tom swift & his electric runabout(汤姆史威特和他的电力小轿车)-第13节
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on our guard。〃
〃You'll never catch Tom Swift again；〃 predicted Pete。
〃I'll go back now to where he is； if you will；〃 agreed Cecil； who was
older than the others。
〃Not much！〃 cried Pete。 〃I've had enough。〃
This seemed to be the sentiment of all。 Away they stumbled through
the woods； and； emerging on the road； scattered to their several homes； not
one but who suffered from slight burns； contusions； torn and muddy
clothes or injured feelings as the outcome of the 〃joke〃 on the young
inventor。
But our hero was not yet free from the bonds of his enemies。 When
they scattered and ran； after the vivid blue light； and the dull explosion；
which； being unconfined； did no real damage； Tom was still fast to the tree。
As his eyes became accustomed to the semi…darkness that followed the
glare； he remarked：
〃Well； I don't know that I'm much better off。 I gave those fellows a
good scare； but I'm not loose。 But I can work to better advantage now。〃
Once more he resumed the effort to free himself； but in spite of the
crude manner in which the knots had been made； the lad could not get
loose。 The more he pulled and tugged the tighter they seemed to become。
〃This is getting serious；〃 Tom mused。 〃If I could only reach my knife I
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
could cut them； but it's in my pocket on the other side； and that bond's fast。
Guess I'll have to stay here all night。 Maybe I'd better call for help； but〃
His words； spoken half aloud； were suddenly interrupted by a crash in
the underbrush。 Somebody was approaching。 At first Tom thought it was
Andy and his cronies coming back； but a voice that called a moment later
proved that this was not so。
〃Is any one here？〃 shouted a man。 〃Any one hurt？ What was that fire
and explosion？〃
〃I'm here；〃 replied Tom。 〃I'm not hurt exactly； but I'm tied to a tree。 I'll
be much obliged if you'll loosen me。〃
〃Who are you？〃
〃Tom Swift。 Is that you； Mr。 Mason？〃
〃Yes。 By jinks！ I never expected to find you here； Tom。 Over this way；
men；〃 he added calling aloud。 〃I've found him； it's Tom Swift。〃
There was the flicker of several lanterns amid the trees； and soon a
number of men had joined Mr。 Mason； and surrounded Tom。 They were
farmers living in the neighborhood。
〃What in the name o' Tunket happened？〃 asked one。 〃Did you get hit
by a meteor or a comet？ Who tied you up； highwaymen？〃
〃Cut him loose first； and ask questions afterward；〃 suggested Mr。
Mason。
〃Yes；〃 added Tom； with a laugh； 〃I wish you would。 I'm beginning to
feel cramped。〃
With their knives； the farmers quickly cut the ropes； and some of them
rubbed the arms of the lad to restore the circulation。
〃What was ithighwaymen？〃 asked a man； unable to longer restrain
his curiosity。 〃Did they rob you？〃
〃No； it wasn't highwaymen；〃 replied the youth。 〃It was a trick of some
boys I know；〃 and to Tom's credit be it said that he did not mention their
names。 〃They did it for a joke；〃 he added。
〃Boys' trick？ Joke？〃 queried Mr。 Mason。 〃Pretty queer sort of a joke； I
think。 They ought to be arrested。〃
〃Oh； I fancy I gave them what was coming to them；〃 went on the
young inventor。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
〃Did they try to blow ye up； too？〃 asked Mr。 Hertford。 〃What in th'
name of Tunket was that blue light； and that explosion？ I heard it an' saw
it way over to my house。〃
〃So did I；〃 remarked Mr。 Mason； and several others said the same
thing。 〃We thought a meteor had fallen；〃 he continued； 〃and we got
together to make an investigation。〃
〃It's a good thing for me you did；〃 admitted Tom； 〃or I might have had
to stay here all night。〃
〃But was it a meteor？〃 insisted Mr。 Hertford。
〃No；〃 replied the lad； 〃I did it。〃
〃You？〃
〃Yes。 You see after they tied me I found I could get one hand free。 I
reached in my pocket for my knife； but instead of it I managed to get hold
of a package of powder I had。〃
〃Gunpowder？〃 asked Mr。 Mason。
〃No； a chemical powder I use in an electrical battery。 The powder
explodes in fire； and makes quite a blue flash； and a lot of smoke； but it
isn't very dangerous； otherwise I wouldn't have used it。 When the boys
were some distance away from the fire； I threw the powder in the blaze。 It
went off in a moment； and〃
〃I guess they run some； didn't they？〃 asked Mr。 Mason with a laugh。
〃They certainly did；〃 agreed Tom。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER X
TOM HAS A FALL
The young inventor told more details of his adventure in the woods；
but； though the farmers questioned him closely； he would not give a single
name of his assailants。
〃But I should think you'd want to have them punished；〃 remarked Mr。
Mason。
〃I'll attend to that part later；〃 answered Tom。 〃Besides； most of them
didn't know what they were doing。 They were led on by one or two。 No；
I'll fight my own battles。 But I wish you'd lend me a lantern long enough
to find my motor…cycle。 The moon doesn't give much light in the woods；
and those fellows may have hidden my machine。〃
Mr。 Mason and his companions readily agreed to accompany Tom on a
search for his wheel。 It was found just where he had dismounted from it in
the road。 Andy and his cronies had evidently had enough of their
encounter with our hero； and did not dare to annoy him further。
〃Do you think you can ride home？〃 asked one of the farmers of the lad；
when he had ascertained that his machine was in running order。
〃Well； it's risky without my lantern；〃 answered Tom。 〃They smashed
that for me。 But I guess I can manage。〃
〃No； you can't！〃 insisted Mr。 Mason。 〃You're stiff from being tied up；
and you can't ride。 Now you just wheel that contraption over to my place；
and I'll hitch up and take you home。 It isn't far。〃
〃Oh； I couldn't think of troubling you；〃 declared Tom。 At the same
time he felt that he was in no condition to ride。
〃It's no trouble at all；〃 insisted Mr。 Mason。 〃I guess your father and I
are good enough friends to allow me to have my way。 You can come over
and get your choo…choo bicycle in the morning。〃
A little later Tom was being rapidly driven toward his home； where he
found his father and Mrs。 Baggert； to say nothing of Mr。 Sharp； somewhat
alarmed over his absence； as it was getting late。 The youth told as much of
his adventure as he thought would not alarm his father； making a sort of
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
joke of it； and； later； related all the details to the balloonist。
〃We'll have to get after Andy again；〃 declared the aeronaut。 〃He needs
another toning down。〃
〃Yes； similar to the one he got when we nearly ran away with his
automobile； by catching the airship anchor on it；〃 added Tom with a laugh。
〃But I fancy Andy will steer clear of me for a while。 I'm sorry I had to use
up that chemical powder； though。 Now I can't start my battery until to…
morrow。〃 But the next day Tom made up for lost time； by working from
early until late。 He went over to Mr。 Mason's； got his motor…cycle；
procured some more of the chemical； and soon had his storage battery in
running order。 Then he arranged for a more severe test； and while that was
going on he worked at completing the body of the electric runabout。 The
vehicle was beginning to look like a car； though it was not of the
regulation pattern。
For the next week Tom was very busy； so occupied； in fact； that he
scarcely took time for his meals； which caused Mrs。 Baggert no little
worriment； for she was a housekeeper who liked to see others enjoy her
cooking。
〃Well； Tom； how are you coming on？〃 asked his father one night； as
they sat on the porch； Mr。 Sharp with
