b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第14节
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was anxious to hear the approach of his two allies； but there was no sound
of their footsteps。
As be turned back to watch the man he could not repress a cry of alarm；
for what the intruder had drawn from his pocket was a small hatchet； and
he was advancing with it toward the Humming…Bird！
〃He's going to destroy my aeroplane！〃 gasped Tom； and he raised his
revolver to fire。
He did not intend to shoot at the man； but only to fire to scare him； and
thus hasten the coming of Mr。 Jackson and the colored man。 But there was
no need of this； for an instant later the two came running up silently；
Eradicate with a big club。
〃Whar am he？〃 he asked in a hoarse whisper。 〃Let me git at him；
Massa Tom！〃
〃Hush！〃 exclaimed the young inventor。 〃We have no time to lose！ He's
in there； getting ready to chop my aeroplane to bits！ Go to the back door；
Rad； and if he tries to come out don't let him get away。〃
〃I won't！〃 declared the colored man emphatically； and he shook his
club suggestively。
〃Come on！ We'll go in the front door；〃 whispered Tom to the engineer。
〃I have the key。 We'll catch him red…handed； and hand him over to the
police。〃
Waiting a few seconds； to enable Eradicate to get to his place； Tom and
the engineer stole softly toward the big double doors。 Every moment the
youth expected to hear the crash of the hatchet on his prize machine。 He
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shivered in anticipation； but the blows did not fall。
Tom pushed open the door and stepped inside； followed by Mr。
Jackson。 As they did so they saw the man standing in front of the
Humming…Bird。 He again raised the little hatchet； which was like an
Indian tomahawk； and poised it for an instant over the delicate framework
and planes of the air craft。 Then his arm began to descend。
〃Stop！〃 yelled Tom； and at the same time he fired in the air。
The man turned as suddenly as though a bullet had struck him； and for
a moment Tom was afraid lest he had hit him by accident； but an instant
later the intruder grabbed up his flashlight； and holding it before him； so
that its rays shone full on Tom and Mr。 Jackson； while it left him in the
shadow； sprang toward them； the hatchet still in his hand。
〃Look out； Tom！〃 cried Mr。 Jackson。
〃Out of my way！〃 shouted the man。
Bravely Tom stood his ground。 He wished now that he had a club
instead of his revolver。 The would…be vandal was almost upon him。 Mr。
Jackson clubbed his rifle and swung it at the fellow。 The latter dodged； and
came straight at Tom。
〃Look out！〃 yelled the engineer again； but it was too late。 There was
the sound of a blow； and Tom went down like a log。 Then the place was in
darkness； and the sound of footsteps in rapid flight could be heard outside
the shed。
The intruder； after wounding the young inventor； had made his escape。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER Twelve
Miss Nestor Calls
〃What's de mattah？ Shall I come in？ Am anybody hurted？〃 yelled
Eradicate Sampson as he pounded on the rear door of the aeroplane shed。
〃Let me in； Massa Tom！〃
〃All right！ Wait a minute！ I'm coming！〃 called Mr。 Jackson。 He tried to
peer through the darkness； to where a huddled heap indicated the presence
of Tom。 Then he thought of the electric lights； which were run by a storage
battery when the dynamo was shut down； and a moment later the engineer
had switched on the incandescents； filling the big shed with radiance。
〃Tom； are you badly hurt？〃 gasped Mr。 jackson。
There was no answer； for Tom was unconscious。
〃Let me in！ Let me git at dat robber wif mah club！〃 cried the colored
man eagerly。
Knowing that he would need help in carrying Tom to the house； Mr。
Jackson hurried to the back door。 He had a key to it； and it was quicker to
open it than to send Eradicate away around the shed to the front portals。
〃Whar am he？〃 gasped the faithful darky； as he took a firmer grasp of
his club and looked around the place。 〃Let me git mah hands on him！ I'll
feed him t' Boomerang； when I gits froo wif him！〃
〃He's gone；〃 said the engineer。 〃Help me look after Tom。 I'm afraid
he's badly hurt。〃
They hastened to the unconscious lad。 On one side of his head was a
bad cut； which was bleeding freely。
〃Oh！ he's daid！ I know he's daid！〃 wailed Eradicate。
〃Not a bit of it。 He isn't dead； but he may die； if we don't get him into
the house； and have a doctor here soon；〃 said Mr。 Jackson sternly。 〃Catch
hold of him； Rad； and； mind； don't carry on； and get excited； and scare Mr。
Swift。 Just pretend it isn't very bad； or we'll have two patents on our hands
instead of only Tom。〃
They managed to get the youth into the house； and； contrary to their
fears； Mr。 Swift was not nearly so nervous as they had expected。 Calmly
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he took charge of matters； and even telephoned for Dr。 Gladby himself；
while Mr。 Jackson and Eradicate undressed Tom and got him to bed。 Mrs。
Baggert busied herself heating water and getting things in readiness for the
doctor； who had promised to come at once。
Tom was just regaining consciousness when the physician came in；
having driven over at top speed。
〃Whatwhat happened？ Did the Humming Bird fall？〃 asked Tom in a
whisper； putting his hand to his head。
〃No； something fell on you； I guess；〃 said the doctor； who had been
hurriedly told of the circumstances。 〃But don't worry； Tom。 You'll be all
right in a few days。 You got a bad cut on the head； but the skull isn't
fractured； I'm glad to say。 Here； now； just drink this；〃 and he gave Tom
some medicine he had mixed in a glass。
The cut was soon dressed； and Tom felt much better； though weak and
a trifle dizzy。
〃Did he hit me with the hatchet？〃 he asked Mr。 Jackson。
〃I couldn't tell；〃 was the engineer's reply； 〃it all happened so quickly。
In another instant I'd have bowled him over； instead of him landing on you；
but I just missed him。 He either used the hatchet； or some blunt
instrument。〃
〃Well； don't talk about it now；〃 urged the doctor。 〃I want Tom to get
quiet and go to sleep。 We'll be much better in the morning； but I must
forbid any aeroplane flights。〃 And he shook his finger at Tom in warning。
〃You'll have to lie quiet for several days；〃 he added。 〃All right；〃 agreed
the young inventor weakly； and then he dozed off； for the physician had
given him a quieting medicine。
〃Haven't you any idea who it was？〃 asked Dr。 Gladby of Mr。 Jackson；
as he prepared to leave。
〃Not the slightest。 It was no one Tom or I had ever seen before。 But
whoever it was； he intended to destroy the Humming…Bird； that was
evident！〃
〃The scoundrel！ I'm glad you foiled him in time； but it's too bad about
Tom。 However； we'll soon have him all right again。〃
〃I knows who done it！〃 broke in Eradicate； who was a sort of
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privileged character about the Swift home。
〃Who？〃 asked Mr。 Jackson。
〃It were dat Andy Foger。 Leastways； he send dat man heah t' make
mincemeat oh de Hummin'…Bird。 I's positib 'bout dat； so I am！〃 And
Eradicate grinned triumphantly。
〃Well； perhaps Andy did have a hand in it；〃 admitted Mr。 Swift； but we
have no proof of it； I can't see what his object would be in wanting to
destroy Tom's new craft。〃
〃Pure meanness。 Afraid that Tom will beat him in the race；〃 suggested
Mr。 Jackson。
〃It's too big a risk to take；〃 went on the aged inventor。 〃I'm inclined to
think it might be one of the gang of men who made the diamonds in the
cave in the mountains。 They might have sent a spy on East； and he might
try to damage the aeroplane to be revenged for what Tom and Mr。 Jenks
did to them。
