b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第1节
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
TOM SWIFT AND HIS
SKY RACER or The
Quickest Flight on Record
VICTOR APPLETON
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER One
The Prize Offer
〃Is this Tom Swift； the inventor of several airships？〃
The man who had rung the bell glanced at the youth who answered his
summons。
〃Yes； I'm Tom Swift；〃 was the reply。 〃Did you wish to see me？〃
〃I do。 I'm Mr。 James Gunmore； secretary of the Eagle Park Aviation
Association。 I had some correspondence with you about a prize contest we
are going to hold。 I believe〃
〃Oh； yes； I remember now；〃 and the young inventor smiled pleasantly
as he opened wider the door of his home。 〃Won't you come in？ My father
will be glad to see you。 He is as much interested in airships as I am。〃 And
Tom led the way to the library； where the secretary of the aviation society
was soon seated in a big； comfortable leather chair。
〃I thought we could do better； and perhaps come to some decision
more quickly； if I came to see you； than if we corresponded；〃 went on Mr。
Gunmore。 〃I hope I haven't disturbed you at any of your inventions；〃 and
the secretary smiled at the youth。
〃No。 I'm through for to…day；〃 replied Tom。 〃I'm glad to see you。 I
thought at first it was my chum； Ned Newton。 He generally runs over in
the evening。〃
〃Our society； as I wrote you； Mr。 Swift； is planning to hold a very large
and important aviation meet at Eagle Park； which is a suburb of Westville；
New York State。 We expect to have all the prominent 'bird…men' there； to
compete for prizes； and your name was mentioned。 I wrote to you； as you
doubtless recall； asking if you did not care to enter。〃
〃And I think I wrote you that my big aeroplane…dirigible； the Red
Cloud； was destroyed in Alaska； during a recent trip we made to the caves
of ice there； after gold；〃 replied Tom。
〃Yes； you did；〃 admitted Mr。 Gunmore； 〃and while our committee was
very sorry to hear that； we hoped you might have some other air craft that
you could enter at our meet。 We want to make it as complete as possible；
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
and we all feel that it would not be so unless we had a Swift aeroplane
there。〃
〃It's very kind of you to say so；〃 remarked Tom； 〃but since my big
craft was destroyed I really have nothing I could enter。〃
〃Haven't you an aeroplane of any kind？ I made this trip especially to
get you to enter。 Haven't you anything in which you could compete for the
prizes？ There are several to be offered； some for distance flights； some for
altitude； and the largest； ten thousand dollars； for the speediest craft。 Ten
thousand dollars is the grand prize； to be awarded for the quickest flight on
record。〃
〃I surely would like to try for that；〃 said Tim； 〃but the only craft I have
is a small monoplane； the Butterfly； I call it； and while it is very speedy；
there have been such advances made in aeroplane construction since I
made mine that I fear I would be distanced if I raced in her。 And I wouldn't
like that。〃
〃No；〃 agreed Mr。 Gunmore。 〃I suppose not。 Still； I do wish we could
induce you to enter。 I don't mind telling you that we consider you a
drawing…card。 Can't we induce you； some way？〃
〃I'm afraid not。 I haven't any machine which〃
〃Look here！〃 exclaimed the secretary eagerly。 〃Why can't you build a
special aeroplane to enter in the next meet？ You'll have plenty of time； as
it doesn't come off for three months yet。 We are only making the
preliminary arrangements。 It is now June； and the meet is scheduled for
early in September。 Couldn't you build a new and speedy aeroplane in that
time？〃
Eagerly Mr。 Gunmore waited for the answer。 Tom Swift seemed to be
considering it。 There was an increased brightness to his eyes； and one
could tell that he was thinking deeply。 The secretary sought to clinch his
argument。
〃I believe； from what I have heard of your work in the past； that you
could build an aeroplane which would win the ten…thousand…dollar prize；〃
he went on。 〃I would be very glad if you did win it； and； so I think； would
be the gentlemen associated with me in this enterprise。 It would be fine to
have a New York State youth win the grand prize。 Come； Tom Swift； build
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
a special craft； and enter the contest！〃
As he paused for an answer footsteps were heard coming along the
hall； and a moment later an aged gentleman opened the door of the library。
〃Oh！ Excuse me； Tom；〃 he said； 〃I didn't know you had company。〃
And he was about to withdraw。
〃Don't go； father；〃 said Tom。 〃You will be as much interested in this as
I am。 This is Mr。 Gunmore； of the Eagle Park Aviation Association。 This is
my father； Mr。 Gunmore。〃
〃I've heard of you；〃 spoke the secretary as he shook hands with the
aged inventor。 〃You and your son have made； in aeronautics； a name to be
proud of。〃
〃And he wants us to go still farther； dad；〃 broke in the youth。 〃Me
wants me to build a specially speedy aeroplane； and race for ten thousand
dollars。〃
〃Hum！〃 mused Mr。 Swift。 〃Well； are you going to do it； Tom？ Seems
to me you ought to take a rest。 You haven't been back from your gold…
hunting trip to Alaska long enough to more than catch your breath； and
now〃
〃Oh； he doesn't have to go in this right away；〃 eagerly explained Mr。
Gunmore。 〃There is plenty of time to make a new craft。〃
〃Well； Tom can do as he likes about it；〃 said his father。 〃Do you think
you could build anything speedier than your Butterfly； son？〃
〃I think so； father。 That is； if you'd help me。 I have a plan partly
thought out； but it will take some time to finish it。 Still； I might get it done
in time。〃
〃I hope you'll try！〃 exclaimed the secretary。 〃May I ask whether it
would be a monoplane or a biplane？〃
〃A monoplane； I think；〃 answered Tom。 〃They are much more speedy
than the double…deckers； and if I'm going to try for the ten thousand
dollars I need the fastest machine I can build。〃
〃We have the promise of one or two very fast monoplanes for the
meet；〃 went on Mr。 Gunmore。 〃Would yours be of a new type？〃
〃I think it would；〃 was the reply of the young inventor。 〃In fact； I am
thinking of making a smaller monoplane than any that have yet been
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
constructed； and yet one that will carry two persons。 The hardest work will
be to make the engine light enough and still have it sufficiently powerful
to make over a hundred miles an hour； if necessary。
〃A hundred miles an hour in a small monoplane！ It isn't possible！〃
cried the secretary。
〃I'll make better time than that；〃 said Tom quietly； and with not a trace
of boasting in his tones。
〃Then you'll enter the meet？〃 asked Mr。 Gunmore eagerly。
〃Well； I'll think about it；〃 promised Tom。 〃I'll let you know in a few
days。 Meanwhile； I'll be thinking out the details for my new craft。 I have
been going to build one ever since I got back； after having seen my Red
Cloud crushed in the ice cave。 Now I think I had better begin active
work。〃
〃I hope you will soon let me know；〃 resumed the secretary。 〃I'm going
to put you down as a possible contestant for the ten…thousand…dollar prize。
That can do no harm； and I hope you win it。 I trust〃
He paused suddenly； and listened。 So did Tom Swift and his father； for
they all distinctly heard stealthy footsteps under the open windows of the
library。
〃Some one is out there； listening；〃 said Tom in low tones。
〃Perhaps it's Eradicate Sampson；〃 suggested Mr。 Swift； referring to the
eccentric colored man who was employed by the inventor and his son to
help a
