b his sky racer(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空中赛艇)-第19节
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damage the monoplane； but he suspected it was the ill…favored man who
was working with Andy。
As for Mr。 Swift； at times he seemed quite well； and again he required
the services of a physician。
〃You will have to be very careful of your father； Tom；〃 said Dr。 Gladby。
〃Any sudden shock or excitement may aggravate his malady； and in that
case a serious operation will be necessary。〃
〃Oh； we'll take good care of him；〃 said the lad； but he could not help
worrying； though he tried not to let his father see the strain which he was
under。
It was some days after this； and lacking about a week until the meet
was to open； when a peculiar thing happened。 Tom had given his
Humming…Bird a tryout one day； and had then begun to make
arrangements for taking it apart and shipping it to Eagle Park。 For he
would not fly to the meet in it； for fear of some accident。 So big cases had
been provided。
〃I'll take it apart in the morning；〃 decided Tom； as he went to his room；
after seeing to the burglar alarm； 〃and ship her off。 Then Mr。 Damon and I
will go there； set her up； and get ready to win the race。〃
Tom had opened all the windows in his room； for it was very warm。 In
fact it was so warm that sleep was almost out of the question； and he got
up to sit near the windows in the hope of feeling a breeze。
There it was more comfortable； and he was just dozing off； and
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beginning to think of getting back into bed； when he was aware of a
peculiar sound in the air overhead。
〃I wonder if that's a heavy wind starting up？〃 he mused。 〃Good luck； if
it is！ We need it。〃 The noise increased； sounding more and more like wind；
but Tom； looking out into the night； saw the leaves of the trees barely
moving。
〃If that's a breeze； it's taking its own time getting here；〃 he went on。
The sound came nearer； and then Tom knew that it was not the noise of
the wind in the trees。 It was more like a roaring and rumbling；
〃Can it be distant thunder？〃 Tom asked himself。 〃There is no sign of a
storm。〃 Once more he looked from the window。 The night was calm and
clearthe trees as still as if they were painted。
The sound was even more plain now； and Tom； who had sharp ears； at
once decided that it was just over the house directly overhead。 An instant
later he knew what it was。
〃The motor of an aeroplane； or a dirigible balloon！〃 he exclaimed。
〃Some one is flying overhead！〃
For an instant he feared lest the shed had been broken into； and his
Humming…Bird taken； but a glance toward the place seemed to show that it
was all right。
Then Tom hastily made his way to where a flight of stairs led to a little
enclosed observatory on the roof。
〃I'm going to see what sort of a craft it is making that noise；〃 he said。
As he opened the trap door； and stepped out into the little observatory
the sound was so plain as to startle him。 He looked up quickly； and；
directly overhead he saw a curious sight。
For； flying so low as to almost brush the lightning rod on the chimney
of the Swift home； was a small aeroplane； and； as Tom looked up； he saw
in a light that gleamed from it； two figures looking down on him。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER or The Quickest Flight on Record
CHAPTER Sixteen
A Mysterious Fire
For a few moments Tom did not know what to think。 Not that the
sight of aeroplanes in flight were any novelty to him； but to see one flying
over his house in the dead of night was a little out of the ordinary。 Then； as
he realized that night…flights were becoming more common； Tom tried to
make out the details of the craft。
〃I wish I had brought the night glasses with me；〃 he said aloud。
〃Here they are；〃 spoke a voice at his side； and so suddenly that Tom
was startled。 He looked down； and saw Mr。 Jackson standing beside him。
〃Did you hear the noise； too？〃 the lad asked the engineer。
〃Yes。 It woke me up。 Then I heard you moving around； and I heard
you come up here。 I thought maybe it was a flight of meteors you'd come
to see； and I knew the glasses would be handy； so I stopped for them。 Take
a look； Tom。 It's an aeroplane； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； and not moving very fast； either。 They seem to be circling around
here。〃
The young inventor was peering through the binoculars； and； as soon
as he had the mysterious craft in focus； he cried：
〃Look； Mr。 Jackson； it's a new kind of monoplane。 I never saw one like
it before。 I wonder who could have invented that？ It's something like a
santos…Dumont and a Bleriot； with some features of Cornu's Helicopter。
That's a queer machine。〃
〃It certainly is；〃 agreed the engineer； who was now sighting through
the glasses。 In spite of the darkness the binoculars brought out the
peculiarities of the aeroplane with considerable distinctness。
〃Can you make out who are in it？〃 asked Tom。
〃No；〃 answered Mr。 Jackson。 〃You try。〃
But Tom had no better luck。 There were two persons in the odd
machine； which was slowly flying along； moving in a great circle； with the
Swift house for its center。
〃I wonder why they're hanging around here？〃 asked Tom； suspiciously。
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〃Perhaps they want to talk to you；〃 suggested Mr。 Jackson。 〃They may
be fellow inventorperhaps one of them is that Philadelphia man who had
the Whizzer。〃
〃No；〃 replied the lad。 〃He would have sent me word if he intended
calling on me。 Those are strangers； I think。 There they are； coming back
again。〃
The mysterious aeroplane was once more circling toward the watchers
on the roof。 There was a movement on the steps； near which Tom was
standing； and his father came up。
〃Is anything the matter？〃 he asked anxiously。
〃Only a queer craft circling around up here；〃 was the reply。 〃Come and
see； dad。〃
Mr。 Swift ascended to the roof。 The aeroplane was higher now； and
those in her could not so easily be made out。 Tom felt a vague sense of
fear； as though he was being watched by the evil eyes of his enemies。
More than once he looked over to the shed where his craft was housed； as
though some danger might threaten it。 But the shed of the Humming…Bird
showed no signs of invaders。
Suddenly the mysterious aeroplane increased its speed。 It circled about
more quickly； and shot upward； as though to show the watchers of what it
was capable。 Then； with a quick swoop it darted downward； straight for
the building where Tom's newest invention was housed。
〃Look out！ They'll hit something！〃 cried the young inventor； as though
those in the aeroplane could hear him。
Then； just as though they had heeded his warning； the pilots of the
mysterious craft shot her upward； after she had hovered for an instant over
the big shed。
〃That was a queer move；〃 said Tom。 〃It looked as if they lost control
of her for a moment。〃
〃And they dropped something！〃 cried Mr。 Jackson。 〃Look！ something
fell from the aeroplane on the roof of the shed。〃
〃Some tool； likely；〃 spoke Tom。 〃I'll get it in the morning； and see
what sort of instruments they carry。 I'd like to examine that machine；
though。〃
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The queer aeroplane was now shooting off in the darkness and Tom
followed it with the glasses； wondering what its construction could be like。
He was to have another sight of it sooner than he expected。
〃Well； we may as well get back to bed；〃 said Mr。 Jackson。 〃I'm tired；
and we've got lots to do to…morrow。〃
〃Yes；〃 agreed Tom。 〃It's cooler now。 Come on； dad。〃
Tom fell into a light doze。 He thought afterward he could not have
slept more than half an hour when he heard a commotion out in the yard。
For an i
