tom swift & his electric runabout(汤姆史威特和他的电力小轿车)-第3节
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But all thoughts of electric cars； and everything else； were driven from
the mind of the young man； when； with his father； he rushed out to see the
cause of the crash on the roof of the Swift homestead。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
〃There's something up there； Tom；〃 called his father； as he splashed on
through the rain。
〃That's right；〃 added his son。 〃And somebody； too； to judge by the fuss
they're making。〃
〃Maybe the house has been struck by lightning！〃 suggested the aged
inventor。
〃No； the storm isn't severe enough for that； and； besides； if the house
had been struck you'd hear Mrs。 Baggert yelling； Dad。 She〃
At that moment a woman's voice cried out：
〃Mr。 Swift！ Tom！ Where are you？ Something dreadful has happened！〃
〃There she goes！〃 remarked Mr。 Swift； as he splashed into a mud
puddle。
〃Bless my deflection rudder！〃 suddenly cried a voice from the flat roof
of the Swift house。 〃Hello！ I say； is anyone down there？〃
〃Yes； we are；〃 answered Tom。 〃Is that you； Mr。 Damon？〃
〃Bless my collar button！ It certainly is。〃
〃Where's Mr。 Sharp？ I don't hear him。〃
〃Oh； I'm here all right；〃 answered the balloonist。 〃I'm trying to get the
airship clear of the chimney。 Mr。 Damon〃
〃Yes； I steered wrong！〃 interrupted the odd man。 〃Bless my liver pin；
but it was so dark I couldn't see； and when that clap of thunder came I
shifted the deflection rudder instead of the lateral one； and tried to knock
over your chimney。〃
〃Are either of you hurt？〃 asked Mr。 Swift anxiously。
〃No； not at all；〃 replied Mr。 Sharp。 〃We were moving slowly； ready for
a landing。〃
〃Is the airship damaged？〃 inquired Tom。
〃I don't know。 Not much； I guess；〃 was the answer of the aeronaut。
〃I've stopped the engine； and I don't like to start it again until I can see
what shape we're in。〃
〃I'll come up； with Mr。 Jackson；〃 called Tom； and he hastily
summoned Garret Jackson； an engineer； who had been in the service of Mr。
Swift for many years。 Together they proceeded to the roof by a stairway
that led to a scuttle。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
〃Is anyone killed？〃 asked Mrs。 Baggert； as Tom hurried up the stairs。
〃Don't tell me there is； Tom！〃
〃Well； I don't have to tell you； for no one is；〃 replied the young
inventor with a laugh。 〃It's all right。 The airship tried to collide with the
chimney； that's all。〃
He was soon on the large； flat roof of the dwelling； and； with the aid of
lanterns he； the engineer； and Mr。 Sharp made a hasty examination。
〃Anything wrong？〃 inquired Mr。 Damon； looking out from the cabin
of the Red Cloud where he had taken refuge after the crash； and to get out
of the wet。
〃Not much；〃 answered Tom。 〃One of the forward planes is smashed；
but we can rise by means of the gas； and float down。 Is all clear； Mr。
Sharp？〃
〃All clear；〃 replied the balloonist； for the airship had now been
wheeled back from the entanglement with the chimney。
〃Then here we go！〃 cried Tom； as he and the aeronaut entered the craft；
while Mr。 Jackson descended through the scuttle。
There came a fiercer burst to the storm； and； amid a series of dazzling
lightning flashes and the muttering of thunder； the airship rose from the
roof。 Tom switched on the search…light； and； starting the big propellers；
guided the craft skillfully toward the big shed where it was housed when
not in use。
With the grace of a bird it turned about in the air； and settled to the
ground。 It was the work of but a few minutes to run it into the shed。 Then
they all started for the house。
〃Bless my umbrella！ How it rains！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； as he splashed
on through numerous puddles。 〃We got back just in time； Mr。 Sharp。〃
〃Where did you go？〃 asked the lad。
〃Why we took a flight of about fifty miles and stopped at my house in
Waterfield for supper。 Were you anxious about us？〃
〃A little when it began to storm；〃 replied Tom。
〃Anything new since we left？〃 asked Mr。 Sharp； for it was the custom
of himself； or some of his friends； to take little trips in the airship。 They
thought no more of it than many do of going for a short spin in an
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
automobile。
〃Yes； there is something new；〃 said Mr。 Swift； as the party； all
drenched now； reached the broad veranda。
〃Bless my gaiters！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃What is it？ I hope the Happy
Harry gang hasn't robbed you again； nor Berg and his men tried to take
that treasure away from us； after we worked so hard to get it from the
wreck。〃
〃No； it isn't that；〃 replied Mr。 Swift。 〃The truth is that Tom thinks he
has invented a storage battery that will revolutionize matters。 He's going to
build an electric automobile； he says。〃
〃I am；〃 declared the lad； as the others looked at him； 〃and it will be the
speediest one you ever saw； too！〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER III
THE MOTORCYCLE WINS
〃Well； Tom；〃 remarked Mr。 Sharp； after a pause following the lad's
announcement。 〃I didn't know you had any ambitions in that line。 Tell us
more about the battery。 What system do you use； lead plates and sulphuric
acid？〃
〃Oh； that's out of date long ago；〃 declared the lad。
〃Well； I don't know much about electricity；〃 admitted the aeronaut。 〃I'll
take my chances in an airship or a balloon； but when it comes to electricity
I'm down and out。〃
〃So am I；〃 admitted Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my gizzard； it's all I can do to
put a new spark plug in my automobile。 Where is your new battery； Tom？〃
〃Out in my shop； running yet if it hasn't been frightened by the airship
smash；〃 replied the lad； somewhat proudly。 〃It's an oxide of nickel battery；
with steel and oxide of iron negative electrodes。〃
〃What solution do you use； Tom？〃 asked Mr。 Swift。 〃I didn't get that
far in questioning you before the crash came；〃 he added。
〃Well I have； in the experimental battery； a solution of potassium
hydrate；〃 replied the lad； 〃but I think I'm going to change it； and add some
lithium hydrate to it。 I think that will make it stronger。〃
〃Bless my watch chain！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃It's all Greek to me。
Suppose you let us see it； Tom？ I like to see wheels go 'round； but I'm not
much of a hand for chemical terms。〃
〃If you're sure you're not hurt by the airship smash； I will；〃 declared
the lad。
〃Oh； we're not hurt a bit；〃 insisted Mr。 Sharp。 〃As I said we were
moving slow； for I knew it was about time to land。 Mr。 Damon was
steering〃
〃Yes I thought I'd try my hand at it； as it seemed so easy；〃 interrupted
the eccentric man。 〃But never againnot for mine！ I couldn't see the house；
and； before I knew it we were right over the roof。 Then the chimney
seemed to stick itself up suddenly in front of us； andwell； you know the
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
rest。 I'm willing to pay for any damage I caused。〃
〃Oh； not at all！〃 replied Tom。 〃It's easy enough to put on a new plane；
or； for that matter； we can operate the Red Cloud without it。 But come on；
I'll show you my sample battery。〃
〃Here； take umbrellas！〃 Mrs。 Baggert called after them as they started
toward the shop； for it was still raining。
〃We don't mind getting wet；〃 replied the young inventor。 〃It's in the
interests of science。〃
〃Maybe it is。 You don't mind a wetting； but I mind you coming in and
dripping water all over the carpets！〃 retorted the housekeeper。
〃Bless my overshoes； I'm afraid we have wet the carpets a trifle now；〃
admitted Mr。 Damon ruefully； as he looked down at a puddle； which had
formed where he had been standing。
〃That's the reason I want you to take umbrellas this trip；〃 insisted
