward
Long Island. The airship had been
sighted, and a din of whistled greetings arose
from the harbor.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Stand by to land!” cried Tom a little later,
as he glimpsed the field he had left nearly three
weeks before. A big crowd was with difficulty
kept out of the danger zone.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> isn’t in sight!” exulted
Ned.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Down to the ground floated the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.
Her wheels ran over the sod and she came to a
stop within a few feet of where she had taken
off. Cries and cheers greeted the returning
voyagers.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Tom! Tom!” yelled Mr. Damon, rushing
out of the crowd as Tom, Ned and the others
stepped from the plane. “You win! Bless my
alarm clock, but you win!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What was our time?” asked Tom, as he
greeted the eccentric man and then noticed
Mary coming toward him with her father and
Mr. Swift.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Nineteen days, eleven hours, fifteen minutes,
eleven seconds,” was the answer of the official
timekeeper. “I congratulate you, Mr. Swift.
You have won the hundred thousand dollar
prize!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And your father wins his bets!” echoed Mr.
Trace who, with Mr. Burch, had arrived in time
to see the landing. “I didn’t believe it was
possible to circle the globe in less than twenty
days.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“We had several narrow squeaks!” admitted
Tom, as he paused to allow the news reel men
to make moving pictures of him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Oh, Tom, I’m so glad you’re back!” murmured
Mary. “And I guess Helen is glad to
see Ned, too,” she added, as Tom noticed his
chum being greeted by another pretty damsel.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Has anything been heard of any of the other
contestants?” asked Tom when his time had
been officially set down. “How about the <span class='it'>Red
Arrow</span>?”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Hasn’t been heard from,” some one said.
“And most of the others gave up soon after
starting.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Just then a reporter came bursting into the
crowd.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“The <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span> just crashed in New York
harbor!” he cried. “She’s a wreck!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Too bad!” murmured Tom. “We didn’t get
here any too soon,” he added to Ned. “Whew,
but I’m tired!” And well he might be, for the
last part of the trip had been a terrible strain.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span> was wheeled into a hangar
and left in charge of the three mechanics while
Tom and his friends, after a reception in New
York, made ready to go back to Shopton.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Meanwhile further news came of the wrecking
of the <span class='it'>Red Arrow</span>. Her motors, worn by
excessive strain, had collapsed just when Kilborn
might have given Tom a close finish, and
the machine, a complete wreck, fell into the
water. Some of her crew were seriously hurt,
and it was thought her pilot would die.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Under this impression Kilborn made a complete
confession, admitting that he had set
Hussy and another man on not only to steal
Tom’s secret if possible, and, failing in that, to
try to cripple Tom and disable the <span class='it'>Air Monarch</span>.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But all their evil plans came to naught. Tom
did not press his charges, and Hussy was released,
but his employer, Kilborn, was discredited
in the eyes of every one and Tom, acclaimed
a hero and a sport on all sides, received the hundred
thousand dollars.</p>
<p class='pindent'>One of the first things he bought with the
prize money was a fine diamond pin for Mary.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Just a souvenir!” Tom explained.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Some souvenir!” murmured Ned. But then
he did not need to be envious, for he was given
a large share of the prize money by Tom, and
was able to get a souvenir for Helen.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Peltok, Hartman and Brinkley were also well
rewarded for their part in helping win the great
race.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“And I won a bit myself,” admitted Mr.
Damon, when matters were being talked over.
“But bless my phonograph,” he said, “don’t tell
my wife. She doesn’t believe in making wagers.
Only I’m glad you won, Tom!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I’m a bit glad myself,” laughed the young
inventor.</p>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;margin-top:3em;margin-bottom:2em;font-size:.8em;'>THE END</p>
<hr class='pbk'>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:.5em;font-size:2.5em;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;'><span class='ul'>This Isn’t All!</span></p>
<div class='blockquote50percent'>
<p class='noindent'>Would you like to know what
became of the good friends you
have made in this book?</p>
</div>
<div class='blockquote50percent'>
<p class='noindent'>Would you like to read other
stories continuing their adventures
and experiences, or other books
quite as entertaining by the same
author?</p>
</div>
<div class='blockquote50percent'>
<p class='noindent'>On the <span class='it'>reverse side</span> of the wrapper
which comes with this book,
you will find a wonderful list of
stories which you can buy at the
same store where you got this book.</p>
</div>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:.5em;font-size:1.5em;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;'>Don’t throw away the Wrapper</p>
<div class='blockquote50percent'>
<p class='noindent'><span class='it'>Use it as a handy catalog of the books
you want some day to have. But in
case you do mislay it, write to the
Publishers for a complete catalog.</span></p>
</div>
<hr class='pbk'>
<hr class='tbk106'>
<hr class='tbk107'>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;font-size:1.3em;'><span class='gesp'>THE TOM SWIFT SERIES</span></p>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'>By VICTOR APPLETON</p>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'>Author of “The Don Sturdy Series.”</p>
<hr class='tbk108'>
<p class='pindent'>Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift is
a bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make the
most interesting kind of reading.</p>
<div class='lgl' style='margin-top:.5em;'> <!-- rend=';fs:.8em;' -->
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORCYCLE</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORBOAT</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS</p>
<p class='line' style='font-size:.8em;'>TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS</p>
</div> <!-- end rend -->
<hr class='tbk109'>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'>GROSSET & DUNLAP, <span class='sc'>Publishers</span>, NEW YORK</p>
<hr class='tbk110'>
<hr class='tbk111'>
<hr class='pbk'>
<p class='line' style='text-align:center;margin-top:4em;margin-bottom:2em;font-size:1.2em;'>TRANSCRIBER NOTES</p>
<p class='pindent'>Misspelled words and printer errors have been corrected.
Where multiple spellings occur, majority use has been
employed. Punctuation has been maintained except where obvious
printer errors occur.</p>
<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 69682 ***</div>
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