b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第11节
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inquiring；〃 said Mr。 Damon； 〃but it seems to me as if there was something
queer going on。 If Andy Foger is working in that shed of his； he's keeping
mighty quiet about it。 Bless my〃
And once more he stopped in time。 He was conquering the habit in a
measure。
〃Well； what do you propose to do next？〃 asked Tom。
〃Disguise myself like a tramp； and go there looking for work；〃 was the
firm answer。 〃There are plenty of odd jobs on a big place such as the
Foger family have。 I'll find out what I want to know； you see。
It seemed useless to further combat this resolution； and； in a few days
Mr。 Damon presented a very different appearance。 He had on a most
ragged suit； there was a scrubby beard on his face； and he walked with a
curious shuffle； caused by a pair of big； heavy shoes which he had donned；
first having taken the precaution to make holes in them and get them
muddy。
〃Now I'm all ready；〃 he said to Tom one day； when his disguise was
complete。 〃I'm going over and try my luck。〃
He left the house by a side door； so that no one would see him； and
started down the walk。 As he did so a voice shouted：
〃Hi； there！ Git right out oh heah！ Mistah Swift doan't allow no tramps
heah； an' we ain't got no wuk fo' yo'； an' there ain't no cold victuals。 I does
all de wuk； me an' mah mule Boomerang； an' we takes all de cold victuals；
too！ Git right along； now！〃
〃It's Eradicate。 He doesn't know you；〃 said Tom； with a chuckle。
〃So much the better；〃 whispered Mr。 Damon。 But the disguise proved
almost too much of a success； for seeing the supposed tramp lingering
near the house； Eradicate caught up a stout stick and rushed forward。 He
was about to strike the ragged man； when Tom called out：
〃That's Mr。 Damon； Rad！〃
〃Whwhat！〃 gasped the colored man； and when the situation had been
explained to him； and the necessity for silence impressed upon him； he
turned away； too surprised to utter a word。 He sought consolation in the
stable with his mule。
Just what methods Mr。 Damon used he never disclosed； but one thing
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is certain： That night there came a cautious knock on the door of the Swift
home； and Tom； answering it； beheld his odd friend。
〃Well；〃 he asked eagerly； 〃what luck？〃
〃Put on a suit of old clothes； and come with me；〃 said Mr。 Damon。
〃We'll look like two tramps； and then； if we're discovered； they won't
know it was you。〃
〃Have you found out anything？〃 asked Tom eagerly。
〃Not yet； but I've got a key to one of the side doors of the shed； and we
can get in as soon as it's late enough so that everybody there will be in
bed。〃
〃A key？ How did you get it？〃 inquired the youth。
〃Never mind；〃 was the answer； with a chuckle。 〃That was because of
my disguise； and I haven't blessed anything to… day。 I'm going to； soon；
though。 I can feel it coming on。 But hurry； Tom； or we may be too late。〃
〃And you haven't had a look inside the shed？〃 asked the young
inventor。 〃You don't know what's there？〃
〃No； but we soon will。〃
Eagerly Tom put on tome of the oldest and most ragged garments he
could find； and then he and the odd gentleman set off toward the Foger
home。 They waited some time after getting in sight of it； because they saw
a light in one of the windows。 Then； when the house was dark； they stole
cautiously forward toward the big； gloomy shed。
〃On this side；〃 directed Mr。 Damon in a whisper。 〃The key I have
opens this door。〃
〃But we can't see when we get inside；〃 objected Tom。 〃I should have
brought a dark lantern。〃
〃I have one of those pocket electric flashlights；〃 said Mr。 Damon。
〃Bless my candlestick！ but I thought of that。〃 And he chuckled gleefully。
Cautiously they advanced in the darkness。 Mr。 Damon fumbled at the
lock of the door。 The key grated as he turned it。 The portal swung back；
and Tom and his friend found themselves inside the shed which； of late；
had been such an object of worry and conjecture to the young inventor。
What would he find there？
〃Flash the light；〃 he called to Mr。 Damon in a hoarse whisper。
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The eccentric man drew it from his packet He pressed the spring
switch； and in an instant a brilliant shaft of radiance shot out； cutting the
intense blackness like a knife。 Mr。 Damon flashed it on all sides。
But to the amazement of Tom and his companion； it did not illuminate
the broad white wings and stretches of canvas of an aeroplane It only
shone on the bare walls of the shed； and on some piles of rubbish in the
corners。 Up and down； to right and left； shot the pencil of light。 〃There's
there's nothing here！〃 gasped Tom；
〃II guess you're right！〃 agreed Mr。 Damon 〃The shed is empty！〃
〃Then where is Andy Foger building his aeroplane？〃 asked Tom in a
whisper； but Mr。 Damon could not answer him。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER Nine
A Trial Flight
For a few moments after their exclamations of surprise Tom and Mr。
Damon did not know what else to say。 They stared about in amazement；
hardly able to believe that the shed could be empty。 They had expected to
see some form of aeroplane in it； and Tom was almost sure his eyes would
meet a reproduction of his Humming Bird； made from the stolen plans。
〃Can it be possible there's nothing here？〃 went on Tom； after a long
pause。 He could not seem to believe it
〃Evidently not；〃 answered Mr。 Damon； as he advanced toward the
center of the big building and flashed the light on all sides。 〃You can see
for yourself。〃
〃Or； rather； you can't see；〃 spoke the youth。 〃It isn't here； that's sure。
You can't stick an aeroplane； even as small a one as my Humming Bird； in
a corner。 No； it isn't here；〃
〃Well； we'll have to look further；〃 went on Mr。 Damon。 〃I think〃
But a sudden noise near the big main doors of the shed interrupted
him。
〃Come on！〃 exclaimed Tom in a whisper。 〃Some one's coining！ They
may see us！ Let's get out！〃
Mr。 Damon released the pressure on the spring switch； and the light
went out。 After waiting a moment to let their eyes become accustomed to
the darkness； he and Tom stole to the door by which they had entered。 As
they swung it cautiously open they again heard the noise near the main
portals by which Andy had formerly taken in and out the Anthony； as he
had named the aeroplane in which he and his father went to Alaska； where；
like Tom's craft； it was wrecked。
〃Some one is coming in！〃 whispered Tom。
Hardly had he spoken when a light shone in the direction of the sound。
The illumination came from a big lantern of the ordinary kind； carried by
some one who had just entered the shed。
〃Can you see who it is？〃 whispered Mr。 Damon； peering eagerly
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
forward； too eagerly； for his foot struck against the wooden side wall with
a loud hang。
〃Who's there？〃 suddenly demanded the person carrying the lantern。
He raised it high above his head； in order to cast the gleams into all the
distant corners。 As he did so a ray of light fell upon his face。 〃Andy
Foger！〃 gasped Tom in a hoarse whisper。
Andy must have heard； for he ran forward just as Tom and Mr。 Damon
slipped out。
〃Hold on！ Who are you？〃 came in the unmistakable tones of the red…
haired bully。
〃I don't think we're going to tell；〃 chuckled Tom softly； as he and his
friend sped off into the darkness。 They were not followed； and as they
looked back they could see a light bobbing about in the shed。
〃He's looking for us！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon with an inward lau
