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@@ -0,0 +1,5804 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout, by Victor Appleton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout + or, The Speediest Car on the Road + +Author: Victor Appleton + +Posting Date: July 13, 2008 [EBook #950] +Release Date: June, 1997 +[Last updated on June 8, 2013] + + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOM SWIFT AND ELECTRIC RUNABOUT *** + + + + +Produced by Anthony Matonac + + + + + + + + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT + +or + +The Speediest Car on the Road + + +by + +VICTOR APPLETON + + + + +Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I TOM HOPES FOR A PRIZE + II MR. DAMON'S STEERING + III THE MOTOR-CYCLE WINS + IV TALE OF A NEW BANK + V A MIDNIGHT ENCOUNTER + VI BUILDING THE CAR + VII TOM IS CAPTURED + VIII A BLINDING FLASH + IX TOM IS RESCUED + X TOM HAS A FALL + XI CROSSED WIRES + XII THE TRYOUT + XIII TOWED BY A MULE + XIV A GREAT RUN + XV ANDY FOGER'S BLACK EYE + XVI TROUBLE AT THE BANK + XVII A RUN ON THE BANK + XVIII AFTER THE CASH + XIX STOPPED ON THE ROAD + XX ON TIME + XXI OFF TO THE BIG RACE + XXII IN A DITCH + XIII THE POWER GONE + XIV ON THE TRACK + XXV WINNING THE PRIZE + + + + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT + + + +CHAPTER I + +TOM HOPES FOR A PRIZE + + +"Father," exclaimed Tom Swift, looking up from a paper he was reading, +"I think I can win that prize!" + +"What prize is that?" inquired the aged inventor, gazing away from a +drawing of a complicated machine, and pausing in his task of making +some intricate calculations. "You don't mean to say, Tom, that you're +going to have a try for a government prize for a submarine, after all." + +"No, not a submarine prize, dad," and the youth laughed. "Though our +Advance would take the prize away from almost any other under-water +boat, I imagine. No, it's another prize I'm thinking about." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Well, I see by this paper that the Touring Club of America has offered +three thousand dollars for the speediest electric car. The tests are +to come off this fall, on a new and specially built track on Long +Island, and it's to be an endurance contest for twenty-four hours, or a +race for distance, they haven't yet decided. But I'm going to have a +try for it, dad, and, besides winning the prize, I think I'll take Andy +Foger down a peg. + +"What's Andy been doing now?" + +"Oh, nothing more than usual. He's always mean, and looking for a +chance to make trouble for me, but I didn't refer to anything special. +He has a new auto, you know, and he boasts that it's the fastest one in +this country. I'll show him that it isn't, for I'm going to win this +prize with the speediest car on the road." + +"But, Tom, you haven't any automobile, you know," and Mr. Swift looked +anxiously at his son, who was smiling confidently. "You can't be going +to make your motor-cycle into an auto; are you?" + +"No, dad." + +"Then how are you going to take part in the prize contest? Besides, +electric cars, as far as I know, aren't specially speedy." + +"I know it, and one reason why this club has arranged the contest is to +improve the quality of electric automobiles. I'm going to build an +electric runabout, dad." + +"An electric runabout? But it will have to be operated with a storage +battery, Tom, and you haven't--" + +"I guess you're going to say I haven't any storage battery, dad," +interrupted Mr. Swift's son. "Well, I haven't yet, but I'm going to +have one. I've been working on--" + +"Oh, ho!" exclaimed the aged inventor with a laugh. "So that's what +you've been tinkering over these last few weeks, eh, Tom? I suspected +it was some new invention, but I didn't suppose it was that. Well, how +are you coming on with it?" + +"Pretty good, I think. I've got a new idea for a battery, and I made an +experimental one. I gave it some pretty severe tests, and it worked +fine." + +"But you haven't tried it out in a car yet, over rough roads, and under +severe conditions have you?" + +"No, I haven't had a chance. In fact, when I invented the battery I had +no idea of using it on a car I thought it might answer for commercial +purposes, or for storing a current generated by windmills. But when I +read that account in the papers of the Touring Club, offering a prize +for the best electric car, it occurred to me that I might put my +battery into an auto, and win." + +"Hum," remarked Mr. Swift musingly. "I don't take much stock in +electric autos, Tom. Gasolene seems to be the best, or perhaps steam, +generated by gasolene. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. All the +electric runabouts I ever saw, while they were very nice cars, didn't +seem able to go so very fast, or very far." + +"That's true, but it's because they didn't have the right kind of a +battery. You know an electric locomotive can make pretty good speed, +Dad. Over a hundred miles an hour in tests." + +"Yes, but they don't run by storage batteries. They have a third rail, +and powerful motors," and Mr. Swift looked quizzically at his son. He +loved to argue with him, for he said it made Tom think, and often the +two would thus thresh out some knotty point of an invention, to the +interests of both. + +"Of course, Dad, there is a good deal of theory in what I'm thinking +of," the lad admitted. "But it does seem to me that if you put the +right kind of a battery into an automobile, it could scoot along pretty +lively. Look what speed a trolley car can make." + +"Yes, Tom, but there again they get their power from an overhead wire." + +"Some of them don't. There's a new storage battery been invented by a +New Jersey man, which does as well as the third rail or the overhead +wire. It was after reading about his battery that I thought of a plan +for mine. It isn't anything like his; perhaps not as good in some ways, +but, for what I want, it is better in some respects, I think. For one +thing it can be recharged very quickly." + +"Now Tom, look here," said Mr. Swift earnestly, laying aside his +papers, and coming over to where his son sat. "You know I never +interfere with your inventions. In fact, the more you think of the +better I like it. The airship you helped build certainly did all that +could be desired, and--" + +"That reminds me. Mr. Sharp and Mr. Damon are out in it now," +interrupted Tom. "They ought to be back soon. Yes, Dad, the airship Red +Cloud certainly scooted along." + +"And the submarine, too," continued the aged inventor. "Your ideas +regarding that were of service to me, and helped in our task of +recovering the treasure, but I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed +in the storage battery. You may get it to work, but I don't believe you +can make it powerful enough to attain any great speed. Why don't you +confine yourself to making a battery for stationary work?" + +"Because, Dad, I believe I can build a speedy car, and I'm going to try +it. Besides I want to race Andy Foger, and beat him, even if I don't +win the prize. I'm going to build that car, and it will make fast time." + +"Well, go ahead, Tom," responded his father, after a pause. "Of course +you can use the shops here as much as you want, and Mr. Sharp, Mr. +Jackson, and I will help you all we can. Only don't be disappointed, +that's all." + +"I won't, Dad. Suppose you come out to my shop and I'll show you a +sample battery I've been testing for the last week. I have it geared to +a small motor, and it's been running steadily for some time. I want to +see what sort of a record it's made." + +Father and son crossed the yard, and entered a shop which the lad +considered exclusively his own. There he had made many machines, and +pieces of apparatus, and had invented a number of articles which had +been patented, and yielded him considerable of an income. + +"There's the battery, Dad," he said, pointing to a complicated +mechanism in one corner. + +"What's that buzzing noise?" asked Mr. Swift. "That's the little motor +I run from the new cells. Look here," and Tom switched on an electric +light above the experimental battery, from which he hoped so much. It +consisted of a steel can, about the size of the square gallon tin in +which maple syrup comes, and from it ran two wires which were attached +to a small motor that was industriously whirring away. + +Tom looked at a registering gauge connected with it. + +"That's pretty good," remarked the young inventor. + +"What is it, Tom?" and his father peered about the shop. + +"Why this motor has run an equivalent of two hundred miles on one +charging of the battery! That's much better than I expected. I thought +if I got a hundred out of it I'd be doing well. Dad, I believe, after I +improve my battery a bit, that I'll have the very thing I want! I'll +install a set of them in a car, and it will go like the wind. I'll--" +Tom's enthusiastic remarks were suddenly interrupted by a low, rumbling +sound. + +"Thunder!" exclaimed Mr. Swift. "The storm is coming, and Mr. Sharp and +Mr. Damon in the airship--" + +Hardly had he spoken than there sounded a crash on the roof of the +Swift house, not far away. At the same time there came cries of +distress, and the crash was repeated. + +"Come on, Dad! Something has happened!" yelled Tom, dashing from the +shop, followed by his parent. They found themselves in the midst of a +rain storm, as they raced toward the house, on the roof of which the +smashing noise was again heard. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +MR. DAMON'S STEERING + + +Tom Swift was a lad of action, and his quickness in hurrying out to +investigate what had happened when he was explaining about his new +battery, was characteristic of him. Those of my readers who know him, +through having read the previous books of this series, need not be told +this, but you who, perhaps, are just making his acquaintance, may care +to know a little more about him. + +As told in my first book, "Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle" the young +inventor lived with his father, Barton Swift, a widower, in the town of +Shopton, New York. Mr. Swift was also an inventor of note. + +In my initial volume of this series, Tom became possessed of a +motor-cycle in a peculiar way. It was sold to him by a Mr. Wakefield +Damon, a wealthy gentleman who was unfortunate in riding it. On his +speedy machine, which Tom improved by several inventions, he had a +number of adventures. The principal one was being attacked by a number +of bad men, known as the "Happy Harry Gang," who wished to obtain +possession of a valuable turbine patent model belonging to Mr. Swift. +Tom was taking it to a lawyer, when he was waylaid, and chloroformed. +Later he traced the gang, and, with the assistance of Mr. Damon and +Eradicate Sampson, an aged colored man who made a living for himself +and his mule, Boomerang, by doing odd jobs, the lad found the thieves +and recovered a motor-boat which had been stolen. But the men got away. + +In the second volume, called "Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat," Tom bought +at auction the boat stolen by, and recovered from, the thieves, and +proceeded to improve it. While he was taking his father out on a cruise +for Mr. Swift's health, the Happy Harry Gang made a successful attempt +to steal some valuable inventions from the Swift house. Tom started to +trace them, and incidentally he raced and beat Andy Foger, a rich +bully. On their way down the lake, after the robbery, Tom, his father +and Ned Newton, Tom's chum, saw a man hanging from the trapeze of a +blazing balloon over Lake Carlopa. The balloonist was Mr. John Sharp +and he was rescued by Tom in a thrilling fashion. In his motor-boat, +Tom had much pleasure, not the least of which was taking out a young +lady named Miss Mary Nestor, whose acquaintance he had made after +stopping her runaway horse, which his bicycle had frightened. Tom's +association with Miss Nestor soon ripened into something deeper than +mere friendship. + +It developed that Mr. Sharp, whom Tom had saved from the burning +balloon, was an aeronaut of note, and had once planned to build an +airship. After his recovery from his thrilling experience, he mentioned +the matter to Mr. Swift and his son, with whom he took up his +residence. This fitted right in with Tom's ideas, and soon father, son +and the balloonist were constructing the Red Cloud, as they named their +airship. It was finally completed, as related in "Tom Swift and His +Airship," made a successful trial trip, and won a prize. It was planned +to make a longer journey, and Tom, Mr. Sharp and Mr. Damon agreed to go +together. Mr. Damon was an odd individual, who was continuously +blessing some part of his anatomy, his clothing or some inanimate +object but, for all that, he was a fine man. + +The night before Tom and his friends started off in their airship, the +Shopton Bank vault was blown open and seventy-five thousand dollars was +taken. Tom and his friends did not know of this, but, no sooner had the +young inventor, Mr. Sharp and Mr. Damon sailed away, than the police +arrived at Mr. Swift's house to arrest them. They were charged with the +robbery, and with having sailed away with the booty. + +It appeared that Andy Foger said he had seen Tom hanging around the +bank the night of the robbery, with a bag of burglar tools in his +possession. Search was immediately begun for the airship, the occupants +of which were, meanwhile, speeding on. + +Tom and his two friends had trouble. They were nearly burned up in a +forest fire, and were fired upon by a crowd of people with rifles, who, +reading of the bank robbery and the reward offered for the capture of +the thieves, hoped to bring down the airship. The fact that they were +fired upon caused Tom and the two aeronauts to descend to make an +investigation, and for the first time they learned of the bank theft. +How they got track of the real robbers, took the sheriff with them in +the airship, and raided the gang will be found set down at length in +the book. Also how Tom administered well-deserved thrashing to Andy +Foger. + +Mr. Swift did not accompany his son in the airship, and when asked why +he did not care to make the trip, said he was working on a new type of +submarine boat, which he hoped to enter in the government trials, to +win a prize. In the fourth volume of the series, called "Tom Swift and +his Submarine," you may read how successful Mr. Swift was. + +When the submarine, called the Advance, was finished, the party made a +trip to recover three hundred thousand dollars in gold from a sunken +treasure ship, off the coast of Uruguay, South America. They sailed +beneath the seas for many miles, and were in great peril at times. One +reason for this was that a rival firm of submarine builders got wind of +the treasure, and tried to get ahead of the Swifts in recovering it. +How Tom and his friends succeeded in their quest, how they nearly +perished at the bottom of the sea, how they were captured by a foreign +war vessel, and sentenced to death, how they fought with a school of +giant sharks and how they blew up the wreck to recover the money is all +told of in the book. + +On their return to civilization with the gold, Mr. Swift, Tom, and +their friends deposited the money in the Shopton Bank, where Ned Newton +worked. Ned was a bright lad, but had not been advanced as rapidly as +he deserved, and Tom knew this. He asked his father to speak to the +president, Mr. Pendergast, in Ned's behalf, and, as a result the lad +was made assistant cashier, for the request of a man who controlled a +three hundred thousand dollar deposit was not to be despised. + +In building the submarine Tom and his father rented a large cottage on +the New Jersey seacoast, but, on returning from their treasure-quest +they went back to Shopton, leaving the submarine at the boathouse of +the shore cottage, which was near the city of Atlantis. That was in the +fall of the year, and all that winter the young inventor had been busy +on many things, not the least of which was his storage battery. It was +now spring, and seeing the item in the paper, about the touring club +prize for an electric auto, had given him a new idea. + +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. + +"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. + +"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 +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!" + + + + +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 again--not 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, and--well, you know the 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 +Mrs. Baggert. + +They complied, and were soon in the shop, where Tom explained his +battery. The small motor was still running and had, as the lad had +said, gone the equivalent of over two hundred miles. + +"If a small battery does as well as that, what will a larger one do?" +asked Mr. Damon. + +"Much better, I hope," replied the youth. "But Dad doesn't seem to have +much faith in them." + +"Well," admitted Mr. Swift, "I must say I am skeptical. Still, I +acknowledge Tom has done some pretty good work along electrical lines. +He helped me with the positive and negative plates on the submarine, +and, maybe--well, we'll wait and see," he concluded. + +"If you build a car I hope you give me a ride in it," said Mr. Damon. +"I've ridden fast in the air, and swiftly on top of, and under, the +water. Now I'd like to ride rapidly on top of the earth. The gasolene +auto doesn't go very fast." + +"I'll give you a ride that will make your hair stand up!" prophesied +Tom, and the time was to come when he would make good that prediction. + +The little party in the machine shop talked at some length about Tom's +battery. He showed them how it was constructed, and gave them some of +his ideas regarding the new type of auto he planned to build. + +"Well," remarked Mr. Swift at length, "if you want to keep your brain +fresh, Tom, you must get to bed earlier than this. It's nearly twelve +o'clock." + +"And I want to get up early!" exclaimed the lad. "I'm going to start to +build a larger battery to-morrow." + +"And I'm going to repair the airship," added Mr. Sharp. + +"Bless my night cap, I promised my wife I'd be home early to-night, +too!" suddenly exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I don't fancy making the trip back +to Waterfield in my auto, though. Something will be sure to happen. +I'll blow out a tire, or a spark plug will get sooty on me and--" + +"It's raining harder than ever," interrupted Tom. "Better stay here +to-night. You can telephone home." Which Mr. Damon did. + +Tom was up early the next morning, in spite of the fact that he did not +go to bed in good season, and before breakfast he was working at his +new storage battery. After the meal he hurried back to the shop, but it +was not long before he came out, wheeling his motor-cycle. + +"Where are you going, Tom?" asked Mrs. Baggert. + +"Oh, I've got to go to Mansburg to get some steel tubes for my new +battery," he replied. "I thought I had some large enough, but I +haven't." Mansburg was a good-sized town, near Shopton. + +"Then I wish you'd bring me a bottle of stove polish," requested the +housekeeper. "The liquid kind. I'm out of it, and the stove is as red +as a cow." + +"All right," agreed the lad, as he leaped into the saddle and pedaled +off down the road. A moment later he had turned on the power, and was +speeding along the highway, which was in good condition on account of +the shower of the night before. + +Tom was thinking so deeply of his new invention, and planning what he +would do when he had his electric runabout built, that, almost before +he knew it, he had reached Mansburg, purchased the steel tubes, and the +stove polish, and was on his way back again. + +As he was speeding along on a level road, he heard, coming behind him, +an automobile. The lad turned to one side, but, in spite of this the +party in the car began a serenade of the electric siren, and kept it +up, making a wild discord. + +"What's the matter with those fellows!" inquired Tom of himself. +"Haven't I given them enough of the road, or has their steering gear +broken?" + +He looked back over his shoulder, and it needed but a glance to show +that the car was all right, as regarded the steering apparatus. And it +needed only another glance to disclose the reason for the shrill sound +of the siren. + +"Andy Foger!" exclaimed Tom. "I might have known. And Sam and Pete are +with him. Well, if he wants to make me get off the road, he'll find +that I've got as much right as he has!" + +He kept on a straight course, wondering if the red-haired, and +squint-eyed bully would dare try to damage the motor-cycle. + +A little later Andy's car was beside Tom. + +"Why don't you get out of the way," demanded Sam, who could usually be +depended on to aid Andy in all his mean tricks. + +"Because I'm entitled to half the road," retorted our hero. + +"Humph! A slow-moving machine like yours hasn't any right on the road," +sneered Andy, who had slowed down his car somewhat. + +"I haven't, eh?" demanded Tom. "Well, if you'll get down out of that +car for a few minutes I'll soon show you what my rights are!" + +Now Andy, more than once, had come to personal encounters with Tom, +much to the anguish of the bully. He did not relish another +chastisement, but his mean spirit could not brook interference. + +"Don't you want a race?" he inquired of Tom, in a sneering tone. "I'll +give you a mile start, and beat you! I've got the fastest car built!" + +"You have, eh?" asked Tom, while a grim look came over his face. "Maybe +you'll think differently some day." + +"Aw, he's afraid to race; come on," suggested Pete. "Don't bother with +him, Andy." + +"No, I guess it wouldn't be worth my while," was the reply of the +bully, and he threw the second gear into place, and began to move away +from the young inventor. + +Tom was just as much pleased to be left alone, but he did not want Andy +Foger to think that he could have matters all his own way. Tom's +motor-cycle, since he had made some adjustments to it, was very swift. +In fact there were few autos that could beat it. He had never tried it +against Andy's new car, and he was anxious to do so. + +"I wonder if I would stand any chance, racing him?" thought the young +inventor, as he saw the car slowly pulling away from him. "I think +I'll wait until he gets some distance ahead, and then I'll see how near +I can come to him. If I get anywhere near him I'm pretty sure I can +pass him. I'll try it." + +When Andy and his cronies looked back, Tom did not appear to be doing +anything save moving along at moderate speed on his machine. + +"You don't dare race!" Pete Bailey shouted to him. + +"Wait," was what Tom whispered to himself. + +Andy's car was now some distance ahead. The young inventor waited a +little longer, and then turned more power into his machine. It leaped +forward and began to "eat up the road," as Tom expressed it. He had +seen Andy throw in the third gear, but knew that there was a fourth +speed on the bully's car. + +"I don't know whether I can beat him on that or not," thought the lad +dubiously. "If I try, and fail, they'll laugh at me. But I don't think +I'm going to fail." + +Faster and faster he rode. He was rapidly overhauling Andy's car now, +and, as they heard him approach, the three cronies turned around. + +"He's going to race you, after all, Andy!" cried Sam. + +"You mean he's going to try," sneered Andy. "I'll give him all the +racing he wants!" + +In another few seconds Tom was beside the auto, and would have passed +it, only Andy opened his throttle a little more. For a moment the auto +jumped ahead, and then, as our hero turned on still more power, he +easily held his own. + +"Aw, you can never beat us!" yelled Pete. + +"Of course not!" added Sam. + +"I'll leave him behind in a second," prophesied Andy. "Wait until I +throw in the other gear," he added to his cronies in a low voice. "He +thinks he's going to beat me. I'll let him think so, and then I'll +spurt ahead." + +The two machines were now racing along side by side. Andy's car was +going the limit on third gear, but he still had the fourth gear in +reserve. Tom, too, still had a little margin of speed. + +Suddenly Andy reached forward and yanked on a lever. There was a +grinding of cogs as the fourth gear slipped into place, for Andy did +not handle his car skillfully. The effect, however, was at once +apparent. The automobile shot forward. + +"Now where are you, Tom Swift?" cried Sam. + +Tom said nothing. He merely shifted a lever, and got a better spark. He +also turned on a little more gasolene and opened the muffler. The +quickness with which his motor-cycle shot forward almost threw him from +the saddle, but he had a tight grip on the handle bars. He whizzed past +the auto, but, as the latter gathered speed, it crept up to him, and, +once more was on even terms. Much chagrined at seeing Tom hold pace +with him, even for an instant, Andy shouted: + +"Get over on your own side there! You're crowding me!" + +"I am not!" yelled back Tom, above the explosions of his machine. + +The two were now racing furiously, and Andy, with a savage look, tried +to get more speed out of his car. In spite of all the bully did, Tom +was gradually forging ahead. A little hill was now in view. + +"Here's where I make him take my dust!" cried Andy, but, to his +surprise Tom still kept ahead. The auto began to lose ground, for it +was not made to take hills on high gear. + +"Change to third gear quick!" cried Sam. + +Andy tried to do it. There was a hesitancy on the part of his car. It +seemed to balk. Tom, looking back, slowed up a trifle. He could afford +to, as Andy was being beaten. + +"Go on! Go on!" begged Pete. "You'll have to keep on fourth gear to +beat him, Andy." + +"That's what!" murmured the bully. Once more he shifted the gears. +There was a grinding, smashing sound, and the car lost speed. Then it +slowed up still more, and finally stopped. Then it began to back down +hill. + +"I've stripped those blamed gears!" exclaimed Andy ruefully. + +"Can't you beat him?" asked Pete. + +"I could have, easily, if my gears hadn't broken," declared the bully, +but, as a matter of fact, he could not have done so. "I oughtn't to +have changed, going up hill," he added, as he jammed on the brakes, to +stop the car from sliding down the slope. + +Tom saw and heard. + +"I thought you were so anxious to race," he said, exultantly, as well +he might. "I don't want to try a contest down hill, though, Andy," and +he laughed at the red-haired lad, who was furious. + +"Aw, go on!" was all the retort the squint-eyed one could think of to +make. + +"I am going on," replied our hero. "Just to show you that I can go down +hill, watch me." + +He turned his motor-cycle, and approached Andy's stalled car, for Tom +was some distance in advance of it, up the slope by this time. As he +approached the auto, containing the three disconcerted cronies, +something bounded out of Tom's pocket. It was the bottle of stove +blacking he had purchased for Mrs. Baggert. The bottle fell in the soft +dirt in front of his forward wheel, and a curious thing happened. +Perhaps you have seen a bicycle or auto tire strike a stone at an +angle, and throw it into the air with great force. That was what +happened to the bottle. Tom's front wheel struck the cork, which fitted +tightly, and, just as when you hit one end of the wooden "catty" and it +bounds up, the bottle described a curve through the air, and flew +straight toward Andy's car. It struck the brass frame of the wind +shield with a crash. + +The bottle broke, and in an instant the black liquid was spattered all +over Andy, Sam and Pete. It could not have been done more effectively +if Tom had thrown it by hand. All over their clothes, their hands and +faces, and the front of the car went the dreary black. Tom looked on, +hardly able to believe what he saw. + +"Wow! Wup! Ug! Blug! Mug!" spluttered Sam, who had some of the stuff in +his mouth. + +"Oh! Oh!" yelled Pete. + +"You did that on purpose, Tom Swift!" shouted Andy, wiping some of the +blacking from his left eye. "I'll have you arrested for that! You've +ruined my car, and look at my suit!" + +"Mine's worse!" murmured Sam, glancing down at his light trousers, +which were of the polka-dot pattern now. + +"No, mine is," insisted Pete, whose white shirt was of the hue of a +stove pipe. + +Andy wiped some of the black stuff from his nose, whence it was +dropping on the steering wheel. + +"You just wait!" the bully called to Tom. "I'll get even with you for +this!" + +"It was an accident! I didn't mean to do that," explained Tom, trying +not to laugh, as he dismounted from his motor-cycle, ready to render +what assistance he could. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +TALK OF A NEW BANK + + +The three cronies were in a sorrowful plight. The black fluid dripped +from them, and formed little puddles in the car. Andy had used his +handkerchief to wipe some of the stuff from his face, but the linen was +soon useless, for it quickly absorbed the blacking. + +"There's a little brook over here," volunteered Tom. "You might wash in +that. The stuff comes off easily. It isn't like ink," and he had to +laugh, as he thought of the happening. + +"Here! You quit that!" ordered Andy. "You've gone too far, Tom Swift!" + +"Didn't I tell you it was an accident?" inquired the young inventor. + +"It wasn't!" cried Sam. "You threw the bottle at us! I saw you!" + +"It slipped from my pocket," declared the youth, and he described how +the accident occurred. "I'll help you clean your car, Andy," he added. + +"I don't want your help! If you come near me I'll--I'll punch your +nose!" cried Andy, now almost beside himself with rage. + +"All right, if you don't want my help I don't care," answered Tom, glad +enough not to have to soil his hands and clothes. He felt that it was +partly his fault, and he would have done all he could to remedy +matters, but his good offers being declined, he felt that it was +useless to insist further. + +He remounted his motor-cycle, and rode off, the last view he had of the +trio being one where they were at the edge of the brook, trying to +remove the worst traces of the black fluid. As Tom turned around for a +final glimpse, Andy shook his fist at him, and called out something. + +"I guess Andy'll have it in for me," mused Tom. "Well, I can't help it. +I owed him something on account, but I didn't figure on paying it in +just this way," and he thought of the time the bully had locked him in +the ballast tanks of the submarine, thereby nearly smothering him to +death. + +That night Andy Foger told his father what had happened, for Mr. Foger +inquired the reason for the black stains on his son's face and hands. +But Andy did not give the true version. He said Tom had purposely +thrown the bottle of blacking at him. + +"So that's the kind of a lad Tom Swift is, eh?" remarked Andy's father. +"Well, Andy, I think you will soon have a chance to get even with him." + +"How, pop?" + +"I can't tell you now, but I have a plan for making Tom sorry he ever +did anything to you, and I will also pay back some old scores to Mr. +Swift and Mr. Damon. I'll ruin their bank for them, that's what I'll +do." + +"Ruin their bank, pop? How?" + +"You wait and see. The Swift crowd will get off their high horse soon, +or I'm mistaken. My plans are nearly completed, but I can't tell you +about them. I'll ruin Mr. Swift, though, that's what I'll do," and Mr. +Foger shook his head determinedly. + +Tom was soon at his home, and Mrs. Baggert, hearing the noise of his +machine, as it entered the front yard, came to the side door. + +"Where's my blacking?" she asked, as our hero dismounted and untied the +bundle of steel tubes he had purchased. + +"I--I used it," he answered, laughing. + +"Tom Swift! You don't mean to say you took my stove polish to use in +your battery, do you?" + +"No, I used it to polish off Andy Foger and some of his cronies," and +the young inventor told, with much gusto, what had happened. Mrs. +Baggert could not help joining in the laugh, and when Tom offered to +ride back and purchase some more of the polish for her, she said it did +not matter, as she could wait until the next day. + +The lad was soon busy in his machine shop, making several larger cells +for the new storage battery. He wanted to give it a more severe test. +He worked for several days on this, and when he had one unit of cells +complete, he attached the motor for an efficiency trial. + +"We'll see how many miles that will make," he remarked to his father. + +"Have you thought anything of the type of car you are going to build?" +asked the aged inventor of his son. + +"Yes, somewhat. It will be almost of the regulation style, but with two +removable seats at the rear, with curtains for protection, and a place +in front for two persons. This can also be protected with curtains when +desired." + +"But what about the motors and the battery?" + +"They will be located under the middle of the car. There will be one +set of batteries there, together with the motor, and another set of +batteries will be placed under the removable seats in what I call the +tonneau, though, of course, it isn't really that. A smaller set will +also be placed forward, and there will be ample room for carrying tools +and such things." + +"About how far do you expect your car will go with one charging of the +battery?" + +"Well, if I can make it do three hundred miles I'll be satisfied, but +I'm going to try for four hundred." + +"What will you do when your battery runs out?" + +"Recharge it." + +"Suppose you're not near a charging station?" + +"Well, Dad, of course those are some of the details I've got to work +out. I'm planning a register gauge now, that will give warning about +fifty miles before the battery is run down. That will leave me a margin +to work on. And I'm going to have it fixed so I can take current from +any trolley line, as well as from a regular charging station. My battery +will be capable of being recharged very quickly, or, in case of need, I +can take out the old cells and put in new ones. + +"That's a very good idea. Well, I hope you succeed." + +A few evenings after this, when Tom was busy in his machine shop, he +heard some one enter. He looked up from the gauge of the motor, which +he was studying, and, for a moment, he could make out nothing in the +dark interior of the shop, for he was working in a brilliant light. + +"Who's there?" he called sharply, for, more than once unscrupulous men +had endeavored to sneak into the Swift shops to steal ideas of +inventions; if not the actual apparatus itself. + +"It's me--Ned Newton," was the cheerful reply. + +"Oh, hello, Ned! I was wondering what had become of you," responded +Tom. "Where have you been lately?" + +"Oh, working overtime." + +"What's the occasion?" + +"We're trying out a new system to increase the bank business." + +"What's the matter? Aren't you folks getting business enough, after the +big deposits we made of the bullion from the wreck?" + +"Oh, it's not that. But haven't you heard the news? There is talk of +starting a rival bank in Shopton, and that may make us hustle to hold +what business we have, to say nothing of getting new customers." + +"A new bank, eh? Who's going to start it?" + +"Andy Foger's father, I hear. You know he was a director in our bank, +but he got out last week." + +"What for?" + +"Well, he had some difficulty with Mr. Pendergast, the president. I +fancy you had something to do with it, too." + +"I?" Tom was plainly surprised. + +"Yes, you know you and Mr. Damon and Mr. Sharp captured the bank +robbers, and got back most of the money." + +"I guess I do remember it! I wish you could have seen the gang when we +raided them from the clouds, in our airship!" + +"Well, you know Andy Foger hoped to collect the five thousand dollars +reward for telling the police that you were the thief, and of course he +got fooled, for you got the reward. Mr. Foger expected his son would +collect the money, and when Andy got left, it made him sore. He's had a +grudge against Mr. Pendergast, and all the other bank officials ever +since, and now he's going to start a rival bank. So that's why I said +it was partly due to you." + +"Oh, I see. I thought at first you meant that it was on account of +something that happened the other day." + +"What was that?" + +"Andy, Sam and Pete got the contents of a bottle of stove blacking," +and Tom related the occurrence, at which Ned laughed heartily. + +"I wouldn't be surprised though," added Ned, "to learn that Mr. Foger +started the new bank more for revenge than anything else." + +"So that's the reason you've been working late, eh?" went on Tom. +"Getting ready for competition. Do you think a new bank will hurt the +one you're with?" + +"Well, it might," admitted Ned. "It's bound to make a change, anyhow, +and now that I have a good position I don't want to lose it. I take +more of an interest in the institution now that I'm assistant cashier, +than I did when I was a clerk. So, naturally, I'm a little worried." + +"Say, don't let it worry you," begged Tom, earnestly. + +"Why not?" + +"Because I know my father and Mr. Damon will stick to the old bank. +They won't have anything to do with the one Andy Foger's father starts. +Don't you worry." + +"Well, that will help some," declared Ned. "They are both heavy +depositors, and if they stick to the old bank we can stand it even if +some of our smaller customers desert us." + +"That's the way to talk," went on the young inventor. "Let Foger start +his bank. It won't hurt yours." + +"What are you making now?" asked Ned, a little later, looking with +interest at the machinery over which Tom was bending, and to which he +was making adjustments. + +"New electric automobile. I want to beat Andy Foger's car worse than I +did on my motor-cycle, and I also want to win a prize," and the lad +proceeded to relate the incidents leading up to his construction of the +storage battery. + +Tom and Ned were in the shop until long past midnight, and then the +bank employee, with a look at his watch, exclaimed: + +"Great Scott! I ought to be home." + +"I'll run you over in Mr. Damon's car," proposed Tom. "He left it here +the other day, while he and his wife went off on a trip, and he said I +could use it whenever I wanted to." + +"Good!" cried Ned. + +The two lads came from Tom's particular workshop. As the young inventor +closed the door he started suddenly, as he snapped shut the lock. + +"What's the matter?" asked Ned quickly. + +"I thought I heard a noise," replied Tom. + +They both listened. There was a slight rustling in some bushes near the +shop. + +"It's a dog or a cat," declared Ned. + +Tom took several cautious steps forward. Then he gave a spring, and +made a grab for some one or something. + +"Here! You let me be!" yelled a protesting voice. + +"I will when I find out what you mean by sneaking around here," +retorted Tom, as he came back toward Ned, dragging with him a lad. "It +wasn't a dog or a cat, Ned," spoke the young inventor. "It's Sam +Snedecker," and so it proved. + +"You let me alone!" demanded Andy Foger's crony. "I ain't done nothin' +to you," he whined. + +"Here, Ned, you hold him a minute, while I make an investigation," +called Tom, handing his prisoner over to his chum. "Maybe Pete or Andy +are around." + +"No, they ain't. I came alone," said Sam quickly, but Tom, not heeding, +opened the shop, and, after turning on the electric lights, procured a +lantern. He began a search of the shrubbery around the shop, while Ned +held to the struggling Sam. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A MIDNIGHT ENCOUNTER + + +The moment Tom disappeared behind his machine shop, Sam Snedecker began +a desperate struggle to escape from Ned Newton. Now Ned was a muscular +lad, but his work in the bank was confining, and he did not have the +chance to get out doors and exercise, as Sam had. Consequently Ned had +his hands full in holding to the squirming crony of Andy Foger. + +"You let me go!" demanded Sam, as he tried to twist loose. + +"Not if I know it!" panted Ned. + +Sam gave a sudden twist. Ned's foot slipped in the grass, and in a +moment he went down, with Sam on top of him. Still he did not let go, +and, finding he was still a prisoner Sam adopted new tactics. + +Using his fists Sam began to pound Ned, but the bank employee, though +suffering, would not call for help, to summon back Tom, who was, by +this time, at the rear of the shop, looking about. Silently in the +dark the two fought, and Ned found that Sam was getting away. Then +Ned's hand came in contact with Sam's ear. It was the misfortune of the +bully to have rather a large hearing apparatus, and once Ned got his +fingers on an ear there was room enough to afford a good grip. He +closed his hold tightly, and began to twist. This was too much for Sam. +He set up a lusty howl. + +"Wow! Ouch! Let go!" he pleaded, and he ceased to pound Ned, and no +longer tried to escape. Tom came back on the run. + +"What's the matter?" he cried. Then his light flashed on the two +prostrate lads, and he understood without asking any further questions. + +"Get up!" he cried, seizing Sam by the back of his neck, and yanking +him to his feet. Ned arose, and secured a better grip on the sneaking +lad. + +"What's up?" demanded Tom, and Ned explained, following it by the +question: + +"See any more of 'em?" + +"No, I guess he was here all alone," replied the young inventor. "What +do you mean by sneaking around here this time of night?" he demanded of +the captive. + +"Don't you wish you knew?" was Sam's answer, with a leer. He realized +that he had a certain advantage. + +"You'd better tell before I turn you over to the police!" said Tom, +sternly. + +"You--you wouldn't do that; would you?" and Sam's voice that had been +bold, became shaky. + +"You were trespassing on our property, and that's against the law," +declared Tom. "We have signs posted, warning people to keep off." + +"I didn't mean any harm," whined Sam. + +"Then what were you doing here, at this hour?" + +"I was just taking a short cut home. I was out riding with Andy in his +auto, and it broke down. I had to walk home, and I came this way. I +didn't know you didn't allow people to cross your back lot. I wasn't +doin' anything." + +Tom hesitated. Sam might be telling the truth, but it was doubtful. + +"What happened to Andy's auto?" the young inventor asked. + +"He broke a wheel, going over a big stone on Berk's hill. He went to +tell some one in the repair shop to go after the car, and I came on +home. You've got no right to arrest me." + +"I ought to, on general principles," commented Tom. "Well, skip out, +and don't you come around here again. I'm going to get a savage bull +dog, and the first one who comes sneaking around here after dark will +be sorry. Move along now!" + +Tom and Ned released their holds of Sam, and the latter lost no time in +obeying the injunction to make himself scarce. He was soon lost to +sight in the darkness. + +"Think he was up to some mischief?" asked Ned. + +"I'm almost sure of it," replied Tom, "but I can't see anything wrong. +I guess we were too quick for him. I believe he, Andy and Pete Bailey +tried to put up some job on me." + +"Maybe they wanted to damage your new battery or car," suggested Ned. + +"Hardly that. The car hasn't been started yet, and as for the battery, +no one knows of it outside of you and my friends here. I'm keeping it +secret. Well, if I'm going to take you home I'd better get a move on. +Wait here and I'll run out Mr. Damon's car." + +In a short time Tom was guiding the machine over the road to Shopton, +Ned on the seat beside him. The young assistant cashier lived about a +mile the other side of the village, and the two chums were soon at his +house. Asking his friend to come and see him when he had a chance. Ned +bid his chum good night, and the young inventor started back home. + +He was driving slowly along, thinking more of his new invention than +anything else, even more than of the mysterious visit of Sam Snedecker, +when the lights on Mr. Damon's car flashed upon something big, black +and bulky on the road just ahead of him. Tom, brought suddenly out of +his fit of musing, jammed on the brakes, and steered to one side. Then +he saw that the object was a stalled auto. He had only time to note +this when a voice hailed him: + +"Have you a tire pump you could lend us? Ours doesn't work, and we have +had a blowout." + +There was something about the voice that was strangely familiar, and +Tom was wondering where he had heard it before, when into the glare of +the lamps on his machine stepped Mr. Foger--Andy's father! + +"Why, Mr. Foger!" exclaimed Tom. "I didn't know it was you." + +"Oh, it's Tom Swift," remarked the man, and he did not seem especially +pleased. + +"Hey! What's that?" cried another voice, which Tom had no difficulty in +recognizing as belonging to Andy. "What's the matter, Dad?" + +"Why it happens to be your--ahem! It's Tom Swift in this other auto," +went on Mr. Foger. "I didn't know you had a car," he added. + +"I haven't," answered the lad. "This belongs to Mr. Damon. But can you +see to fix your tire in the dark?" for Mr. Foger and his son had no +lamps lighted. + +"Oh, we have it all fixed," declared the man, "and, just as we were +going to pump it up out lamps went out. Then we found that our pump +wouldn't work. If you have one I would be obliged for the use of it," +and he spoke somewhat stiffly. + +"Certainly," agreed Tom, cheerfully, for he had no special grudge +against Mr. Foger, though had he known Andy's father's plans, perhaps +our hero would not have so readily aided him. The young inventor got +down, removed one of his oil lamps in order that there might be some +light on the operation, and then brought over his pump. + +"I heard you had an accident," said Tom, a chain of thoughts being +rapidly forged in his mind, as he thought of what Sam had told him. + +"You heard of it?" repeated Mr. Foger, while Andy was busy pumping up +the tire. + +"Yes, a friend who was out riding with you said you had broken a wheel +on Berk's hill. But I see he was slightly wrong. You're a good way from +Berk's hill, and it's a tire that is broken, not a wheel." + +"But I don't understand," said Mr. Foger. "No friend has been out +riding with us. My son and I were out on a business trip, and--" + +"Come on, pop. I've got it all pumped up. Jump in. There's your pump, +Tom Swift. Much obliged," muttered Andy hastily. It was very evident +that he wanted to prevent any further conversation between his parent +and Tom. + +"But I don't understand," went on the banker, clearly puzzled. "What +friend gave you such information, Mr.--er--Tom Swift?" + +"Sam Snedecker," replied the lad quickly. "I caught him sneaking around +my machine shop about an hour ago, and when I asked him what he was +doing he said he'd been out riding with Andy, and that they broke a +wheel. I'm glad it was only a blown-out tire," and Tom's voice had a +curious note in it. + +"But there must be some mistake," insisted Mr. Foger. "Sam Snedecker +was not riding with us this evening. We have been over to +Waterfield--my son and I, and--" + +"Come on, pop!" cried Andy desperately. "We must hurry home. Mom will +be worried." + +"Yes, I think she will. But I can't understand why Sam should say such +a thing. However, we are much obliged for the use of your pump, Swift, +and--" + +But Andy prevented any further talk by starting the car with the +muffler open, making a great racket, and he hurriedly drove off, almost +before his father was seated, leaving Tom standing there in the road, +beside his pump and lantern. + +"So," mused the young inventor, "there's some game on. Sam wasn't with +Andy, yet Andy evidently knew where Sam was, or he wouldn't have been +so anxious to choke off talk. Mr. Foger knew nothing of Sam, naturally. +But why have Andy and his father been on a midnight trip to Waterfield?" + +That last question caused Tom to adopt a new line of thought. + +"Waterfield," he mused. "That's where Mr. Damon lives. Mr. Damon is a +heavy depositor in the old bank. Mr. Foger is going to start a new +bank. I wonder if there's any connection there? This is getting +mysterious. I must keep my eyes open. I never expected to meet Andy and +his father to-night, any more than I expected to find Sam Snedecker +sneaking around my shop, but it's a good thing I discovered both +parties. I guess Andy must have had nervous prostration when I was +talking to his father," and Tom grinned at the thought. Then, picking +up the pump, and fastening the lantern in place, he drove Mr. Damon's +auto slowly back home. + +Tom said nothing to his father or Mr. Sharp, the next morning, about +the incidents of the previous night. In the first place he could not +exactly understand them, and he wanted to devote more time to thinking +of them, before he mentioned the matter to his parent. Another reason +was that Mr. Swift was a very nervous person, and the least thing out +of the ordinary worried him. So the young inventor concluded to keep +quiet. + +His first act, after going to look at the small motor, which was being +run with the larger, experimental storage battery, was to get out +pencil and paper. + +"I've got to plan the electric auto now that my battery is in a fair +way to success," he said, for he noted that the one cell he had +constructed had done over twice as much mileage in proportion, as had +the small battery. "I'll soon start building the car," mused Tom, "and +then I'll enter it in the race. I must write to that touring club and +find how much time I have." + +All that morning the young inventor drew plan after plan for an +electric runabout, and rejected them. Finally he threw aside paper and +pencil and exclaimed: + +"It's no use. I can't think to-day. I'm dwelling too much on what +happened last night. I must clear my brain. + +"I know what I'll do. I'll get in my motor-boat and take a run over to +Waterfield to see Mr. Damon. Maybe he's home by this time. Then I can +ask him what Mr. Foger wanted to see him about, if he did call." + +It was a fine May morning, and Tom was soon in his boat, the Arrow, +gliding over Lake Carlopa, the waters of which sparkled in the sun. As +he speeded up his craft, the lad looked about, thinking he might catch +sight of Andy Foger, for the bully also owned a boat, called the Red +Streak and, more than once, in spite of the fact that Andy's craft was +the more powerful, Tom had beaten him in impromptu races. But there was +no sign of his rival this morning, and Tom kept on to Waterfield. He +found that Mr. Damon had not yet returned home. + +"So far I've had my run for nothing," mused the youth. "Well, I might +as well spend the rest of the morning in the boat." + +He swung his craft out into the lake, and headed back toward Mansburg, +intending to run up to the head of the body of water, which offered so +many attractions that beautiful morning. + +As Tom passed a small dock he saw a girl just putting out in a rowboat. +The figure looked familiar and, having nothing special to do, the lad +steered over closer. His first view was confirmed, and he called out +cheerfully: + +"Good morning, Miss Nestor. Going for a row?" + +"Oh! Mr. Swift!" exclaimed the girl with a blush. "I didn't hear you +coming. You startled me." + +"Yes, the engine runs quite silently since I fixed it," resumed Tom. +"But where are you going?" + +"I was going for a row," answered the girl, "but I have just discovered +that one of the oar locks is broken, so I am not going for a row," and +she laughed, showing her white, even teeth. + +"That's too bad!" remarked the lad. "I don't suppose," he added +doubtfully, "that I could induce you to accept a motor-boat as a +substitute for a rowing craft, could I?" and he looked quizzically at +her. + +"Are you asking me that as a hypothetical question?" she inquired. + +"Yes," said Tom, trying not to smile. + +"Well, if you are asking for information, merely, I will say that I +could be induced to make such a change," and her face was nearly as +grave as that of the young inventor's. + +"What inducement would have to be used?" he asked. + +"Suppose you just ask me in plain English to come and have a ride?" she +suggested. + +"All right, I will!" exclaimed the youth. + +"All right, then I'll come!" she retorted with a laugh, and a few +minutes later the two were in the Arrow, making a pretty picture as +they speeded up the lake. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +BUILDING THE CAR + + +"Well," remarked Tom to himself, about two hours later, when he had +left Mary Nestor at her dock, and was on his way home, "I feel better +than I did, and now I must do some hard thinking about my runabout. I +want to get it the right shape to make the least resistance." He began +to make some sketches when he got home, and at dinner he showed them to +his father and Mr. Sharp. He said he had gotten an idea from looking +at the airship. + +"I'm going to make the front part, or what corresponds to the +engine-hood in a gasolene car, pointed," he explained. "It will be just +like the front of the aluminum gas container of the airship, only built +of steel. In it will be a compartment for a set of batteries, and there +will be a searchlight there. From the top of some supporters in front +of the two rear seats, a slanting sheet of steel will come right down +to meet the sloping nose of the car. First I was going to have curtains +close over the top of the driver's seat, but I think a steel covering, +with a celluloid opening will be better and make less wind resistance. +I'll use leather side curtains when it rains. Under the front seats +will be a compartment for more batteries, and there will be a third +place under the rear seats, where I will also carry spare wheels and a +repair kit. The motors will be slung under the body of the car, +amidships, and there will also be room for some batteries there." + +"How are you going to drive the car?" asked Mr. Sharp. "By a shaft?" + +"Chain drive," explained Tom. "I can get more power that way, and it +will be more flexible under heavy loads. Of course it will be steered +in the usual way, and near the wheel will be the starting and reversing +levers, and the gear handle." + +"Gears!" exclaimed the aged inventor. "Are you going to gear an +electric auto? I never heard of that. Usually the motor directly +connected is all they use." + +"I'm going to have two gears on mine," decided Tom. + +"That's a new idea," commented the aeronaut. + +"It is," admitted the lad, "and that's why my car is going to be so +speedy. I'll make her go a hundred miles an hour, if necessary!" + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed his father. + +"I will!" cried the young inventor, enthusiastically. "You just wait +and see. I couldn't do it but for the gears, but by using them I'll +secure more speed, especially with the big reserve battery power I'll +have. I know I've got the right idea, and I'm going to get right to +work." + +His father and Mr. Sharp were much interested, and closely examined his +sketches. In a few days Tom had made detailed drawings, and the aged +inventor looked at them critically. He had to admit that his son's +theory was right, though how it would work out in practice was yet to +be demonstrated. Mr. Swift offered some suggestions for minor changes, +as did Mr. Sharp, and the lad adopted some of them. Then, with Mr. +Jackson to help him, work was started on constructing the car. + +Certain parts of it could be better purchased in the open market +instead of being manufactured in Mr. Swift's shop, and thus Tom was +able to get his new invention into some sort of shape sooner than would +otherwise have been the case. He also started making the batteries, +many of which would be needed. + +Gradually the car began to take form on the floor of Tom's shop. It was +rather a curious looking affair, the sharp forward part making it +appear like some engine of war, or a projectile for some monster gun. +But Tom cared little for looks. Speed, strength and ease of control +were the chief features the lad aimed at, and he incorporated many new +ideas into his electric car. + +He was busy in the shop, one morning, when, above the noise caused by +filing a piece of steel he heard some one exclaim: + +"Bless my gizzard! If you aren't as busy as ever!" + +"Mr. Damon!" cried Tom in delight. "When did you get back?" + +"Last night," replied the eccentric man. "My wife and I stayed longer +than we meant to. And whom do you think we met when we were off on our +little trip?" + +"Some of the Happy Harry gang?" + +"Oh no. You'd never guess, so I'll tell you. It was Captain Weston." + +"Indeed! And how has he been since he went in the submarine with us, +and helped recover the gold from the wreck?" + +"Very well. The first thing he said to me was: 'How is Tom Swift and +his father, if I may be permitted to ask?'" + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed the lad, at the recollection of the odd sea captain, +who generally tagged on an apologetic expression to most of his remarks. + +"He was getting ready to take part in some South American revolution," +went on Mr. Damon. "He used most of his money that he got from the +wreck to help finance their cause." + +"I must tell Mr. Sharp," went on the lad. "He'll be interested." + +"Anything new since I've been away?" asked the odd man. "Bless my shoe +laces, but I'm glad to get back!" + +Tom told of the prospect of a new bank being started, and of Sam's +midnight visit, as well as the encounter with Mr. Foger and Andy. + +"I went over to see what Mr. Foger wanted of you," went on the young +inventor, "but you weren't home. Did he call?" + +"The servant said he had been there, not once, but several times," +remarked Mr. Damon. "That reminds me. He left a note for me, and I +haven't read it yet. I'll do so now." + +He tore open the letter, and hastily perused the contents. + +"Ha!" he exclaimed. "So that's what he wanted to see me about!" + +"What?" inquired Tom, with the privilege of an old friend. + +"Mr. Foger says he's going to start a new bank, and he wants me to +withdraw my deposit from the old one, and put it in his institution. +Says he'll pay me bigger interest. And he adds that some of the old +employees have gone with him." + +"I hope you're not going to change," spoke Tom, thinking of his chum, +Ned. + +"Indeed I'm not. The old bank is good enough for me. By the way, +doesn't a friend of yours work there?" + +"Yes, Ned Newton. I'm wondering how he'll be affected?" + +"Don't you worry!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my check book! I'll +speak to Pendergast about your friend. Maybe there'll be a chance to +advance him further. I've got some mortgages falling due pretty soon, +and I'll deposit the money from them in the old bank. Then we'll see +what we can do about Ned." + +"They'll make you a bank director, if you keep on putting in money," +remarked our hero, with a smile. + +"Not much they won't!" was the quick answer. + +"Bless my stocks and bonds! I've got trouble enough without becoming a +bank director. My doctor says my liver is out of order again, and I've +got to eat a lemon every morning before breakfast." + +"Eat a lemon?" + +"Well, drink the juice! It's the same thing. But how is the electric +runabout coming on?" + +"Pretty good." + +"Have you entered it in the races yet?" + +"No, but I've written for information. I have until September to finish +it. The races take place then." + +"Let's see; they're on Long Island; aren't they? How do you calculate +to do; run from here to there?" + +"No, Dad still has the cottage he rented when we built the submarine +and I think I'll make that my headquarters during the race. It's easy +to run from there over to the Long Island track. They're building a +new one, especially for the occasion. + +"Well, I hope you win the prize. I must go to town now, as I have to +attend to some business. I don't s'pose you want to come in my auto. +I'm pretty sure something will break before I get there, and I'd like +to have you along to fix it." + +"Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't go," replied the lad. "I must get this +car done, and then I've got to start on the batteries." + +Mr. Damon rather reluctantly went off alone, looking anxiously at his +car, for the machine got out of order on every trip he took. + +It was a few days after this that Tom received a call from Ned one +evening. The bank employee's face wore a happy smile. + +"What's the matter; some one left you a fortune?" asked Tom. + +"Pretty nearly as good. I've got a better position." + +"What? Have you left the old bank, and gone to the new one?" + +"No, I'm still in the same bank, but I'm one of the two cashiers now. +Mr. Foger took several of the old employees when he opened his new +bank, and that left vacancies. I was promoted, and so were one or two +others. Mr. Damon spoke a good word for me." + +"That's fine! He's a friend worth having." + +"That's right. Your father also recommended me. But how are things with +you? Has Andy made any more trouble?" + +"No, and I don't believe he will. I guess he'll steer clear of me." + +But Tom was soon to learn he was mistaken. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +TOM IS CAPTURED + + +Meanwhile the young inventor, aided by his father, Mr. Sharp and Garret +Jackson, the engineer, worked hard over his new car, and the powerful +batteries. A month passed, and such was the progress made that Tom felt +justified in making formal entry of his vehicle for the races to be +held by the Touring Club of America. + +He paid a contingent fee and was listed as one of the competitors. As +is usual in an affair of this kind, the promoters of it desired +publicity, and they sought it through the papers. + +Consequently each new entrant's name was published. In addition +something was said about his previous achievements in the speed line. + +No sooner was the name of Tom Swift received by the officials of the +club, than it was at once recalled that young Swift had had a prominent +part in the airship Red Cloud, and the submarine Advance. This gave an +enterprising reporter a chance for a "special" for the Sunday +supplement of a New York newspaper. + +Tom, it was stated, was building a car which would practically +annihilate distance and time, and there were many weird pictures, +showing him flying along without touching the ground, in a car, the +pictorial construction of which was at once fearful and wonderful. + +Tom and his friends laughed at the yarn, at first, but it soon had +undesirable results. The young inventor had desired to keep secret the +fact that he was building a new electric vehicle, and a novel storage +battery, but the article in the paper aroused considerable interest. +Many persons came a long distance, hoping for a sight of the wonderful +car, as pictured in the Sunday supplement, but they had to be denied. +The news, thus leaking out, kept the Swift shops almost constantly +besieged by many curious ones, who sought, by various means, to gain +admission. Finally Tom and his father, after posting large signs, +warning persons to keep away, added others to the effect that +undesirable visitors might find themselves unexpectedly shocked by +electricity, if they ventured too close. This had the desired effect, +though the wires which were strung about carried such a mild charge +that it would not have harmed a child. Then the only bothersome +characters were the boys of the town, and, fearless and careless lads, +they persisted in hanging around the Swift homestead, in the hope of +seeing Tom dash away at the rate of five hundred miles an hour, which +one enthusiastic writer predicted he would do. + +"I've got a plan!" exclaimed Tom one day when the boys had been +particularly troublesome. + +"What is it?" asked his father. + +"We'll hire Eradicate Sampson to stand guard with a bucket of +whitewash. He'll keep the boys away." + +The plan was put into operation, and Eradicate and his mule, Boomerang, +were installed on the premises. + +"Deed an' Ah'll keep dem lads away," promised the colored man. "Ah'll +splash white stuff all ober 'em, if dey comes traipsin' around me." + +He was as good as his word, and, when one or two lads had received a +dose of the stuff, which punishment was followed by more severe from +home, for having gotten their clothes soiled, the nuisance ceased, to a +certain extent. Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey were two who received a +liberal sprinkling of the lime, and they vowed vengeance on Tom. + +"And Andy Foger will help us, too," added Sam, as he withdrew, after an +encounter with Eradicate. + +"Doan't let dat worry yo', Mistah Swift!" exclaimed the darkey. "Jest +let dat low-down-good-fo-nuffin' Andy Foger come 'round me, an' Ah'll +make him t'ink he's de inside ob a chicken coop, dat's what Ah will." + +Perhaps Andy heard of this, and kept away. In the meanwhile Tom kept on +perfecting his car and battery. From the club secretary he learned that +a number of inventors were working on electric cars, and there promised +to be many of the speedy vehicles in the race. + +After considerable labor Tom had succeeded in getting together one set +of the batteries. He had them completed one afternoon, and wanted to +give them a test that night. But, when he went to his father's chemical +laboratory for a certain powder, which he needed to use in the battery +solution, he found there was none. + +"I'll have to ride in to Mansburg for some," he decided. "I'll go after +supper, on my motor-cycle, and test the battery to-night." + +The young inventor left his house immediately after the evening meal. +Along the road toward Mansburg he speeded, and, as he came to the foot +of a hill, where once Andy Foger had put a big tree, hoping Tom would +run into it and be injured, the youth recalled that circumstance. + +"Andy has been keeping out of my way lately," mused Tom. "I wonder if +he's up to any mischief? I don't like the way Sam Snedecker is hanging +around the shop, either. It looks as if they were plotting something. +But I guess Eradicate and his pail of whitewash will scare them off." + +Tom got the powdered chemical he wanted in the drug store, and, after +refreshing himself with some ice cream soda, he started back. As he +rode along through the streets of the town he kept a lookout, and those +of you who know how fond the lad was of a certain young lady, do not +need to be told for whom he was looking. But he did not see her, and +soon turned into the main highway leading to Shopton. + +It was dark when he reached the hill, where once he had been so near an +accident, and he slowed up as he coasted down it, using the brake at +intervals. + +Tom got safely to the bottom of the declivity, and was about to turn on +the power of his machine, when, from the bushes that lined either side +of the roadway, several figures sprang suddenly. They ranged themselves +across the road, and one cried: "Halt!" in tones that were meant to be +stern, but which seemed to Tom, to tremble somewhat. The young inventor +was so surprised that he did not open the gasolene throttle, nor switch +on his spark. As a consequence his motor-cycle lost momentum, and he +had to take one foot from the pedal and touch the ground, to prevent +himself from toppling over. + +"Hold on there!" cried another voice. "We've got you where we want you, +now! Hold on! Don't go!" + +"I wasn't going to go," responded Tom calmly, trying to recognize the +voice, which seemed to be unnatural. "What do you want, and who are +you?" + +"Never mind who we are. We want you and we've got you! Get off that +wheel!" + +"I don't see why I should!" exclaimed Tom, and he suddenly shifted his +handle bars, so as to flash the bright headlight he carried, upon the +circle of dark figures that opposed his progress. As the light flashed +on them he was surprised to see that all the figures wore masks over +their faces. + +Tom started. Was this the Happy Harry gang after him again? He hoped +not, yet the fact that the persons had on masks made the hold-up have +an ugly look. Once more Tom flashed the light on the throng. There were +exclamations of dismay. + +"Douse that glim, somebody!" called a sharp voice, which Tom could not +recognize. + +A stone came whizzing through the air, from some one in the crowd. +There was a smashing of glass as it hit the lantern, and the road was +plunged in darkness. Tom tried to throw one leg over the saddle, and +let down the supporting stand from the rear wheel, so the motor-cycle +would remain upright without him holding it. He determined to have +revenge for that act of vandalism in breaking his lamp. + +But, just as he was free of the seat, he was surrounded by a dozen +persons, and several hands were laid on him. + +"We've got you now!" some one fairly hissed in his ear. "Come along, +and get what's coming to you!" + +Tom tried to fight, but he was overpowered by numbers and, a little +later, was dragged off into the woods in the darkness by the masked +figures. His arms were securely bound with ropes, and a handkerchief +was tied over his eyes. Tom Swift was a prisoner. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A BLINDING FLASH + + +Stumbling on through the dark woods, led by his captors, Tom tried to +pierce the gloom and identify the persons who had firm grips on either +side of him. But it was useless. A little light sifted down from the +starlit sky above, but it was not sufficient. The young inventor was +beginning to think, after all, that he had fallen into the hands of the +Happy Harry gang, and he knew that if this was so he need expect no +mercy. + +But two things were against this belief. One was that the principal +members of the gang were still in jail, or at least they were supposed +to be, and another was that there were too many of the captors. Happy +Harry's crowd never numbered so many. + +"Maybe they're highwaymen," thought our hero, as he was dragged along +"But that can't be," he reasoned further. "If they wanted to rob me +they'd have done it back there in the road, and not brought me off here +in the woods. Besides, I haven't anything for them to steal." + +Suddenly Tom stumbled over a projecting root, and nearly fell, dragging +along with him the person who had hold of his left arm. + +"Look out there! What's the matter with you?" exclaimed one of the +throng quickly, and at the sound of the voice Tom started. + +"Andy Foger!" cried the young inventor, as he recovered himself, for he +had recognized the voice of the red-haired bully. "What do you mean by +holding me up in this way?" he demanded. + +"Quiet!" urged a voice in his ear, and the tones were unfamiliar. +"Mention no names!" + +"I'm on to your game!" retorted Tom. "I know you're here, Andy, and Sam +and Pete; and Jack Reynolds and Sid Holton," and he named two rather +loose-charactered lads, who were often in the company of Andy and his +cronies. "You'd better quit this nonsense," Tom went on. "I'll cause +the arrest of all of you if you make trouble for me. I know who you are +now!" + +"You think you do," answered the voice in his ear, and the young +inventor concluded that it must be some lad whom he did not know. "Nor +is this nonsense," the other went on. "You are about to receive the +punishment due you." + +Our hero did not answer, but he was doing some hard thinking. He +wondered why Andy and his crowd had captured him. + +Suddenly the blackness of the woods was illuminated by the fitful gleam +of a distant fire. Tom could see more plainly now, and he managed to +count about ten dusky figures hurrying along, four being close to him, +to prevent his escape, and the others running on ahead. The light +became stronger, and, a moment later the prisoner and his captors +emerged into a little clearing, where a fire was burning. Two figures, +masked with black cloth, as were all in the crowd, stood about the +blaze, putting on sticks of wood. + +"Did you get him?" asked one of these figures eagerly. + +"Yes, they got me, Sam Snedecker," answered Tom quickly, recognizing +Sam's tones. "And they'll wish they hadn't before I'm done with them." + +"Quiet!" ordered an unknown voice. "Members of the Deep Forest Throng, +the prisoner is here!" the lad went on. + +"'Tis well, bind the captive to the sacrificial tree," was the response +from some one in the crowd. + +Tom laughed. He was at ease now, for he recognized that those who had +taken him prisoner were all lads of Andy's character. Most of them +were Shopton youths, but some, evidently, were strangers in town. Tom +felt he had little to fear. + +"Bring him over here," ordered one, and Tom cried out: + +"You wouldn't be giving those orders, Andy Foger, if my arms weren't +tied. And if you'll untie me, I'll fight any two of you at once," +offered the young inventor fiercely, for he hated the humiliation to +which he was being subjected. + +"Don't do it! Don't untie him!" begged some one. + +"No danger, they won't. They're afraid to, Pete Bailey," replied Tom +quickly, for he had recognized the voice of the other one of Andy's +particular cronies. + +"Aw, he knows who we are," whispered Sam, but not so low but that our +hero heard him. + +"No matter," was Andy's retort. "Let's go ahead with it. Tie him to +that tree." + +It was useless for Tom to struggle. He was bound too tightly by the +rope, and the crowd was too many for him. In a few minutes he was +securely fastened to a tree, not far from the camp-fire, which was +replenished from time to time. + +"Now for the judgment!" called one of the masked lads, in what he meant +to be a sepulchral tone. "What is the charge against the prisoner? +Brother Number One of the Deep Forest Throng, what is your accusation?" + +"He's a regular snob, that's what's the trouble," answered Andy +Foger, though whether he was "Brother Number One," did not appear. +"He's too fresh and--and--" + +"I'll make you wish you felt fresh when I get hold of you, Andy," +murmured Tom. + +"Quiet!" cried a tall lad. "What's the next charge?" + +"He keeps an old colored man on guard at his place," was the answer, +and Tom had no difficulty in recognizing the voice of Sid Holton. "The +coon throws whitewash all over us. I got some of it." + +"You wouldn't have, if you'd minded your own business," retorted Tom. +"It served you right!" + +"What is the verdict on the prisoner?" asked one who seemed to be the +leader. + +"I say let's tar and feather him!" cried Andy suddenly. "There's a +barrel of tar back in the woods here, and we can get some feathers from +a chicken coop. That would make him so he wouldn't be so uppish, I +guess!" + +"That's right! Tar and feathers!" exclaimed several. + +Our hero's heart sank. He was not afraid, but he did not relish the +indignity that was proposed. He resolved to fight to the last ounce of +his strength against the masked lads. + +"Can we get a kettle to heat the tar in?" asked some one. + +"We'll find one," answered Sam Snedecker. "Come on, let's do it. You'll +look pretty, Tom Swift, when we're through with you," he exulted. + +Tom did not answer, but there was fierce anger in his heart. The tar +and feather proposal seemed to meet with general favor. + +"Members of the Deep Forest Throng, we will hold a consultation," +proposed the leader, in his assumed deep voice. "Come over here, to +one side. Brother Number Six, guard the prisoner well." + +"There ain't no need to," answered a lad who had been instructed to +mount guard over Tom. "He's tied so tight he can't move. I want to hear +what you say." + +"Very well then," assented the leader, "But look to his bonds." + +The lad made a hasty examination of the ropes binding the young +inventor to the tree, and Tom was glad that the examination was a hasty +one. For he feared the guard might discover that one hand had been +worked nearly free. The young inventor had done this while he leered at +his captors. + +Tom was not going to submit tamely to the nonsense, and from the moment +he had been tied, he had been trying to get loose. He had nearly +succeeded in freeing one hand when the crowd of masked boys moved off +to one side, where they presently began to talk in excited whispers. + +"I wonder how they came to catch me," thought the prisoner, as he +worked feverishly to further loosen the ropes. "This looks as if it was +a put-up job, with the masks, and everything." Later he learned that +the idea was the outcome of a proposal of one of the new arrivals in +town. He had organized the "Deep Forest Throng," as a sort of secret +society, and Andy and his cronies had been induced to join. It was +Andy's proposal to capture Tom, though, and, having seen him depart for +Mansburg on his motor-cycle, and knowing that he would return along a +road that ran near the woods where the Throng met, suggested that they +take Tom captive. The idea was enthusiastically received, and Andy and +his cronies thought they saw a chance to be revenged. + +Tom, while he picked at the ropes, listened to what the boys were +saying. He heard frequent mention of tar and feathers, and began to +believe, that unless he could get free, while they were off there +consulting, he might be forced to submit to the humiliating ordeal. + +He managed to get one hand comparatively free, so that he could move it +about, but then he struck several hard knots, and could make no further +progress. The conference seemed on the point of breaking up. + +"One of you go for a big kettle to boil the tar in," ordered the +leader, "and the rest of you dig up some feathers." + +"I must get loose!" thought Tom desperately. "If they try to tar and +feather me it will be a risky business. I've got to get loose! They may +burn me severely!" + +But, though he tried with all his strength, the ropes would not loosen +another bit. He had one hand free, and that was all. The crowd was +moving back toward him. + +"My knife!" thought the captive quickly. "If I can reach that in my +pocket I can cut the ropes! Once I get loose I'll fight the whole +crowd!" + +He managed to get his free hand into his pocket. His fingers touched +something. It was not his knife, and, for a moment he felt a pang of +disappointment. Then, as he realized what it was that he had grasped, a +new idea came to him. + +"This will be better than the knife!" he thought exultantly. The crowd +of lads was now surrounding him, some distance from the fire, which +burned in front of the captive. + +"Sentence has been passed upon you," remarked the leader. "Prepare to +meet thy doom! Get the materials, brothers!" + +"One moment!" called Tom, for he wanted the crowd all present to +witness what he was about to do. "I'll give you one chance to let me go +peaceably. If you don't--" + +"Well, what will you do?" demanded Andy sneeringly, as he pulled his +mask further over his face. "I guess you won't do anything, Tom Swift." + +"I'll give you one chance to let me go, and I'll agree to say nothing +about this joke," went on Tom. "If you don't I'll blow this place up!" + +For a moment there was a silence. + +"Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho!" laughed Sam Snedecker. "Listen to him! He'll blow the +place up! I'd like to see you do it! You can't get loose in the first +place, and you haven't anything to blow it up with in the second. I'd +like to see you do it; hey, fellers?" + +"Sure," came the answering chorus. + +"Would you?" asked Tom quickly. "Then watch. Stand back if you don't +want to get hurt, and remember that I gave you a chance to let me go!" + +Tom made a rapid motion with the hand he had gotten loose. He threw +something toward the blazing fire, which was now burning well. +Something white sailed through the air, and fell amid the hot embers. + +There was a moment's pause, and then a blinding flash of blue fire +lighted up the woods, and a dull rumble, as when gun-powder is lighted +in the open followed. A great cloud of white smoke arose, as the vivid +blue glare died away, and it seemed as if a great wind swept over the +place. Several of the masked lads were knocked down by the explosion, +and when the rumble died away, and deep blackness succeeded the intense +blue light, there came cries of pain and terror. The fire had been +scattered, and extinguished by the explosion which Tom, though still +bound to the tree had caused to happen in the midst of the Deep Forest +Throng. Then, as the smoke rolled away, Andy Foger cried: + +"Come on, fellows! Something's happened. I guess a volcano blew up!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +TOM IS RESCUED + + +The Deep Forest Throng needed no urging to flee from the place of the +mysterious explosion. Their prisoner, helpless as he had seemed, had +proved too much for them. Slipping and stumbling along in the darkness, +the masked lads had but one thought--to get away before they saw more +of that blue fire, and the force of the concussion. + +"Gee! My eyebrows are all singed off!" cried Sam Snedecker, as he tore +loose his mask which had been rent in the explosion, and felt of his +face. + +"And my hands are burned," added Pete Bailey. "I stood closer to the +fire than any of you." + +"You did not! I got the worst of it!" cried Andy. "I was knocked down +by the explosion, and I'll bet I'm hurt somewhere. I guess--Oh! Help! +I'm falling in a mud hole!" + +There was a splash, and the bully disappeared from the sight of his +companions who, now that the moon had risen, could better see to flee +from their prisoner. + +"Help me out, somebody!" pleaded Andy. "I'm in a mud hole!" + +They pulled him out, a sorry looking sight, and the red-haired lad, +whose locks were now black with muck, began to lament his lot. + +"Dry up!" commanded Sid Holton. "It's all your fault, for proposing +such a fool trick as capturing Tom Swift. We might have known he would +get the best of us." + +"What was that stuff he used, anyhow?" asked Cecil Hedden, the lad +responsible for the organization of the Deep Forest Throng. "He must +be a wonder. Does he do sleight-of-hand tricks?" + +"He does all sorts of tricks," replied Pete Bailey, feeling of a big +lump on his head, caused by falling on a stone in the mad rush. "I +guess we were chumps to tackle him. He must have put some kind of +chemical in the fire, to make it blow up." + +"Or else he summoned his airship by wireless, and had that balloonist, +Mr. Sharp, drop a bomb in the blaze," suggested another lad. + +"But how could he do anything? Wasn't he tied fast to that tree?" asked +Cecil, the leader. + +"You never know when you've got Tom Swift tied," declared Jack +Reynolds. "You think you've got him, and you haven't. He's too slick +for us. It's Andy's fault, for proposing to capture him." + +"That's right! Blame it all on me," whined the squint-eyed bully. "You +was just as anxious as I was to tar and feather him." + +"Well, we didn't do it," commented Pete Bailey, dryly. "I s'pose he's +loose now, laughin' at us. Gee, but that was an explosion though! It's +a wonder some of us weren't killed! I guess I've had enough of this +Deep Forest Throng business. No more for mine." + +"Aw, don't be afraid," urged Cecil. "The next time we get him we'll be +on our guard." + +"You'll never catch Tom Swift again," predicted Pete. + +"I'll go back now to where he is, if you will," agreed Cecil, who was +older than the others. + +"Not much!" cried Pete. "I've had enough." + +This seemed to be the sentiment of all. Away they stumbled through the +woods, and, emerging on the road, scattered to their several homes, not +one but who suffered from slight burns, contusions, torn and muddy +clothes or injured feelings as the outcome of the "joke" on the young +inventor. + +But our hero was not yet free from the bonds of his enemies. When they +scattered and ran, after the vivid blue light, and the dull explosion, +which, being unconfined, did no real damage, Tom was still fast to the +tree. As his eyes became accustomed to the semi-darkness that followed +the glare, he remarked: + +"Well, I don't know that I'm much better off. I gave those fellows a +good scare, but I'm not loose. But I can work to better advantage now." + +Once more he resumed the effort to free himself, but in spite of the +crude manner in which the knots had been made, the lad could not get +loose. The more he pulled and tugged the tighter they seemed to become. + +"This is getting serious," Tom mused. "If I could only reach my knife I +could cut them, but it's in my pocket on the other side, and that +bond's fast. Guess I'll have to stay here all night. Maybe I'd better +call for help, but--" + +His words, spoken half aloud, were suddenly interrupted by a crash in +the underbrush. Somebody was approaching. At first Tom thought it was +Andy and his cronies coming back, but a voice that called a moment +later proved that this was not so. + +"Is any one here?" shouted a man. "Any one hurt? What was that fire and +explosion?" + +"I'm here," replied Tom. "I'm not hurt exactly, but I'm tied to a tree. +I'll be much obliged if you'll loosen me." + +"Who are you?" + +"Tom Swift. Is that you, Mr. Mason?" + +"Yes. By jinks! I never expected to find you here, Tom. Over this way, +men," he added calling aloud. "I've found him; it's Tom Swift." + +There was the flicker of several lanterns amid the trees, and soon a +number of men had joined Mr. Mason, and surrounded Tom. They were +farmers living in the neighborhood. + +"What in the name o' Tunket happened?" asked one. "Did you get hit by a +meteor or a comet? Who tied you up; highwaymen?" + +"Cut him loose first, and ask questions afterward," suggested Mr. Mason. + +"Yes," added Tom, with a laugh, "I wish you would. I'm beginning to +feel cramped." + +With their knives, the farmers quickly cut the ropes, and some of them +rubbed the arms of the lad to restore the circulation. + +"What was it--highwaymen?" asked a man, unable to longer restrain his +curiosity. "Did they rob you?" + +"No, it wasn't highwaymen," replied the youth. "It was a trick of some +boys I know," and to Tom's credit be it said that he did not mention +their names. "They did it for a joke," he added. + +"Boys' trick? Joke?" queried Mr. Mason. "Pretty queer sort of a joke, I +think. They ought to be arrested." + +"Oh, I fancy I gave them what was coming to them," went on the young +inventor. + +"Did they try to blow ye up, too?" asked Mr. Hertford. "What in th' +name of Tunket was that blue light, and that explosion? I heard it an' +saw it way over to my house." + +"So did I," remarked Mr. Mason, and several others said the same thing. +"We thought a meteor had fallen," he continued, "and we got together to +make an investigation." + +"It's a good thing for me you did," admitted Tom, "or I might have had +to stay here all night." + +"But was it a meteor?" insisted Mr. Hertford. + +"No," replied the lad, "I did it." + +"You?" + +"Yes. You see after they tied me I found I could get one hand free. I +reached in my pocket for my knife, but instead of it I managed to get +hold of a package of powder I had." + +"Gunpowder?" asked Mr. Mason. + +"No, a chemical powder I use in an electrical battery. The powder +explodes in fire, and makes quite a blue flash, and a lot of smoke, but +it isn't very dangerous, otherwise I wouldn't have used it. When the +boys were some distance away from the fire, I threw the powder in the +blaze. It went off in a moment, and--" + +"I guess they run some; didn't they?" asked Mr. Mason with a laugh. + +"They certainly did," agreed Tom. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +TOM HAS A FALL + + +The young inventor told more details of his adventure in the woods, +but, though the farmers questioned him closely, he would not give a +single name of his assailants. + +"But I should think you'd want to have them punished," remarked Mr. +Mason. + +"I'll attend to that part later," answered Tom. "Besides, most of them +didn't know what they were doing. They were led on by one or two. No, +I'll fight my own battles. But I wish you'd lend me a lantern long +enough to find my motor-cycle. The moon doesn't give much light in the +woods, and those fellows may have hidden my machine." + +Mr. Mason and his companions readily agreed to accompany Tom on a +search for his wheel. It was found just where he had dismounted from it +in the road. Andy and his cronies had evidently had enough of their +encounter with our hero, and did not dare to annoy him further. + +"Do you think you can ride home?" asked one of the farmers of the lad, +when he had ascertained that his machine was in running order. + +"Well, it's risky without my lantern," answered Tom. "They smashed that +for me. But I guess I can manage." + +"No, you can't!" insisted Mr. Mason. "You're stiff from being tied up; +and you can't ride. Now you just wheel that contraption over to my +place, and I'll hitch up and take you home. It isn't far." + +"Oh, I couldn't think of troubling you," declared Tom. At the same time +he felt that he was in no condition to ride. + +"It's no trouble at all," insisted Mr. Mason. "I guess your father and +I are good enough friends to allow me to have my way. You can come +over and get your choo-choo bicycle in the morning." + +A little later Tom was being rapidly driven toward his home, where he +found his father and Mrs. Baggert, to say nothing of Mr. Sharp, +somewhat alarmed over his absence, as it was getting late. The youth +told as much of his adventure as he thought would not alarm his father, +making a sort of joke of it, and, later, related all the details to the +balloonist. + +"We'll have to get after Andy again," declared the aeronaut. "He needs +another toning down." + +"Yes, similar to the one he got when we nearly ran away with his +automobile, by catching the airship anchor on it," added Tom with a +laugh. "But I fancy Andy will steer clear of me for a while. I'm sorry +I had to use up that chemical powder, though. Now I can't start my +battery until to-morrow." But the next day Tom made up for lost time, +by working from early until late. He went over to Mr. Mason's, got his +motor-cycle, procured some more of the chemical, and soon had his +storage battery in running order. Then he arranged for a more severe +test, and while that was going on he worked at completing the body of +the electric runabout. The vehicle was beginning to look like a car, +though it was not of the regulation pattern. + +For the next week Tom was very busy, so occupied, in fact, that he +scarcely took time for his meals, which caused Mrs. Baggert no little +worriment, for she was a housekeeper who liked to see others enjoy her +cooking. + +"Well, Tom, how are you coming on?" asked his father one night, as they +sat on the porch, Mr. Sharp with them. + +"Pretty well, Dad," was the answer of the young inventor. "I'll put the +wheels on to-morrow, and then set the batteries. I've got the motor all +finished; and all I'll have to do will be to connect it up, and then +I'll be ready for a trial on the road." + +"And you still think you'll beat all records?" + +"I'm pretty sure of it, Dad. You see the amperage will be exceptionally +high, and my batteries will have a large amount of reserve, with little +internal resistance. But do you know I'm so tired I can hardly think. +It's more of a job than I thought it would be." + +Tom, a little later, strolled down the road. As he turned back toward +the house and walked up the shrubbery lined path he heard a noise. + +"Some one's hiding in there!" thought the lad, and he darted to an +opening in the hedge to reach the other side. As he did so he saw a +figure running away. Whether it was a man or a boy he could not tell in +the darkness. + +"Hold on there!" cried the young inventor, but, naturally, the fleeing +one did not stop. Tom began to sprint, and as it was slightly down +hill, he made good time. The figure ahead of him was running well, too, +but Tom who could see better, now that he was out from under the trees, +noticed that he was gaining. The fleeing one came to a little brook, +and hesitated a moment before leaping across. This enabled Tom to catch +up, and he made a grab for the figure, just as the man or boy sprang +across the little stream. + +Tom missed his grip, but he was not going to give up. He scarcely +slackened his speed, but, with the momentum he had acquired in racing +down the hill, he, too, leaped across the brook. As he landed on the +other side he made another grab for the figure, a man, as Tom could now +see, but he could make out no features, as the person's hat was pulled +down over his face. + +"I've got you now!" cried Tom exultantly, reaching out his hand. His +fingers clutched something, but the next instant the young inventor +went sprawling. The other had put out his foot, and tripped him neatly +and, Tom throwing out his hands to save himself in the fall that was +inevitable, went splashing into the brook at full length. The unknown, +pausing a moment to view what he had done, turned quickly and raced off +in the darkness. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +CROSSED WIRES + + +More surprised than hurt, and with a feeling of chagrin and anger at +the trick which had been played on him, Tom managed to scramble out of +the brook. The water was not deep, but he had splashed in with such +force that he was wet all over. And, as he got up, the water dripping +from his clothes, the lad was conscious of a pain in his head. He put +up his hand, and found that contact with a stone had raised a large +lump on his forehead. It was as big as a hen's egg. + +"Humph! I'll be a pretty sight to-morrow," murmured Tom. "I wonder who +that fellow was, anyhow, and what he wanted? He tripped me neatly +enough, whoever he was. I've a good notion to keep on after him." + +Then, as he realized what a start the fleeing one had, the young +inventor knew that it would be fruitless to renew the chase. Slowly he +ascended the sloping bank, and started for home. As he did so he +realized that he had, clasped in his fingers, something he had grabbed +from the person he was pursuing just before his unlucky tumble. + +"It's part of his watch chain!" exclaimed Tom, as he felt of the +article. "I must have ripped it loose when I fell. Wonder what it is? +Evidently some sort of a charm. Maybe it will be a clue." He tried to +discern of what style it was, but in the dark woods this was +impossible. Then the lad tried to strike a match, but those in his +pocket had become wet from his unexpected bath. "I'll have to wait +until I get home," he went on, and he hastened his steps, for he was +anxious to see what he had torn loose from the person who appeared to +be spying on him. + +"Why Tom, what's the matter?" exclaimed Mrs. Baggert, when he entered +the kitchen, dripping water at every step. "Is it raining outside? I +didn't hear any storm." + +"It was raining where I was," replied Tom angrily. "I fell in the +brook. It was so hot I thought I'd cool off." + +"With your best suit on!" ejaculated the housekeeper. + +"It isn't my best," retorted the lad. "But I went in before I thought. +It was an accident; I fell," he added, lest Mrs. Baggert take his +joking remarks seriously. He did not want to tell her of the chase. + +The chief concern of the lad now was to look at the charm and, as soon +as Mrs. Baggert's attention was attracted elsewhere, Tom glanced at the +object he still held tightly clenched in his hand. As the light from +the kitchen fell upon it he could hardly repress an exclamation of +astonishment. + +For the charm that he held in his hand was one he had seen before +dangling from the watch chain of Addison Berg, the agent for Bentley & +Eagert, submarine boat builders, which firm had, as told in "Tom Swift +and His Submarine," tried unsuccessfully to secure the gold treasure +from the sunken wreck. Berg and his associates had even gone so far as +to try to disable the Advance, the boat of Tom and his father, by +ramming her when deep down under the ocean, but Mr. Swift's use of an +electric cannon had broken the steering gear of the Wonder, the rival +craft, and from that time on Tom and his friends had a clear field to +search for the bullion held fast in the hold of the Boldero. "Addison +Berg," murmured Tom, as he looked at the watch charm. "What can he be +doing in this neighborhood? Hiding, too, as if he wanted to overhear +something. That's the way he did when we were building our submarine, +and now he's up to the same trick when I'm constructing my electric +car. I'm sure this charm is his. It is such a peculiar design that I'm +positive I can't be mistaken. I thought, when I was chasing after him, +that it would turn out to be Andy Foger, or some of the boys, but it +was too big for them. Addison Berg, eh? What can he be doing around +here? I must not tell Dad, or he'd worry himself sick. But I must be on +my guard." + +Tom examined the charm closely. It was a compass, but made in an odd +form, and was much ornamented. + +The young inventor had noticed it on several occasions when he had been +in conversation with Mr. Berg previous to the attempt on the part of +the owners of the rival submarine to wreck Tom's boat. He felt that he +could not be mistaken in identifying the charm. + +"Berg was afraid I'd catch him, and ask for an explanation that would +have been awkward to make," thought the lad, as he turned the charm +over in his hand. "That's why he tripped me up. But I'll get at the +bottom of this yet. Maybe he wants to steal my ideas for an electric +car." + +Tom's musings were suddenly interrupted by Mrs. Baggert. + +"I hope you're not going to stand there all night," she said, with a +laugh. "You're in the middle of a puddle now, but when you get over +dreaming I'd like to mop it up." + +"All right," agreed the young inventor, coming to himself suddenly. +"Guess I'd better go get some dry clothes on." + +"You'd better go to bed," advised Mrs. Baggert. "That's where your +father and Mr. Sharp are. It's late." + +The more Tom thought over the strange occurrence the more it puzzled +him. He mused over the presence of Berg as he went about his work the +next day, for that it was the agent whom he had pursued he felt +positive. + +"But I can't figure out why he was hanging around here," mused Tom. + +Then, as he found that his thoughts over the matter were interfering +with his work, he resolutely put them from him, and threw himself +energetically into the labor of completing his electric car. The new +batteries, he found, were working well, and in the next two days he had +constructed several more, joining them so as to get the combined effect. + +It was the afternoon of the third day from Tom's unexpected fall into +the brook that the young inventor decided on the first important test +of his new device. He was going to try the motor, running it with his +storage battery. Some of the connections were already in place, the +wires being fastened to the side of the shop, where they were attached +to switches. Tom did not go over these, taking it for granted that they +were all right. He soon had the motor, which he was to install in his +car, wired to the battery, and then he attached a gauge, to ascertain, +by comparison, how many miles he could hope to travel on one charging +of the storage battery. + +"Guess I'll call Dad and Mr. Sharp in to see how it works, before I +turn on the current," he said to himself. He was about to summon his +parent and the aeronaut from an adjoining shop, where they were working +over a new form of dynamo, when the lad caught sight of the watch charm +he had left on his desk, in plain sight. + +"Better put that away," he remarked. "Dad or Mr. Sharp might see it, +and ask questions. Then I'd have to explain, and I don't want to, not +until I get further toward the bottom of this thing." + +He put the charm away, and then summoned his father and the balloonist. + +"You're going to see a fine experiment," declared Tom. "I'm going to +turn on the full strength of my battery." + +"Are you sure it's all right, Tom?" asked his father. "You can't be too +careful when you're dealing with electricity of high voltage, and great +ampere strength. + +"Oh, it's all right, Dad," his son assured him "Now watch my motor hum." + +He walked over to a big copper switch, and grasped the black rubber +handle to pull it over which would send the current from the storage +battery into the combination of wheels and gears that he hoped, +ultimately, would propel his electric automobile along the highways, or +on a track, at the rate of a hundred miles an hour. + +"Here she goes!" cried Tom. For an instant he hesitated and then pulled +the switch. At the same time his hand rested on another wire, stretched +across a bench. + +No sooner had the switch closed than there was a blinding flash, a +report as of a gun being fired, and Tom's body seemed to straighten +out. Then a blue flame appeared to encircle him and he dropped to the +floor of the shop, an inert mass. + +"He's killed!" cried Mr. Swift, springing forward. + +"Careful!" cautioned the balloonist. "He's been shocked! Don't touch +him until I turn off the current!" As he pulled out the switch, the +aeronaut gave a glance at the apparatus. + +"There's something wrong here!" he cried. "The wires have been crossed! +That's what shocked Tom, but he never made the wrong connections! He's +too good an electrician! There's been some one in this shop, changing +the wires!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE TRY OUT + + +Once the current was cut off it was safe to approach the body of the +young inventor. Mr. Sharp stooped over and lifted Tom's form from the +floor, for Mr. Swift was too excited and trembled too much to be of any +service. Our hero was as one dead. His body was limp, after that first +rigid stretching out, as the current ran through him; his eyes were +closed, and his face was very pale. + +"Is--is there any hope?" faltered Mr. Swift. + +"I think so," replied the balloonist. "He is still breathing--faintly. +We must summon a doctor at once. Will you telephone for one, while I +carry him in the house?" + +As Mr. Sharp emerged from the shop, bearing Tom's body, an automobile +drew up in front of the place. + +"Bless my soul!" exclaimed a voice. "Tom's hurt! How did it happen? +Bless my very existence!" + +"Oh, Mr. Damon, you're just in time!" exclaimed Mr. Sharp, "Tom's had a +bad shock. Will you go for a doctor in your auto?" + +"Better than that! Let me take Tom in the car to Dr. Whiteside's +office," proposed the eccentric man. "It will be better that way." + +"Yes, yes," agreed Mr. Swift eagerly. "Put Tom in the auto!" + +"If only it doesn't break down," added Mr. Damon fervently. "Bless my +spark plug, but it would be just my luck!" + +But they started off all right, Mr. Swift riding in front with Mr. +Damon, and Mr. Sharp supporting Tom in the tonneau. Only a little +fluttering of the eyelids, and a slow, faint breathing told that Tom +Swift still lived. + +Mr. Damon never guided a car better than he did his auto that day. +Several speed laws were broken, but no one appeared to stop them, and, +in record time they had the young inventor at the physician's house. +Fortunately Dr. Whiteside was at home, and, under his skillful +treatment Tom was soon out of danger. His heart action was properly +started, and then it was only a question of time. As the doctor had +plenty of room it was decided to let the lad remain that night, and Tom +was soon installed in a spare bedroom, with the doctor's pretty +daughter to wait on him occasionally. + +"Oh, I'm all right," the youth insisted, when Miss Whiteside told him +it was time for his medicine. "I'm all right." + +"You're not!" she declared. "I ought to know, for I'm going to be a +nurse, some day, and help papa. Now take this or I'll have to hold your +nose, as they do the baby's," and she held out a spoonful of unpleasant +looking mixture, extending her dainty forefinger and thumb of her other +hand, as if to administer dire punishment to Tom, if he did not obey. + +"Well, I give in to superior strength," he said with a laugh, as he +noted, with approval, the laughing face of his nurse. + +Then he fell into a deep sleep, and was so much better the next morning +that he could be taken home in Mr. Damon's auto. + +"But mind, no hard work for three or four days," insisted the +physician. "I want your heart to get in shape for that big race you +were telling me about. The shock was a severe strain to it." + +Tom promised, reluctantly, and, though he did no work, his first act, +on reaching home, was to go out to the shop, to inspect the battery and +motor. To his surprise the motor was running for the lad had +established the connection, in spite of his shock and his father and +Mr. Sharp had decided to let the machinery run until he came back. + +"And look at the record it's made!" cried Tom delightedly as he glanced +at the gauge. "Better than I figured on. That battery is a wonder. I'll +have the fastest electric runabout you ever saw." + +"If the wires don't get crossed again," put in Mr. Sharp. "You'd +better make an examination, Tom," and, for the first time, the young +inventor learned how he had been shocked. + +"Crossed wires! I should say they were crossed!" he exclaimed as he +looked at the switches and copper conductors. "Somebody has been +tampering with them. No wonder I was shocked!" + +"Who did it?" asked Mr. Sharp. + +Tom considered for a moment, before answering. Then he said: + +"I believe it was Addison Berg. He must have wanted to do some damage, +to get even with us for getting that treasure away from him." + +"Berg?" questioned the balloonist, and Tom told of the night he had +been tripped into the brook, and exhibited the watch charm he had +secured. Mr. Sharp recognized it at once. A further examination +confirmed the belief that the submarine agent had sneaked into Tom's +workshop, and had altered the wires. + +"They were all right when I came out of the shop that night," declared +Tom. "I left the old connections just as I thought I had arranged them, +and only added the new ones, when I went to try my battery. The old +connections were crossed, but I didn't notice it. Then when I turned on +the current I got the shock. I don't s'pose Berg thought I'd be so +nearly killed. Probably he wanted to burn out my motor, and spoil it. +If it was Andy Foger I could understand it, but a man like Berg--" + +"He's probably wild with anger because his submarine got the worst of +it in the race for the gold," interrupted the balloonist. "Well, we'll +have to be on our guard, that's all. What was the matter with +Eradicate, that he didn't see him enter the shop?" + +"Rad went to a colored dance that night," said Tom. "I let him off. But +after this I'll have the shop guarded night and day. My motor might +have been ruined, if that first charge hadn't gone through my body +instead of into the machinery." The improper connections were soon +removed and others substituted. + +It was agreed between Tom and Mr. Sharp that they would say nothing +regarding Mr. Berg to Mr. Swift. The aeronaut caused cautious inquiries +to be made, and learned that the agent had been discharged by the +submarine firm, because of some wrong-doing in connection with the +craft Wonder, and it was surmised that the agent believed Tom to be at +the bottom of his troubles. + +In a few days the young inventor was himself again, and as further +trials of his battery showed it to be even better than its owner hoped, +arrangements were made for testing it in the car on the road. + +The runabout was nearly finished, but it lacked a coat of varnish, and +some minor details, when Tom, assisted by his father, Mr. Sharp and Mr. +Jackson, one morning, about a week later, installed the motor and +battery units. It did not take long to gear up the machinery, connect +the battery and, though the car was rather a crude looking affair, Tom +decided to give it a tryout. + +"Want to come along, Dad?" he asked, as he tightened up some binding +posts, and looked to see that the steering wheel, starting and reverse +levers worked properly, and that the side chains were well lubricated. + +"Not the first time," replied his father. "Let's see how it runs with +you, first." + +"Oh, I want some sort of a load in it," went on the lad. "It won't be a +good test unless I have a couple of others besides myself. How about +you, Mr. Damon?" for the old gentleman was spending a few days at the +Swift homestead. + +"Bless my shoe buttons! I'll come!" was the ready answer. "After the +experience I've been through in the airship and submarine, nothing can +scare me. Lead on, I'll follow!" + +"I don't suppose you'll hang back after that; will you, Mr. Sharp?" +asked the lad, with a laugh. + +"I don't dare to, for the sake of my reputation," was the reply, for +the balloonist who had made many ascensions, and dropped thousands of +feet in parachutes, was naturally a brave man. + +So he and Mr. Damon climbed into the rear seats of the odd-looking +electric car, while Tom took his place at the steering wheel. + +"Are you all ready?" he asked. + +"Let her go!" fired back Mr. Sharp. + +"Bless my galvanometer, don't go too fast on the start," cautioned Mr. +Damon, nervously. + +"I'll not," agreed the young inventor. "I want to get it warmed up +before I try any speeding." + +He turned on the current. There was a low, humming purr, which +gradually increased to a whine, and the car moved slowly forward. It +rolled along the gravel driveway to the road, Tom listening to every +sound of the machinery, as a mother listens to the breathing of a child. + +"She's moving!" he cried. + +"But not much faster than a wheelbarrow," said his father, who +sometimes teased his son. + +"Wait!" cried the youth. + +Tom turned more current into the motor. The purring and humming +increased, and the car seemed to leap forward. It was in the road now, +and, once assured that the steering apparatus was working well, Tom +suddenly turned on much more speed. + +So quickly did the electric auto shoot forward that Mr. Damon and Mr. +Sharp were jerked back against the cushions of the rear seats. + +"Here! What are you doing?" inquired Mr. Sharp. + +"I'm going to show you a little speed," answered Tom. + +The car was now moving rapidly, and there was a smoothness and +lightness to its progress that was absent from a gasolene auto. There +was no vibration from the motor. Faster and faster it ran, until it was +moving at a speed scarcely less than that of Mr. Damon's car, when it +was doing its best. Of course that was not saying much, for the car +owned by the odd gentleman was not a very powerful one, but it could +make fast time occasionally. + +"Is this the best you can do?" asked Mr. Damon. "Not that it isn't +fast," he hastened to add, "and I was wondering if it was your limit." + +"Not half!" cried Tom, as he turned on a little more power. "I'm not +trying for a record to-day. I just want to see how the battery and +motor behaves." + +"Pretty well, I should say," commented Mr. Sharp. + +"I'm satisfied--so far," agreed the lad. + +They were now moving along the highway at a good speed--moving almost +silently, too, for the motor, save for a low hum, made no noise. So +quiet was the car, in fact, that it was nearly the cause of a disaster. +Tom was so interested in the performance of his latest invention, that, +before he knew it, he had come up behind a farmer, driving a team of +skittish horses. As the big machine went past them, giving no warning +of its approach, the steeds reared up, and would have bolted, but for +the prompt action of the driver. + +"Hey!" he cried, angrily, as Tom speeded past, "don't you know you got +to give warnin' when you're comin' with one of them ther gol-swizzled +things! By Jehossephat I'll have th' law on ye ef ye do thet ag'in!" + +"I forgot to ring the bell," apologized Tom, as he sent out a peal from +the gong, and then, he let out a few more amperes, and the speed +increased. + +"Hold on! I guess this is fast enough!" cried Mr. Damon, as his hat +blew off. + +"Fast?" answered Tom. "This is nothing to what I'll do when I use the +full power. Then I'll--" + +He was interrupted by a sharp report, and a vivid flash of fire on a +switch board near the steering wheel. The motor gave a sort of groan, +and stopped, the car rolling on a little way, and then becoming +stationary. + +"Bless my collar button!" ejaculated Mr. Damon. + +"What's the matter?" inquired Mr. Sharp. + +"Some sort of a blow-out," answered Tom ruefully, as he shoved the +starting handle over, trying to move the car. But it would not budge. +The new auto had "gone dead" on her first tryout. The young inventor +was grievously disappointed. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +TOWED BY A MULE + + +"Bless my gizzard! Is it anything serious?" asked Mr. Damon. "Will it +blow up, or anything like that?" + +"No," replied the lad, as he leaped out of the car, and began to make +an examination. Mr. Sharp assisted him. + +"The motor seems to be all right," remarked the balloonist, as he +inspected it. + +"Yes," agreed our hero, "and the batteries have plenty of power left in +them yet. The gauge shows that. I can't understand what the trouble can +be, unless--" He paused in his remark and uttered an exclamation. "I've +found it!" he cried. + +"What?" demanded the aeronaut. + +"Some of the fuses blew out. I turned on too much current, and the +fuses wouldn't carry it. I put them in to save the motor from being +burned out, but I didn't use heavy enough ones. I see where my mistake +was." + +"But what does it mean?" inquired Mr. Damon. + +"It means that we've got to walk back home," was Tom's sorrowful +answer. "The car is stalled, for I haven't any extra fuses with me." + +"Can't you connect up the battery by using some extra wire?" asked Mr. +Sharp. "I have some," and he drew a coil of it from his pocket. + +"I wouldn't dare to. It might be so heavy that it would carry more +current than the motor could stand. I don't want to burn that out. No, +I guess we'll have to walk home, or rather I will. You two can stay +here until I come back with heavier fuses. I'm sorry." + +Tom had hardly ceased speaking, when, from around the turn in the road +proceeded a voice, and, at the sound of it all three started, for the +voice was saying: + +"Now it ain't no use fer yo' to act dat-a-way, Boomerang. Yo' all ain't +got no call t' git contrary now, jest when I wants t' git home t' mah +dinner. I should t'ink you'd want t' git t' de stable, too. But ef yo' +all ain't mighty keerful I'll cut down yo' rations, dat's what I'se +goin' to do. G'lang, now, dat's a good feller. Ho! Ho! I knowed dat'd +fetch yo' all. When yo' all wiggles yo' ears dat-a-way, dat's a suah +sign yo' all is gwine t' move." + +Then followed the sound of a rattletrap of a wagon approaching. + +"Eradicate! It's Eradicate!" exclaimed Tom. + +"And his mule, Boomerang!" added Mr. Sharp. "He's just in time!" +commented Mr. Damon with a sigh of relief, as the ancient outfit, in +charge of the aged colored man, came along. Eradicate had been sent to +Shopton to get a load of wood for Mr. Swift, and was now returning. At +the sight of the stalled auto the mule pricked up his long ears, and +threw them forward. + +"Whoa dar, now, Boomerang!" cried Eradicate. "Doan't yo' all commence +t' gittin' skittish. Dat machine ain't gwine t' hurt yo'. Why good +land a' massy! Ef 'tain't Mistah Swift!" cried the colored man, as he +caught sight of Tom. "What's de trouble?" he asked. + +"Broke down," answered the young inventor briefly. "You always seem to +come along when I'm in trouble, Rad." + +"Dat's right," assented the darkey, with a grin. "Me an' trouble am ole +acquaintances. Sometimes she hits me a clip on de haid, den, ag'in +Boomerang, mah mule, gits it. He jest had his trouble. Got a stone +under his shoe, an' didn't want t' move. Den when I did git him started +he balked on me. But I'se all right now. But I suah am sorry fo' you. +Can't I help yo' all, Mistah Swift?" + +"Yes, you can, Rad," answered Tom. "Drive home as fast as you can, and +ask Dad to send back with you some of those fuses he'll find on my work +bench. He knows what I want. Hurry there and hurry back." + +Eradicate shook his head doubtfully. + +"What's the matter? Don't you want to go?" asked Mr. Sharp, a trifle +nettled. "We can't get the car started until we have some new fuses." + +"Oh, I wants t' go all right 'nuff, Mistah Sharp," was Eradicate's +prompt answer. "Yo' all knows I'd do anyt'ing t' 'blige yo' or Mistah +Swift. But hits dish yeah mule, Boomerang. I jest done promised him dat +we were gwine home t' dinnah, an' he 'spects a manger full ob oats. Ef +I got to Mistah Swift's house wid him, I couldn't no mo' git him t' +come back widout his dinnah, dan yo' all kin git dat 'ar car t' move +widout dem fusin' t'ings yo' all talked about." + +"Bless my necktie!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "That's all nonsense! You +don't suppose that mule understands what you say to him, do you? How +does he know you promised him his dinner?" + +"I doan't know how he know, Mistah Damon," replied Eradicate, "but he +do know, jest de same. I know hit would be laik pullin' teeth an' wuss +too, t' git Boomerang t' start back wid dem foosd t'ings until after +he's had his dinner. Wouldn't it, Boomerang?" + +The mule waved his long ears as if in answer. + +"Bless my soul, I believe he does understand!" cried Mr. Damon. + +"Of course he do," put in the colored man. "I'se awful sorry. Now if +it were afternoon I could bring back dem what-d'ye-call-'ems in a +jiffy, 'cause Boomerang allers feels good arter he has his dinnah, but +befo' dat--" and Eradicate shook his head, as if there was no more to +be said on the subject. + +"Well," remarked Tom, sadly, "I guess there's no help for it. We'll +have to walk home, unless you two want to wait until I can ride back +with Eradicate, and come back on my motor cycle. Then I'll have to +leave the cycle here, for I can't get it in the car." + +"Bless my collar button!" cried Mr. Damon. "It's like the puzzle of the +fox, the goose and the bag of corn on the banks of a stream. I guess +we'd better all walk." + +"Hold on!" exclaimed Mr. Sharp. "Is your mule good and strong, +Eradicate?" + +"Strong? Why dish yeah mule could pull a house ober--dat is when he's +got a mind to. An' he'd do most anyt'ing now, 'ca'se he's anxious t' +git home t' his dinnah; ain't yo' all, Boomerang?" + +Once more the mule waved his ears, like signal flags. + +"Then I have a proposition to make," went on the balloonist. "Unhitch +the mule from the load of wood, and hitch him to the auto. We've got +some rope along, I noticed. Then the mule can pull us and the runabout +home." + +"Good idea!" cried Mr. Damon. + +"Dat's de racket!" ejaculated Eradicate. "I'll jest sequesterate dish +year load ob wood side ob de road, an' hitch Boomerang to de auto." + +Tom said nothing for a few seconds. He gazed sadly at his auto, which +he hoped would win the touring club's prize. It was a bitter pill for +him to swallow. + +"Towed by a mule!" he exclaimed, shaking his head, and smiling +ruefully. "The fastest car in this country towed by a mule! It's tough +luck!" + +"'Tain't half so bad as goin' widout yo' dinnah, Mistah Swift!" +remarked Eradicate, as he began to harness the mule to the electric +runabout. + +Boomerang made no objection to the transfer. He looked around once or +twice as he was being made fast to the auto and, when the word was +given he stepped out as if pulling home stalled cars was his regular +business. Tom sat beside Eradicate on the front seat, and steered, +while the colored man drove the mule, and Mr. Sharp and Mr. Damon were +in the "tonneau" seats as Tom called them. + +"I hope no one sees us," thought Tom, but he was doomed to +disappointment. When nearly home he heard an auto approaching, and in +it were Andy Foger, Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey. The three cronies +stared at the odd sight of Boomerang ambling along, with his great ears +flapping, drawing Tom's speedy new car. + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed Andy. "So that's the motive power he's going to use! +Look at him, fellows. I thought his new electric, that was going to +beat my car, and win the prize, was to be two hundred horse power. +Instead it's one mule power! That's rich!" and Andy's chums joined in +the laugh at poor Tom. + +The young inventor said nothing, for there was nothing he could say. In +dignified silence he passed the car containing his enemies, they, +meanwhile, jeering at him. + +"Dat's all right," spoke Eradicate, sympathizing with his young +employer. "Maybe dey'll 'want a tow derselves some day, an' when dey +does, I'll make Boomerang pull 'em in a ditch." + +But this was small comfort to Tom. He made up his mind, though, that he +would demonstrate that his car could do all that he had claimed for it, +and that very soon. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A GREAT RUN + + +Boomerang did not belie the reputation Eradicate had given him as a +beast of strength. Though the electric runabout was heavy, the mule +managed to move it along the road at a fair speed, with the four +occupants. Perhaps the animal knew that at the end of his journey a +good feed awaited him. At any rate they were soon within sight of the +Swift home. + +Mr. Damon and Mr. Sharp refrained from making any comments that might +hurt Tom's feelings, for they realized the chagrin felt by the young +inventor in having his apparatus go back on him at the first trial. But +our hero was not the kind of a lad who is disheartened by one failure, +or even half a dozen. + +The humor of the situation appealed to him, and, as he turned the auto +into the driveway, and noticed Boomerang's long ears waving to and fro, +he laughed. + +The lad insisted on putting new fuses in the car before he ate his +dinner, and then, satisfied that the motor was once more in running +order, he partook of a hasty meal, and began making several changes +which he had decided were desirable. He finished them in time to go for +a little run in the car all alone on a secluded road late that +afternoon. + +Tom returned, with eyes shining, and cheeks flushed with elation. + +"Well, how did it go? asked his father. + +"Fine! Better than I expected," responded his son enthusiastically. +"When it gets to running smoothly I'll pass anything on the road." + +"Don't be too sure," cautioned Mr. Swift, but Tom only smiled. + +There was still much to do on the electric runabout, and Tom spent the +next few days in adjusting the light steel wind-shield, that was to +come down over the driver's seat. He also put in a powerful electric +search-light, which was run by current from the battery, and installed +a new speedometer and an instrument to tell how much current he was +using, and how much longer the battery would run without being +exhausted. This was to enable him to know when to begin recharging it. +When the current was all consumed it was necessary to store more in the +battery. This could be done by attaching wires from a dynamo, or, in an +emergency by tapping an electric light wire in the street. But as the +battery would enable the car to run many miles on one charging, Tom did +not think he would ever have to resort to the emergency charging +apparatus. He had a new system for this, one that enabled him to do the +work in much less than the usual time. + +With his new car still unpainted, and rather rough and crude in +appearance, the lad started out alone one morning, his father and Mr. +Sharp having declined to accompany him, on the plea of business to +attend to, and Mr. Damon not being at the Swift house. + +Tom rode about for several hours, giving his car several severe tests +in the way of going up hills, and speeding on the level. He was +proceeding along a quiet country road, in a small town about fifteen +miles from Shopton, when, as he flashed past the small railroad +station, he saw a familiar figure standing on the platform. + +"Why, Ned!" called Tom, "what are you doing over here?" + +"I might ask the same thing of you. Is that your new car? It doesn't +look very new." + +"Yes, this is it. I haven't had a chance to paint and varnish it yet. +But you ought to see it go. What are doing here, though?" + +"I came over on some bank business. A customer here had some bonds he +wanted to dispose of and I came for them. You see we're enlarging our +business since the new bank started." + +"Has it hurt your bank any?" + +"Not yet, but Foger and his associates are trying hard to make us lose +money. Say, did you ever see such a place as this? I've got to wait two +hours for a train back to Shopton." + +"No you haven't." + +"Why not? Have they changed the timetable since I came over this +morning?" + +"No, but you can ride back with me. I'm going, and I'll show you what +my new electric car can do." + +"Good!" cried the young bank cashier. "You're just in time. I was +wondering how I could kill two hours, but now I'll get in your new car +and--" + +"And maybe we'll kill a few chickens, or a dog or two when we get her +speeded up," put in Tom, with a laugh in which Ned joined. + +The two lads, seated in the front part of the auto, were soon moving +down the hard highway. Suddenly Tom pulled a lever and the steel +wind-shield came sliding down from the top case, meeting the forward +battery compartment, and forming a sort of slanting roof over the heads +of the two occupants. + +"Here! What's this?" cried Ned. + +"We're going to hit it up in a few minutes," replied the young +inventor, "and I want to reduce the wind resistance." + +"Oh, I thought maybe we were going through a bombardment. It's all +right, go ahead, don't mind me. I'm game." + +There was a celluloid window in the steel wind-shield, and through this +the lads could observe the road ahead of them. + +As they swung along it, the speed increasing, Ned saw an auto ahead of +them. + +"Whose car is that?" he asked. + +"Don't know," replied Tom. "We'll be up to it in about half a minute, +though." + +As the electric runabout, more dilapidated looking than ever from the +layer of dust that covered it, passed the other auto, which was a +powerful car, the solitary occupant of it, a middle-aged man, looked to +one side, and, seeing the queer machine, remarked: + +"You fellows are going the wrong way to the junk heap. Turn around." + +"Is that so?" asked Tom, his eyes flashing at the cheap wit of the man. +"Why we came out here to show you the way!" + +"Do you want to race?" asked the man eagerly, too eagerly, Ned thought. +"I'll give you a brush, if you do, and a handicap into the bargain." + +"We don't need it," replied the young inventor quickly. + +"I'll wager fifty dollars I can beat you bad on this three-mile +stretch," went on the autoist. "How about it?" + +"I'll race you, but I don't bet," answered Tom, a bit stiffly. + +"Oh, be a sport," urged the man. + +Tom shook his head. He had slowed down his machine, and was running +even with the gasolene car now. He noticed that it was a new one, of +six cylinders, and looked speedy. Perhaps he was foolish to pit his +untried car against it. Yet he had confidence in his battery and motor. + +"Well, we'll race for the fun of it then," went on the man. "Do you +want a handicap?" + +Tom shook his head again, and there came around his mouth a grim look. + +"All right," assented the other. "Only you're going to be beat badly. I +never saw an electric car yet that could do anything except to crawl +along." + +"You're going to see one now," was all the retort Tom permitted himself. + +"Here we go then!" cried the man, and he gave his gear handle a yank, +and shoved over the sparking and gasolene levers. + +His car instantly shot ahead, and went "chug chugging" down the road in +a cloud of dust. At the same moment Tom, in answer to a look from Ned, +who feared his friend was going to be left behind, turned more power +into the motor. The humming, purring sound increased and the electric +car forged ahead. + +"Can you catch him?" asked Ned. + +"Watch," was all Tom said. + +The hum of the motor became a sort of whine, and the electric rapidly +acquired speed. It crept up on the gasolene car, as an express train +overtakes a freight, and the man, looking back, and expecting to see +his rival far behind was surprised to note the queer looking vehicle +lapping his rear wheels. + +"Well, you are coming on, aren't you?" he asked. "Maybe you'll keep up +now!" He shifted the gears, using a little more gasolene. For a moment +his car opened a wide gap between it and Tom's, but the young inventor +had only begun to race. Still louder purred the motor, and in a few +minutes Tom was running on even terms with his competitor. The man +looked annoyed, and tried, by the skilful use of gasolene and sparking +levers, to leave Tom behind. But the electric held her own. + +"I've got to go the limit I see," remarked the man at last, glancing +sideways at the other car. "I'll tell 'em you're coming," he added, +"though I must say your electric does better than any of its kind I +ever came across." + +"I'm not done yet," was the comment of our hero. But the man did not +hear him, for he was yanking into place the lever that enabled him to +run on direct drive for fourth speed. + +Forward shot his car, and, for perhaps a quarter of a mile it led. The +racers were almost at the end of the three-mile level stretch of road, +and if Tom was going to win the impromptu contest it seemed high time +he began. + +"Can you catch him?" asked Ned anxiously. + +"Watch," was his chum's reply. "I haven't used my high speed gear yet. +I'm afraid the fuses won't stand it, but here goes for a try, anyhow." + +He threw over a switch, changed a lever and then, having pushed into +place the last gear, he grasped the steering wheel more firmly. + +There was need of it, for, in an instant, the electric runabout, with +the motors fairly roaring, swept up the road, after the gasolene car +that was almost hidden from sight in a cloud of dust. Faster and faster +went Tom's car. The young inventor was listening with critical ear to +the song of the machinery. He wanted to learn if it was running sweet +and true, for that is how a careful mechanic tests his apparatus. Foot +by foot the distance between the two cars lessened. Now the electric +was lapping the rear wheels of the gasolene machine, but the driver did +not know it. His whole attention was on the road ahead of him. + +"Half a mile more!" cried Ned, naming the distance which yet remained +of the straight stretch. "Can you do it, Tom?" + +His chum nodded. He shoved the controller handle over to the last +notch, and then waited an anxious second. Would the fuse carry the +extra load? It seemed so, for there was a slight increase of power. + +An instant later Tom gave a sudden twist to the steering wheel. It was +well that he did, for he was passing the gasolene car dangerously +close. Then he was ahead of it, and in a second he was three lengths in +advance. + +Desperately the man opened his muffler, and sought to gain by this +advantage, but though his car gave off explosions like a battery of +guns in action, he could not gain on Tom. The electric shot around a +curve in the road, winner of the impromptu race by an eighth of a mile. + +"Well," asked Tom of his chum, as he slowed down, for the road now was +not so good, "did I do it?" + +"You certainly did. Whew! But we did scoot along?" + +"Eighty miles an hour there one spell," went on the young inventor, +glancing at a gauge. "But I've got to do better than that to win the +big race." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ANDY FOGER'S BLACK EYE + + +Around the bend came the six-cylinder touring car. The driver, with a +surprised look on his face, was slacking up. He ran his machine up +alongside of Tom's. + +"Say," he asked, in dazed tones, "did you take a short cut, or anything +like that to get ahead of me?" + +"No," answered the youth. + +"And you didn't jump me in the air?" + +"No," was Tom's answer, smilingly given. + +"Well, all I've got to say is that you've got a wonderful car there, +Mr.--er--er--" He paused suggestively. + +"Swift is my name," our hero answered. "Thomas Swift, of Shopton." + +"Ah, I've heard of you. My name is Layton--Paul Layton. I'm from +Netherton. Let's see, you built an airship, didn't you?" + +"I helped," Tom admitted modestly. + +"Well, you beat me fair and square, and if I do say it myself I've got +a fairly speedy car. Took two firsts at the Indianapolis meet last +month. But you certainly scooted ahead of me. Where did you buy that +electric, if I may ask?" + +"I made it." + +"I might have known," admitted the man. "But are you going to put them +on the market? If you are I'd like to get one. I want the fastest car +going, and you seem to have it." + +"I hadn't thought of manufacturing them for sale," said the young +inventor. "If I do, I'll let you know." + +"I wish you would. My! I had no idea you could beat me, but you +did--fair and square." + +There was some more talk, and then Mr. Layton started on, after +exacting from Tom a further promise to let him know if any electrics +were to be made for sale. + +"You certainly have a wonderful car," complimented Ned, as he and his +chum took a short cut to Shopton. + +"Well, I'm not quite satisfied with it," declared Tom. + +"Why not?" + +"Well, I've set a hundred miles an hour as my limit. I didn't make but +eighty to-day. I've got to have more speed if I go up against the crowd +that will race for the touring club's prize." + +"Can you make a hundred miles?" + +"I think so. I've got to change my gears, though, and use heavier +fuses. I was afraid every second that one of the fuses would melt, and +leave me stranded. But they stood pretty well. Of course, when the car, +geared as it is now, has been run a little longer it will go faster, +but it won't come up to a hundred miles an hour. That's what I want, +and that's what I'm going to get," and the lad looked very determined. + +Ned was taken to the bank, and, as Tom turned his machine around, to go +home, he saw, standing on the steps of the new bank, which was almost +across the street from the old one, Andy Foger, and the bully's father. +The red-haired lad laughed at Tom's rough looking car, and said +something to his parent, but Mr. Foger did not notice Tom. Not that +this caused our hero any uneasiness, however. + +But, as he swung away from the bank, he saw, coming up the street a +figure that instantly attracted his attention. It was that of Mr. Berg, +and Tom at once recalled the night he had pursued the submarine agent, +and torn loose his watch charm. Mr. Berg was evidently going to enter +the new bank, for, at the sight of the former agent, Mr. Foger +descended the steps, and went to meet him. + +Tom, however, had decided upon a plan of action. He steered his machine +in toward the curb, ran up the steel wind-shield, and called: + +"Mr. Berg!" + +"Eh? What's that?" asked the agent, in some surprise. Then, as he +caught sight of Tom, and recognized him, he added: "I'm very busy now, +my young friend. You'll have to excuse me." + +"I won't detain you a moment," went on Tom, casually. "I have something +of yours that I wish to return to you." + +"Something of mine?" Mr. Berg was evidently puzzled. He approached the +electric car, in spite of the fact that Mr. Foger was calling him. +"Something of mine? What is it?" + +"This!" exclaimed Tom suddenly, extending the compass watch charm, +which he always carried with him of late. + +"That! Where did you get that. I lost it--" + +Mr. Berg paused in some confusion. + +"I grabbed it off your watch chain the night you were hiding in our +shrubbery, and tripped me into the brook," answered the lad, looking +the man squarely in the eye. + +"Hiding? Tripped you? Grabbed that off my chain--" stammered Mr. Berg. +He had taken the charm up in his fingers, but now he quickly dropped it +back into Tom's hand. "I guess you're mistaken," he added quickly. +"That's not mine. I never had one--I--er--that's not mine--at +least--Oh, you'll have to excuse me, young man, I'm in a hurry, and I +have an important engagement!" and with that Mr. Berg wheeled off, and +joined Mr. Foger, who stood on the sidewalk, waiting for him. + +"I thought sure it was yours," said Tom, easily. "Perhaps Mr. Foger +will keep it in one of the safety-deposit boxes of his bank, until the +owner claims it," and he looked at the banker. + +"What's that?" asked Andy's father. + +"This watch charm which I grabbed off Mr. Berg's chain the night he was +sneaking around our house, and crossed the electric wires," went on the +lad. + +"Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he is saying!" exclaimed the +former submarine boat agent. "It's not my charm. He's crazy!" + +"Oh, am I?" thought Tom, with a grim look on his face. "Well, we'll see +about that, Mr. Berg," and, putting the charm back in his pocket, Tom +swung his machine toward home, while the agent and the banker entered +the new institution. + +"So they're getting chummy," mused Tom. "Andy and Berg were friends +when Andy shut me up in the submarine tank, and now Berg comes here to +do business, and Foger and his associates are trying to put the old +bank out of business. I wonder if there's any connection there? I must +keep my eyes open. Berg is an unscrupulous man, and so is Andy's +father, to say nothing of the red-haired bully himself. He had nerve to +deny that was his charm. Well, maybe I'll catch him some day." + +Tom spent a busy week making new adjustments to his electric car, +changing the gear and providing for heavier fuses. He was planning for +another trip on the road, as the time for the great race was drawing +near, and he wanted the mechanism to be in perfect shape. + +One evening, as he was preparing for a short night trip to Mansburg, +where he had promised to call for Miss Nestor, Tom left his machine +standing in the road in front of the house, while he went back to get a +robe, as it threatened to be chilly. + +As he came back to enter the car, he saw some one standing near it. + +"Is that you, Ned?" he called. "Come, take a spin." + +Hardly had he spoken than there sounded from the machine a whirr that +told of the current being turned on. + +"Don't do that!" cried Tom, knowing at once that it could not be Ned, +who never meddled with the machinery. + +A blinding flash and a loud report followed, and Tom saw some one leap +from his car, and try to run away. But the figure stumbled, and, a +moment later the young inventor was upon him, grappling with him. + +"Here! Let me go!" cried a voice, and Tom uttered an exclamation of +surprise. + +"Andy Foger!" he cried. "I've caught you! You tried to damage my car!" + +"Yes, and I'm hurt, too!" whined Andy. "My father will sue you for +damages if I die." + +"No danger of that; you're too mean," murmured Tom, as he maintained a +tight grip on the bully. + +"You let me go!" demanded Andy, squirming to get away. + +"Wait until I see what damage you've done," retorted the young +inventor. "The worst, though, would be the blowing out of a fuse, for I +had the gear disconnected. You wait a minute now. Maybe it's you who'll +have to pay damages." + +"You let me go!" fairly screamed Andy, and he aimed a blow at Tom. It +caught our hero on the chest and Tom's fighting blood was up in an +instant. He drew back his left hand, and delivered a blow that landed +fairly on Andy's right eye. The bully staggered and went down in the +dust. + +"There!" cried Tom, righteously angry. "That will teach you not to try +to damage my car, and then hit me into the bargain! Now clear out, +before I give you some more!" + +Whining and blubbering Andy arose to his feet. + +"You just wait. I'll get square with you for this," he threatened. + +"You can accept part of that as pay for what you did in the tar and +feathering game," added Tom. Then, as Andy moved in front of one of the +electric side lamps on the car, Tom uttered a whistle of surprise. For +both of Andy's eyes were bruised and swollen, though Tom had only hit +him once. + +"Look at me!" cried the bully, more squint-eyed than ever. "Look at +me! You hit me in one eye, and that explosion hit me in the other! My +father will sue you for this." + +As he hurried off down the road Tom understood. Andy coming along, had +seen Tom's car standing there, and, thinking to do some mischief, had +climbed in, and turned on the power. Perhaps he hoped it would run into +the roadside ditch and be smashed. But as the gear was out, turning on +the electric current had a different effect. As the bully pulled the +handle over too quickly, throwing almost the entire force of the +battery into the wires at once, the load was too heavy for them. A +safety fuse blew out, causing the flare and the explosion, and a piece +of the soft lead-like metal had hit the red-haired lad in the eye. +Tom's fist had completed the work on the other optic, and for several +days thereafter Andy Foger remained in seclusion. When he did go out +there were many embarrassing questions put to him, as to when he had +had the fight. Andy didn't care to answer. As for Tom, it did not take +long to put a new fuse in his car, and he greatly enjoyed his ride with +Miss Nestor that night. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +TROUBLE AT THE BANK + + +Coming in rather late from his trip to Mansburg, and thinking of some +things he and Miss Nestor had talked about, Tom was rather surprised, +on reaching the house, to see a light in his father's particular room, +where the aged inventor did his reading and his planning of new devices. + +"Dad's up rather late," said Tom to himself. "I wonder if he's studying +over some new machine." + +The lad ran his auto into the temporary garage he had built for it, and +connected the wires of a burglar alarm he had arranged, to give warning +in case any of his enemies should seek to damage the car. + +Tom encountered Garret Jackson, the aged inventor who was going his +rounds, seeing that everything was all right about the various shops. + +"Anybody with my father, Garret?" asked the lad. "I see he's still up." + +"Yes," was the rather unexpected reply. "Mr. Damon is with him. +They've been in your father's room all the evening--ever since you went +away in the car." + +"Anything the matter?" inquired the young inventor, a bit anxious, as +he thought of the Happy Harry gang. + +"Well, I don't know," and the engineer seemed puzzled. "They called me +in once to know if everything was all right outside, and to inquire if +you were back. I saw, then, that they were busy figuring over +something, but I didn't take much notice. Only I heard Mr. Damon say: +'There's going to be trouble if we can't realize on those bonds,' and +then I came away." + +"Is that all he said?" asked Tom. + +"No, he said 'Bless my buttons,' or something like that; but he blesses +so many things I didn't pay much attention." + +"That's right," agreed the lad. "But I wonder what the trouble is +about? I must go see." + +As he passed along the hall, out of which his father's combined study +and library opened, the aged inventor came to the door. + +"Is that you, Tom?" he asked. + +"Yes, Dad." + +"Come in here, if you haven't anything else to do. Mr. Damon is here." + +Tom needed but a single glance at the faces of his father and Mr. Damon +to see that something was troubling the two. The table in front of them +was littered with papers covered with rows of figures. + +"What's the matter?" asked Tom. + +"Well, I suppose I ought not to let it bother me, but it does," replied +his father. + +"Something wrong with your patents, Dad? Has the crowd of bad men been +bothering you again?" + +"No, it isn't that. It's trouble at the bank, Tom." + +"Has it been robbed again?" asked the lad quickly. "If it has I can +prove an alibi," and he smiled at the recollection of the time he and +Mr. Damon had been accused of looting the vault, as told in "Tom Swift +and His Airship." + +"No, it hasn't been robbed in just that way," put in Mr. Damon. "But, +bless my shoe laces, it's almost as bad! You see, Tom, since Mr. Foger +started the new bank he's done his best to cripple the one in which +your father and I are interested. I may say we are very vitally +interested in it, for, since the withdrawal of Foger and his +associates, your father and I have been elected directors." + +"I didn't know that," remarked the lad. + +"No, I didn't tell you, because you were so busy on your electric car," +rejoined Mr. Swift. "But Mr. Damon and I, being both large depositors, +were asked to assume office, and, as I was not very busy on patent +affairs, I consented." + +"But what is the trouble?" inquired Tom. + +"I'm coming to it," resumed Mr. Damon. "Bless my check book, I'm coming +to it! You see we have lost several good customers, by reason of Foger +opening the new bank. That wouldn't have mattered so much, as between +your father and myself, and one or two others, we have enough capital +to carry on the business of the bank. But there is a more serious +matter. We hold a number of very good securities, but they are of a +class hard to realize cash for, on short notice. In other words they +are not active bonds, though they are issued by reliable concerns. +Then, too, the bank has lost considerable money by not doing as much +business as it formerly did. In short we don't know just what to do, +Tom, and your father and I were discussing it, when you came in." + +"Do you need more money?" asked Tom. "I have some, that is my share +from the submarine treasure, and some I have allowed to accumulate as +royalties from my patents. It's about ten thousand dollars, and you're +welcome to it." + +"Thank you, Tom," spoke his father. "We may use your cash, but we'll +need a great deal more than that." + +"But why?" asked the lad. "I don't understand. If you have good bonds, +can't you dispose of them, and get the money?" + +"We could, Tom, yes, if we had time," replied Mr. Damon. "But to throw +the bonds on the market at short notice would mean that we would not +get a good price for them. We would lose considerable." + +"But why do it in a hurry?" + +"Because there is need of hurry," responded Mr. Swift. + +"That's it," joined in Mr. Damon. "We have to have cash in a hurry, +Tom, to meet pressing demands, and we don't just see our way clear to +get it. I am trying to raise it on some private securities I own, but I +can't get an answer within several days. Meanwhile the bank may fail, +because of lack of funds. Of course no one would lose anything, +ultimately, as we could go into the hands of a receiver, and, +eventually pay dollar for dollar. Your father and I, and some of the +other directors, might lose a little, but the depositors would not. But +your father and I don't like the idea of failing. It's something I've +never done, and I'm too old to start in now, bless my cash ledger if +I'm not!" + +"And for the sake of my reputation in this community I don't want to +see the bank close its doors," added Mr. Swift. "It would give Foger +too good a chance to crow over us." + +"And you need cash in a hurry," went on Tom. "How much?" + +"Fifty thousand dollars at least," replied Mr. Damon. + +"And if you don't get it?" + +The eccentric man shrugged his shoulders. + +"Well," remarked Mr. Swift musingly, "I don't see that we need worry +you about it, Tom. Perhaps--" + +Mr. Swift was interrupted by a ring at the front door. The three looked +at each other. It was late for a caller, and Mrs. Baggert had gone to +bed. + +"I'll answer it," volunteered Tom. He switched on the electric light in +the hall, and opened the door. He was confronted by Mr. Pendergast, the +president of the bank. + +"Is your father in?" asked Mr. Pendergast, and he seemed to be much +agitated. + +"Yes, he is," replied the lad. "Come this way, please." + +"I want to see him on important business," went on the president, as he +followed the young inventor. "I'm afraid I have bad news for him and +Mr. Damon. Bad news, Tom, bad news," and the aged banker's voice +trembled. Tom, with a chill of apprehension seeming to clutch his +heart, threw open the library door. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +A RUN ON THE BANK + + +"Why, Mr. Pendergast!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, rising quickly as Tom +ushered in the aged president. "Whatever is the matter? You here at +this hour? Bless my trial balance! Is anything wrong? + +"I'm afraid there is," answered the bank head. "I have just received +word which made it necessary for me to see you both at once. I'm glad +you're here, Mr. Damon." + +He sank wearily into a chair which Tom placed for him, and Mr. Swift +asked: + +"Have you been able to raise any cash, Mr. Pendergast?" + +"No, I am sorry to say I have not, but I did not come here to tell you +that. I have bad news for you. As soon as we open our doors in the +morning, there will be a run on the bank." + +"A run on the bank?" repeated Mr. Swift. + +"The moment we begin business in the morning," went on Mr. Pendergast. + +"Bless my soul, then don't begin business!" cried Mr. Damon. + +"We must," insisted Mr. Pendergast. "To keep the doors closed would be +a confession at once that we have failed. No, it is better to open +them, and stand the run as long as we can. When we have exhausted our +cash--" he paused. + +"Well?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"Then we'll fail--that's all." + +"But we mustn't let the bank fail!" cried Mr. Swift. "I am willing to +put some of my personal fortune into the bank capital in order to save +it. So is my son here." + +"That's right," chimed in Tom heartily. "All I've got. I'm not going to +let Andy Foger get ahead of us; nor his father either." + +"I'll help to the limit of my ability," added Mr. Damon. + +"I appreciate all that," continued the president. "But the unfortunate +part of it is that we need cash. You gentlemen, like myself, probably, +have your money tied up in stocks and bonds. It is hard to get cash +quickly, and we must have cash as soon as we open in the morning, to +pay the depositors who will come flocking to the doors. We must prepare +for a run on the bank." + +"How do you know there will be a run?" asked the young inventor. + +"I received word this evening, just before I came here," replied Mr. +Pendergast. "A poor widow, who has a small amount in the bank, called +on me and said she had been advised to withdraw all her cash. She said +she preferred to see me about it first, as she did not like to lose her +interest. She said a number of her acquaintances, some of whom are +quite heavy depositors, had also been warned that the bank was unsound, +and that they ought to take out their savings and deposits at once." + +"Did she say who had thus warned her?" inquired Mr. Swift. + +"She did," was the reply, "and that shows me that there is a conspiracy +on foot to ruin our bank. She stated that Mr. Foger had told her our +institution was unsound." + +"Mr. Foger!" cried Mr. Damon. "So this is one of his tricks to bolster +up his new bank! He hopes the people who withdraw their money from our +bank will deposit with him. I see his game. He's a scoundrel, and if +it's possible I'm going to sue him for damages after this thing is +over." + +"Did he warn the others?" inquired the aged inventor. + +"Not all of them," answered the president. "Some received letters from +a man signing himself Addison Berg, warning them that our bank, was +likely to fail any day." + +"Addison Berg!" exclaimed Tom. "That must have been the important +business he had with Mr. Foger, the day I showed him the watch charm! +They were plotting the ruin of our bank then," and he told his father +about his disastrous pursuit of the submarine agent. + +"Very likely Foger is working with Berg," admitted Mr. Damon. "We will +attend to them later. The question is, what can we do to save the bank?" + +"Get cash, and plenty of it," advised Mr. Pendergast. "Suppose we go +over the whole situation again?" and they fell to talking stocks: +bonds, securities, mortgages and interest, until the youth, interested +as he was in the situation, could follow it no longer. + +"Better go to bed, Tom," advised his father. "You can't help us any, +and we have many details to go over." + +The lad reluctantly consented, and he was soon dreaming that he was in +his electric auto, trying to pull up a thousand pound lump of gold from +the bottom of the sea. He awoke to find the bedclothes in a lump on his +chest, and, removing them, fell into a deep slumber. + +When the young inventor awoke the next morning, Mrs. Baggert told him +that his father and Mr. Damon had risen nearly an hour before, had +partaken of a hearty breakfast, and departed. + +"They told me to tell you they were at the bank," said the housekeeper. + +"Did Mr. Pendergast stay all night?" inquired Tom. + +"I heard some one go away about two o'clock this morning," replied the +housekeeper. "I don't know who it was." + +"They must have had a long session," thought Tom, as he began on his +bacon, eggs and coffee. "I'll take a run down to the bank in my +electric in a little while." + +The car was still in rather crude shape, outwardly, but the mechanism +was now almost perfect. Tom charged the batteries well before starting +out. + +The youth had no sooner come in sight of the old Shopton bank, to +distinguish it from the Second National, which Mr. Foger had started, +than he was aware that something unusual had occurred. There was quite +a crowd about it, and more persons were constantly arriving to swell +the throng. + +"What's the matter?" asked Tom, of one of the few police officers of +which Shopton boasted, though the lad did not need to be told. + +"Run on the bank," was the brief answer. "It's failed." + +Tom felt a pang of disappointment. Somehow, he had hoped that his +father and his friends might have been able to stave off ruin. As he +approached nearer Tom was made aware that the crowd was in an ugly mood. + +"Why don't they open the doors and give us our money?" cried one +excited woman. "It's ours! I worked hard for mine, an' now they want to +keep it from us. I wish I'd put it in the new bank." + +"Yes, that's the best place," added another. "That Mr. Foger has lots +of money." + +"I can see the hand of Andy's father, and that of Mr. Berg, at work +here," thought Tom, "They have spread rumors of the bank's trouble, and +hope to profit by it. I wish I could find a way to beat them at their +own game." + +As the minutes passed, and the bank was not opened, the ugly temper of +the crowd increased. The few police could do nothing with the mob, and +several, bolder than the rest, advocated battering down the doors. Some +went up the steps and began to pound on the portals. Tom looked for a +sight of his father or Mr. Damon, but could not see either. + +It was not the regular hour for opening the bank, but when the police +reminded the people of this they only laughed. + +"I guess they ain't going to open anyhow!" shouted a man. "They've got +our money, and they're going to keep it. What difference is an hour, +anyway?" + +"Yes, if they have the money, why don't they open, and not wait until +ten o'clock?" cried another. "I've got a hundred and five dollars in +there, and I want it!" + +More excited persons were arriving every minute. The crowd surged this +way, and that. Many looked anxiously at the clock in the tower of the +town hall. The gilded hands pointed to a few minutes of ten. Would the +bank open its doors when the hour boomed out? Many were anxiously +asking this question. + +Tom sat in his electric car, near the front of the bank. The interest +of the crowd, which under ordinary circumstances would have been +centered in the queer vehicle, was not drawn toward it. The people +were all thinking of their money. + +Suddenly one of the two doors of the bank slowly opened. There was a +yell from the crowd, and a rush to get in. But the police managed to +hold the leaders back, and then Tom saw that it was Ned Newton, who +stood in the partly-opened portal. He held up his hand to indicate +silence, and a hush fell over the mob. + +"The bank is open for business," Ned announced, "but there must be no +rush. The building is not large enough to accommodate you all. If you +form a line, you will be admitted in turn. The bank hopes to pay you +all." + +"Hopes!" cried a woman scornfully. "We can't eat hopes, young man, nor +yet pay the rent with it. Hopes indeed!" + +But Ned had said all he cared to, and, with rather a white face, he +went back inside. The one door remained open and, with a policeman on +either side, a line of anxious depositors was slowly formed. Tom +watched them crowding and surging forward, all eager to be first to get +their cash out, lest there be not enough for all. As he watched, the +young inventor was aware that some was signaling to him from the big +window of the bank. He looked more closely and saw Ned Newton beckoning +to him, and the young cashier was motioning Tom to go around to the +rear, where a door of the bank opened on a small alley. Wondering what +was wanted, Tom slowly ran his machine down the side street, and up the +alley. No one paid any attention to him. + +A porter admitted the lad, and he made his way to the private offices, +where he knew his father and Mr. Damon would be. In the corridors he +could hear the murmur of the throng and the chink of money, as the +tellers paid it out. + +"Well, Tom, this is bad business," remarked Mr. Swift, as he saw his +son. The lad noticed that Mr. Damon was in the telephone booth. + +"Yes, Dad," admitted Tom. "It's a run, all right. What are you going to +do?" + +"The best we can. Pay out all the cash we have, and hope that before +that time, the people will come to their senses. The bank is all right +if they would only wait. But I'm afraid they won't and, after we pay +out all the cash we have, we'll have to close the doors. Then there's +sure to be an unpleasant scene, and maybe some of the more hot-headed +ones will advocate violence. We have given orders to the tellers to pay +out as slowly as possible, so as to enable us to gain some time." + +"And all you need is money; is that it, Dad?" + +"That's it, Tom, but we have exhausted every possibility. Mr. Damon is +trying a forlorn hope now, but, even if he is successful--" + +Before Mr. Swift had ceased speaking, Mr. Damon fairly burst from the +telephone booth. He was much excited. + +"I've got it! I've got it!" he cried. + +"What?" asked Mr. Swift and Tom in the same breath. + +"The cash, or, what's just as good, the promise of it. I called up Mr. +Chase, of the Clayton National Bank, and he has agreed to take the +railroad securities I offered him as collateral, and let me have sixty +thousand dollars on them! That will give us cash enough to weather the +storm. Hurrah! We're all right now. Bless my check book!" + +"The Clayton National Bank," remarked Mr. Swift, and his voice was +hopeless. "It's forty miles away, Mr. Damon, and no railroad around +here runs anywhere near it. No one could get there and back with the +cash to-day, in time to save us from ruin. It's impossible! Our last +chance is gone." + +"How far did you say it was, Dad?" asked Tom quickly. + +"Forty miles there, over forty, I guess, and not very good roads. We +would need to have the cash here before three o'clock to be of any +service to us. No, it's out of the question. The bank will have to +fail!" + +"No!" cried the young inventor, and his voice rang out through the +room. "I'll get the cash for you!" + +"How?" gasped Mr. Damon. "You can't get there and back in time?" + +"Yes, I can!" cried Tom. "In my electric runabout! I can make it go a +hundred miles an hour, if necessary! Probably I'll have to run slow +over the bad roads; but I can do it! I know I can. I'll get the sixty +thousand dollars for you!" + +For a moment there was silence. Then Mr. Damon cried: + +"Good! And I'll go with you and deliver the securities to Mr. Chase. +Come on, Tom Swift! Bless my collar button, but maybe we can yet save +the old bank after all!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +AFTER THE CASH + + +Tom's proposal as a way out of the difficulty, and the prompt seconding +of it by Mr. Damon, seemed to deprive the other bank officials, Mr. +Swift included, of the power of speech for a few moments. Then, as +there came to the room where the scene had taken place, the sound of +the mob outside, clamoring for cash, Mr. Pendergast, the president, +remarked in a low voice: + +"It seems to be the only way. Do you think you can do it, Tom Swift?" + +"I'm sure of it, as far as my electric car is concerned," replied the +young inventor. "If we get the cash I'll have it back here on time. The +runabout is all ready for a fast trip." + +"Then don't lose any time, Tom," advised his father. "Every minute +counts." + +"Yes," added Mr. Damon. "Come on. I've got the securities in my valise, +and we can bring the cash back in the same satchel. Come on, Tom." + +The eccentric character caught up his valise, and started from the +room. Tom followed. + +"Now, my son, be careful," advised his father. "You know the need of +haste, but don't take unnecessary risks. You'd better go out the back +way, as the crowd is easily excited." + +Little more was said. Mr. Swift clasped his son's hand in a firm +pressure, and the bank president nervously bade the lad good-by. Then, +slipping out of the bank, by the rear entrance, the porter closing the +door after them, Tom and Mr. Damon took their places in the electric +machine. + +"Just imagine you're racing for that three-thousand-dollar prize, +offered by the Touring Club of America, Tom," observed Mr. Damon, as he +deposited the valise at his feet. + +"I don't have to do that," replied the youth. "I'm trying for a bigger +prize than that. I want to save the bank, and defeat the schemes of the +Fogers--father and son." + +Tom turned on the power, and the machine rolled out on the main street. +As it turned the corner, leaving the impatient crowd of depositors, now +larger than ever, behind, Mr. Damon glanced over at the new bank, and, +as he did so, he called to Tom: + +"There are the Fogers now." + +The young inventor looked, and saw Andy and his father on the steps of +the new institution. + +At the sight of the electric car, speeding along, Andy turned and spoke +to his parent. What he said seemed to impress Mr. Foger, for he +started, and looked more intently at Tom and Mr. Damon. Then, as Tom +watched, he saw the two excitedly conversing, and a moment later Andy +ran off in the direction in which Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey lived. + +"I wonder if he's up to any tricks?" thought Tom, as he turned on more +power. "Well, if he is, I'll soon be where he can't reach me." + +The young inventor did not dare send his car at full speed through the +streets of the town, and it was not until several minutes had passed +that they could go at more than the ordinary rate. But once the open +country was reached Tom "opened her up full," and the song the motor +sung was one of power. The vehicle quickly gathered headway and was +soon fairly whizzing along. + +"If we keep this up we'll be there and back in good time," remarked Mr. +Damon. + +"Yes, but we can't do it," replied his companion. "The road to Clayton +is a poor one, and we'll soon be on it. Then we'll have to go slow. But +I'll make all the time I can until then." + +So, for several miles more they crept along, at times having to reduce +to almost a walking pace, because of bad roads. Mr. Damon looked at his +watch almost every other minute. + +"Eleven o'clock," he remarked, as they passed a milestone, "and we're +not half way there. Bless my gizzard, but I'm afraid we won't make it, +Tom. We left about ten, and we ought to be back by two o'clock to do +any good. That's four hours, and it will take some time to transfer the +securities, and get the cash. Every minute counts." + +"I know it," answered Tom, "and I'm going to count every minute." + +With eager eyes he watched every inch of the road, to steer to the best +advantage. His hands gripped the wheel until his knuckles showed white +with the strain, and, every now and then his right hand adjusted the +speed lever or the controller handle, while his foot was on the +emergency brake, ready to stop the car at the first sign of danger. + +And there was danger, not infrequently, for the road was up and down +hill, over frail bridges, and along steep cliffs. It was no pleasure +tour they were on. + +When a little over half the distance had been made they came to a +better road, and Tom was able to use full speed ahead. Then the +electric went so fast that, had it not been for the steel wind-shield +in front, Mr. Damon, at any rate, would have been short of breath. + +"This is going some!" he cried to Tom. The lad nodded grimly, and +shoved the controller handle over to the last notch. Then came a bad +stretch and they had to slow down again. As they were about out of it +there came a little flash of fire and the motor stopped. + +"Bless my overshoes!" cried Mr. Damon. "What's that; a fuse blown out?" + +"No," replied Tom, with a puzzled air. "But something has gone wrong." +Hastily he got out, and made an examination. He found it was only one +of the unimportant wires which had short-circuited, and it was soon +adjusted. But they had lost five precious minutes. Tom tried to make up +for lost time, but came to a hill a little later, and this reduced +their speed. + +"Do you think we can make it before twelve?" asked Mr. Damon anxiously. +"We've got to, if we're to get back before three, Tom." + +"I'll try," was the calm answer, and Tom's jaw was shut still more +tightly. Once again came more favorable roads and pushing the car to +the limit the occupants were rejoiced, a little later, as they topped a +hill, to come in sight of a fairly large city. + +"There's Clayton!" cried Mr. Damon. + +Ten minutes later they were rolling through the main street, and as +they stopped in front of the bank, the noon whistles blew shrill and +noisily. + +"You did it, Tom!" cried Mr. Damon, springing out with the valise of +securities. "Now be ready for the return trip. I'll be with you as soon +as possible." + +He went up the bank steps three at a time, like some boy instead of an +elderly man. Tom looked after him for a second and then got down to oil +up his car, and make some adjustments that had rattled loose from the +rough road. Unmindful of the curious throng that gathered he crawled +under the machine with his oil-can. + +He had finished his work, and was back in his seat, ready to start, but +Mr. Damon had not reappeared. + +"It's taking him a good while to get that cash," thought Tom. "Maybe +the securities were no good." + +But, a few minutes later, Mr. Damon came hurrying from the bank. The +valise he carried seemed much heavier than when he went in. + +"It's all right, Tom," he said. "I've got it. Now for the trip home, +and I hope we don't have any accidents. It took longer than I thought +to check over the bonds and receipt for them. But I've got the cash. +Now to save the bank!" + +He took his place beside the young inventor, holding the valise between +his knees, while Tom turned on the power and sent his car dashing down +the street, and toward the road that led to Shopton. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +STOPPED ON THE ROAD + + +"Did Mr. Chase make any objection to giving you the cash?" asked Tom, +as he shoved the controller over another notch, and caused the motor to +make a higher note in its song of speed. + +"Oh, no, he was very nice about it," replied Mr. Damon. "He said he +hoped our bank would pull through. Said if we needed more cash we could +have it." + +It was nearly one o'clock, and they had the worst part of the journey +yet to go. Thirty miles of stiff roads lay between them and Shopton, +the last five and the first five being fairly good, with, here and +there, soft spots. + +Up hill and down went the electric auto. At every opportunity Tom let +out all the speed he could draw from the motor, but there were many +times when he had to slow down. He had just made the ascent of a steep +hill, and was turning into a fairly good road, skirting the edge of a +steep cliff, when there came a sharp report. + +"Bless my soul! That's a fuse, I'm sure of it!" cried Mr. Damon. + +"No," announced Tom, as he quickly shut off the power. "It's a +puncture. One of the inner tubes of the tire has been pierced. I was +afraid of that tube." + +"What have you got to do; put on a new tire?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"No, I'm going to put on a new wheel. I carry two spare ones with tires +all ready inflated. It won't take long." + +But the process of changing wheels consumed more time than Tom +anticipated for the nut was stuck, and he and Mr. Damon had to exert +all their strength before they could loosen it. When the new wheel was +in place ten minutes had been lost. + +"Hold on now, I'm going to speed her!" cried Tom, when they were once +more in their seats, and speed the machine he did. The road was rough, +but despite this the lad turned on almost full power. Over the bumps +they went, around curves and into rain-washed ruts careening from side +to side, and throwing Mr. Damon about, as he expressed it afterward, +"like a bean inside of a football." As for the young inventor his grasp +of the steering wheel, and the manner in which he could brace himself +against the foot pedals, held him more firmly in place. On and on they +rushed, covering mile after mile, and approaching Shopton where so much +depended on their arrival. + +Good and bad stretches of the road alternated, but now that Tom had +seen of what mettle his car was made, he did not spare it as much as he +had on the first trip. He saw that his machine would stand hard knocks, +and the way the battery and motor was behaving was a joy to him. He +knew that if he could make that eighty-mile run in safety he stood a +good chance of winning the prize, for no harder test could have been +devised. + +But the race was still far from won. There was a particularly unsafe +stretch of road yet to be covered, and then would come a smooth highway +into Shopton. + +"Ten miles more," observed Mr. Damon, snapping shut his big gold watch. +"Ten miles more, and it's a quarter of two now. We ought to be there at +a quarter after, and that will be in good time, eh, Tom?" + +"I think so, but I don't know about this piece of road we're coming to. +It seems worse than when we passed over it this morning." + +As he spoke the auto began to slow up, for the wheels had struck some +heavy sand, and it was necessary to reduce the current. Tom turned back +the controller handle, but watched with eager eyes for a sign that the +roadbed was harder, so that he could increase speed. + +As the car turned around a curve, passing through a lonely stretch of +country, with woods on either side of the highway, Tom glancing up, +uttered a cry of astonishment. + +"What's the matter; something gone wrong?" asked his companion. + +For answer Tom pointed. There, just ahead of them, was a big load of +hay, and it was evident that the driver, was in no particular hurry. + +"We can't pass that without getting in over our hubs!" cried Tom. "If +we turn out the side ditches are so soft that we'll need help to pull +out, and the road is so narrow for several miles that we'll have to +trail along behind that fellow." + +"Bless my check book!" cried Mr. Damon. "Are we going to lose, after +all, on account of a load of hay? No, I'll buy it from him first, at +double the market price, tip it over, set fire to it, toss it in the +ditch, and then we can go past!" + +"Maybe that will answer," retorted Tom, smiling grimly. + +He put on a little more speed, and was soon close up behind the load of +hay, ringing his electric bell as a warning. + +"I say!" called Mr. Damon to the unseen driver, "can't you turn out and +let us pass?" + +"Ha! Hum! Wa'al I guess not!" came the answer, in unmistakable farmer's +accents. "You automobile fellers is too gol-hanged smart, racin' along +th' roads. I've got just as good a right here as you fellers have, by +heck!" The driver did not show himself. + +"We know that," responded Tom, as quickly as he could, for he did not +want to anger the man. "But our machine is so heavy that if we turn +into the ditch I'm afraid we'll be mired." + +"Huh! So'll I," was the retort from the unseen driver.. "Think I want +t' spile my load of hay?" + +"But you have wide tires on, and you wouldn't sink in far," answered +the young inventor. "Besides, it's very necessary that we get past. A +great deal depends on our speed." + +"So it does on mine," was the reply. "Ef I git t' market late I'll have +t' stay all night, an' spend money on a hotel bill." + +"I'll pay it! I'll pay your bill if you'll only pull out!" cried Mr. +Damon. "I'll give you a hundred dollars!" + +He suddenly ceased speaking. From the bushes along the road sprang +several ragged, masked figures. Each one, aiming his weapon at Tom, +said in a low voice, that could not have been heard by the driver of +the hay wagon: + +"Slow up your machine, young feller! We want to speak with you, and +don't you make a loud noise, or it won't be healthy for you!" + +"Why of all the--!" began Mr. Damon, but another of the footpads +leveling his weapon at the eccentric man growled: + +"Dry up, if you don't want to get shot!" + +Mr. Damon subsided. Discretion was very plainly the better part of +valor. Tom had shut off the current. The load of hay continued on +ahead. Tom thought perhaps the driver of it might have been in +collusion with the thieves, to cause the auto to slow up. + +"What do you want with us?" asked the young inventor, trying to speak +calmly, but finding it a hard task, with a revolver pointed at him. + +"You know what we want," exclaimed the leader, in a low voice. "We +want that cash you got from the bank, and we're going to have it! Come, +now, shell out!" and he advanced toward the automobile. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +ON TIME + + +Close around the electric auto crowded the members of the hold-up gang. +Their eyes seemed to glare through the holes in their black masks. +Instantly Tom thought of the other occasion when he was halted by +masked figures. Could these, by any possibility, be the same +individuals? Was this a trick of Andy Foger and his cronies? + +Tom tried to pierce through the disguises. Clearly the persons were +men--not boys--and they wore the ragged clothes of tramps. Also, there +was an air of dogged determination about them. + +"Well, are you going to shell out?" asked the leader, taking a step +nearer, "or will we have to take it?" + +"Bless my very existence! You don't mean to say that you're going to +take the money--I mean how do you know we have any money?" and Mr. +Damon hastily corrected himself. "What right have you to stop us in +this way? Don't you know that every minute counts? We are in a hurry." + +"I know it," spoke the leading masked figure with a laugh. "I know you +have considerable money in that shebang, and I know what you hope to do +with it, prevent the run on the Shopton National Bank. But we need that +money as much as some other people and, what's more, we're going to +have it! Come on, shell out!" + +"Oh, why didn't we bring a gun!" lamented Mr. Damon in a low voice to +Tom. "Isn't there anything we can do? Can't you give them an electric +shock, Tom?" + +"I'm afraid not. If it wasn't for that hay wagon we could turn on the +current and make a run for it. But we'd only go into the ditch if we +tried to pass now." + +The load of hay was down the road, but as Tom looked he noticed a +curious thing. It seemed to be nearer than it was when the attack of +the masked men came. The wagon actually seemed to have backed up. Once +more the thought came to the lad that possibly the load of fodder might +be one of the factors on which the thieves counted. They might have +used it to make the auto halt, and the man, or men, on it were probably +in collusion with the footpads. There was no doubt about it, the load +of hay was coming nearer, backing up instead of moving away. Tom +couldn't understand it. He gave a swift glance at the robbers. They had +not appeared to notice this, or, if they had, they gave no sign. + +"Then we can't do anything," murmured Mr. Damon. + +"I don't see that we can," replied the young inventor in a low voice. + +"And the money we worked so hard to get won't do the bank any good," +and Mr. Damon sighed. + +"It's tough luck," agreed Tom. + +"Come now, fork over that cash!" called the leader, advancing still +closer. "None of that talk between you there. If you think you can work +some trick on us you're mistaken. We're desperate men, and we're well +armed. The first show of resistance you make, and we shoot--get that, +fellows?" he added to his followers, and they nodded grimly. + +"Well," remarked Mr. Damon with an air of submission, "I only want to +warn you that you are acting illegally, and that you are perpetrating a +desperate crime." + +"Oh, we know that all right," answered one of the men, and Tom gave a +start. He was sure he had heard that voice before. He tried to remember +it--tried to penetrate the disguise--but he could not. + +"I'll give you ten seconds more to hand over that bag of money," went +on the leader. "If you don't, we'll take it and some of you may get +hurt in the process." + +There seemed nothing else to do. With a white face, but with anger +showing in his eyes Mr. Damon reached down to get the valise. Tom had +retained his grip of the steering wheel, and the starting lever. He +hoped, at the last minute, he might see a chance to dash away, and +escape, but that load of hay was in the path. He noted that it was now +quite near, but the thieves paid no attention to it. + +Tom might have reversed the power, and sent his machine backward, but +he could not see to steer it if he went in that direction, and he would +soon have gone into the ditch. There was nothing to do save to hand +over the cash, it seemed. + +Mr. Damon had the bag raised from the car, and the leader of the +thieves was reaching up for it, when there came a sudden interruption. + +From the load of hay there sounded a fusillade of pistol shots, +cracking out with viciousness. This was instantly followed by the +appearance of three men who came running from around the load of hay, +down the road toward the thieves. Each man carried a pitchfork, and as +they ran, one of the trio shouted: + +"Right at 'em, boys! Jab your hay forks clean through the scoundrels! +By Heck, I guess we'll show 'em we know how t' tackle a hold-up gang as +well as the next fellow! Right at 'em now! Charge 'em! Stick your +forks right through 'em!" Again there sounded a fusillade of pistol +shots. + +The thieves turned as one man, and glanced at the relief so +unexpectedly approaching. They gave one look at the three determined +looking farmers, with their sharp, glittering pitchforks, and then, +without a word, they turned and fled, leaping into the bushes that +lined the roadway. The underbrush closed after them and they were +hidden from sight. + +On came the three farmers, waving their effective weapons, the pistol +shots still ringing out from the load of hay. Tom could not understand +it, and could see no one firing--could detect no smoke. + +"Are they gone? Did they rob ye?" asked the foremost of the trio, a +burly, grizzled farmer. "Bust my buttons, but I guess we skeered 'em +all right!" + +"Bless my shoe buttons, but you certainly have!" cried Mr. Damon, +descending from the automobile, and wringing the hand of the farmer, +while Tom, thrust the bag of money under his legs and waited further +developments. The pistol shots rang out until one of the men called: + +"That'll do, Bub! We've skeered 'em like Mrs. Zenoby's pet cat! You +needn't crack that whip any more." + +"Whip!" cried Tom. "Was that a whip?" + +"That's what it was," explained the leading farmer. "Bub Armstrong, my +nephew, can crack it to beat th' band," and as if in proof of this +there emerged from behind the load of hay a small lad, carrying a large +whip, to which he gave a few trial cracks, like pistol shots, as if to +show his ability. + +"It's all right, Bub," his uncle assured him. "We made 'em run." + +"But I don't exactly understand," spoke Mr. Damon. "I thought you were +in league with those thieves, stopping us as you did with your big +load." + +"So did I," admitted Tom. + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed the farmer. "That's a pretty good joke. Excuse me +for laughin'. My name's Lyon, Jethro Lyon, of Salina Township, an' +these is my two sons, Ade and Burt. You see we're on our way to +Shopton, an' my nephew, Bub, he went along. We thought you was some of +them sassy automobile fellers at first when you hollered to us you +wanted to pass. Then when we looked back, we seen them burglars goin' +t' rob you, at least that's what we suspicioned," and he paused +suggestively. + +"That was it," Tom said. + +"Wa'al, when we seen that, we held a sort of consultation on thet load +of hay, where they couldn't see us. It was so big you know," he +needlessly explained. "Wa'al, we calcalated we could help you, so I +jest quietly backed up, until we was near enough. I told Bub to take +the long whip, an' crack it for all he was wuth, so's it would sound +like reinforcements approachin' with guns, an' he done it." + +"He certainly done it," added Burt. + +"Wa'al," resumed Mr. Lyon, "then me an my sons we jest slipped down off +the front seat, an' come a runnin' with our pitchforks. I reckoned +them burglars would run when they see us an' heard us, an' they done +so." + +"Yep, they done so," added Ade, like an echo. + +"I can't tell you how much obliged we are to you," said Mr. Damon. "We +have sixty thousand dollars in this valise, and they would have had it +in another minute, and the bank would have failed." + +"Sixty thousand dollars!" gasped Mr. Lyon, and his sons and nephew +echoed the words. Mr. Damon briefly explained about the money, and he +and the young inventor again thanked their rescuers, who had so +unexpectedly, and in such a novel manner, put the thieves to flight. + +"An' you've got t' git t' Shopton before three o'clock with thet cash?" +asked Mr. Lyon. + +"That's what we hoped to do," replied Tom "but I'm afraid we won't now. +It's half past two, and--" + +"Don't say another word," interrupted Mr. Lyon. "I know what ye mean. +My hay's in the road. But don't let that worry ye none. I'll pull out +of your road in a jiffy, an' if we do go down in th' ditch, why we can +throw off part of th' load, lighten th' wagon, an' pull out again. +You've got t' hustle if ye git t' Shopton by three o'clock." + +"I can do it with a clear road," declared Tom, confidently. + +"Then ye'll have th' clear road," Mr. Lyon assured him. "Come boys, +let's git th' hay t' one side." + +The farmers pulled into the ditch. As they had feared the wagon went in +almost to the hubs, but they did not mind, and, even as Tom and Mr. +Damon shot past them, they fell to work tossing off part of the fodder, +to lighten the wagon. The young inventor and his companion waved a +grateful farewell to them as they fairly tore past, for Tom had turned +on almost the full current. + +"Do you suppose that was the Happy Harry gang, or some members of it +who were not captured and sent to jail?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"I don't believe so," answered the lad, shaking his head. "Maybe they +didn't really want to rob us. Perhaps they only wanted to delay us so +we wouldn't get to the bank on time." + +"Bless my top knot, you may be right!" cried Mr. Damon. + +Further conversation became difficult, as they struck a rough part of +the road, where the vehicle swayed and jolted to an alarming degree. +But Tom never slackened pace. On and on they rushed, Mr. Damon +frequently looking at his watch. + +"We've got twenty minutes left," he remarked as they came out on the +smooth stretch of road, that led directly into Shopton. + +Then Tom turned all the reserve power into the motor. The machinery +almost groaned as the current surged into the wires, but it took up the +load, and the electric car, swaying more than ever, dashed ahead with +its burden of wealth. + +Now they were in the town, now speeding down the street leading to the +bank. One or two policemen shouted after them, for they were violating +the speed laws, but it was no time to stop for that. On and on they +dashed. + +They came in sight of the bank. A long line of persons was still in +front. They seemed more excited than in the morning, for the hour of +three was approaching, and they feared the bank would close its doors, +never to open them again. + +"The run is still on," observed Mr. Damon. + +"But it will soon be over," predicted Tom. + +Some news of the errand of the automobile must have penetrated the +crowd, for as Tom swung past the front entrance to the bank, to go up +the rear alley, he was greeted with a cheer. + +"They've got the cash!" a man cried. "I'm satisfied now. I won't draw +out my deposit." + +"I want to see the cash before I'll believe it," said another. + +Tom slowed up to make the turn into the alley. As he did so he glanced +across the street to the new bank. In the window stood Andy Foger and +his father. There was a look of surprise on their faces as they saw the +arrival of the powerful car, and, Tom fancied, also a look of chagrin. + +Up the alley went the car, police keeping the crowd from following. The +porter was at the door. So, also, was Mr. Pendergast and Mr. Swift, +while some of the other officers were grouped behind them. + +"Did you get the money?" gasped the president. + +"We did," answered Tom. "Are we on time, Dad?" + +"Just on time, my boy! They're paying out the last of the cash now! +You're on time, thank fortune!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +OFF TO THE BIG RACE + + +From their task of handing out money to eager depositors, the wearied +tellers looked up as Tom and Mr. Damon entered with the big valise +crammed full of money. It was opened, and the bundles of bills turned +out on a table. + +"Perhaps you'd better make an announcement to the crowd, Mr. +Pendergast," suggested Mr. Swift. "Tell them we now have cash enough to +meet all demands, and that the bank will be kept open until every one +is paid." + +"I will," agreed the aged president. His announcement was received with +cheers, and had exactly the effect the inventor hoped it would. + +Many, learning that the bank was safe, and that they could have their +money whenever they wanted it, concluded not to withdraw it, thus +saving the interest. Scores in the waiting crowd turned out of line and +went home. Their example was contagious, and, though many still +remained to get their deposits, the run was broken. Only part of the +sixty thousand dollars Tom and Mr. Damon had brought through after a +race with time, was needed. But had it not been for the moral effect of +the cash arriving as it did, the bank would have failed. + +"You have a great car, Tom Swift," complimented Mr. Pendergast, when +the excitement had somewhat cooled down, and the story of the hold-up +had been told. + +"I think so myself," agreed the young inventor modestly. "I must get +ready for the races now." + +"And as for those farmers, I think I'll send them a reward," went on +the president. "They deserve something for the trouble they had with +the load of hay. I certainly shall send them a reward," which he did, +and a substantial one, too. + +Of course the hold-up was at once reported to the police after the run +had quieted down, but Chief Simonson surprised Tom by saying that he +had expected it. + +"The gang that held you up," said the police officer, "was one that +escaped from a jail, about twenty miles away. I got a tip after you +left, that they were going to rob you, for, in some way, they learned +about the money you and Mr. Damon were to bring from the bank. The +unfortunate part of it was that the tip I got was to the effect that +the hold-up would take place just outside of Clayton. I telephoned to +the police there, just after you left, and they said they'd send out a +posse. But the gang changed their plans; and held you up near here, +where I wasn't expecting it. But I'll get 'em yet." + +Chief Simonson did not arrest the gang, but some other police officers +did, and they were taken back to jail. They were not prosecuted for the +attempted robbery of Tom, as it was considered difficult to fix the +guilt on them, but they received such a long additional sentence for +breaking jail, that it will be many years before they are released. + +When Tom reached home that night he found some mail from the officials +of the Touring Club of America. It was to the effect that arrangements +for the big contest had been completed, and that contesting cars must +be on the ground by September first. + +"That gives me two weeks yet," thought our hero. + +He read further of the regulations covering the race. Each car must +proceed from the home town or city of the owner, and go to the track +under its own power. This was a new regulation, it was stated, and was +adopted to better develop the industry of building electric autos. Two +passengers, or one in addition to the driver, must be carried, it was +stated, and this one would also be expected to be in the car during the +entire race. + +Regarding the race proper it was stated that at first it had been +decided to make it a twenty-four hour endurance contest, but that for +certain reasons this was changed, as it was found that few storage +batteries could go this length of time without a number of rechargings. +Therefore the race was to be one for distance--five hundred miles, on +the new Long Island track, and the car first covering that distance +would win. Cars were allowed to change their batteries as often as they +needed to, but all time lost would count against them. There were other +rules and regulations of minor importance. + +"Well," remarked Tom, as he read through the circulars, "I must get my +car in shape. It will be quite a trip to Long Island, and I think my +best plan will be to go direct to the cottage we had when we were +building the submarine, and from there proceed to the track. That will +comply with the rules, I think. But who will I get to go with me? I +suppose Mr. Damon or Mr. Sharp will be willing. I'll ask them." + +He broached the matter to his two friends that night, and they both +agreed to go to Long Island in the car, though only Mr. Sharp would +accompany Tom in the race. The next two weeks were busy ones for Tom. +He worked night and day over his car, getting it in shape for the big +event. + +The young inventor made some changes in his battery, and also adopted a +new gear, which would give greater speed. He also completed the +exterior of the auto, giving it several coats of purple paint and +varnish, so that when it was finished, though it was different in shape +from most autos, it was as fine an appearing car as one could wish. He +arranged to carry two extra wheels, with tires inflated, and, under the +rear seats, or tonneau, as he called it, Tom fitted up a complete +tire-repairing outfit. Mr. Sharp agreed to ride there, and in case +there was need to use more than two spare wheels during the race, the +rubber shoes or inner tubes could be mended while the car was swinging +around the track. + +Mr. Damon would ride in front with Tom on the cross-country trip, and +occasionally relieve him at steering, or would help to manage the +electrical connections. Spare fuses, extra parts, wires and different +things he thought he might need, the young inventor stored in his car. +He also found means to install a small additional storage battery, to +give added power in case of emergency. + +Tom learned from the racing officials that if he made a trip from +Shopton to the cottage on the coast, near the city of Atlantis, and +later traveled from there to the track, it would fulfill the conditions +of the contest. + +Finally all was in readiness, and one morning, having spent the better +part of the night going over his machine, to see that he had forgotten +nothing, Tom invited Mr. Damon and Mr. Sharp to enter, and prepare for +the trip to Long Island. + +"Well, Tom, I certainly hope you win that race," remarked Mrs. Baggert, +as she stood in the doorway, waving a farewell. + +"If I do I'll buy you a pair of diamond earrings to match the diamond +ring I gave you from the money I got from the wreck," promised the lad +with a laugh. + +"An' ef yo' sees dat Andy Foger," added Eradicate Sampson, while he +rubbed the long ears of Boomerang, his mule, "ef yo' sees him, jest run +ober him once or twice fer mah sake, Mistah Swift." + +"I'll do it for my own, too," agreed Tom. + +The youth shook hands with his father, who wished him good luck, and +then, after a final look at his car, he climbed to his seat, and turned +on the power. There was a low hum from the motor and the electric +started off. Would it return a winner or loser of the big race? + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +IN A DITCH + + +Through the streets of Shopton went Tom Swift and his friends. News of +the big contest the young inventor was about to take part in, had +circulated around town, and there were not wanting many to wish him +good luck. The lad responded smilingly to the farewells he received. As +they passed the bank, Ned Newton came out on the steps. + +"Wish I was going along," he called. + +"So do I," replied Tom. "How's everything? Is the bank all right since +the run?" for he had not had time to pay much attention to the +institution since his memorable race against time, to get the money. + +"Stronger and better than ever," was Ned's answer, as he came to the +curb, where Tom slowed up. "I hear," he added in a whisper, "that the +other fellows are going out of business--Foger and his crowd you know. +They loaned money on unsecured notes to make a good showing, and now +they can't get it back. But we're all right. Hope you win the race." + +"So do I." + +"What will a certain person do while you're away?" went on Ned, with a +wink. + +"I don't know what you mean," replied Tom, trying not to blush. "Do +you mean my dad or Mrs. Baggert?" + +"Neither, you old hypocrite you! I meant Miss Mary Nestor." + +"Oh, hadn't you heard?" inquired Tom innocently. "She is going to Long +Island to visit some friends, and she'll be at the race." + +"You lucky dog," murmured Ned with a laugh, as he went into the bank. + +Once more the electric auto started off, and was soon on the quiet +country road, where Tom speeded it up moderately. He hoped to be able +to make the entire distance to the shore cottage on the single charge +of current he had put into the battery at home, and, as there was no +special need for haste, he wanted to save his power. The machine was +running smoothly, and seemed able to make a long race against time. + +The travelers ate lunch that day at Pendleton, a town some distance +from Shopton. They had covered a substantial part of their trip. After +a brief rest they started on again. Tom had planned to spend two days +and one night on the road, hoping to be able to reach the shore cottage +on the evening of the second day. There, after recharging the battery, +he would spend a night, or two, and proceed to the track, ready for the +race. + +They found the roads fairly good, with bad stretches here and there, +which made it necessary for them to slow down. This delayed them, and +they found the shadows lengthening, and darkness approaching, when they +were still several miles from Burgfield, where they intended to sleep. + +"Will it be all right to travel at night?" asked Mr. Damon, a bit +nervously. + +"Why, are you thinking of hold-up men?" inquired Mr. Sharp. + +"No, but I was wondering about the condition of the roads," replied the +eccentric man. "We don't want to run into a rock, or collide with +something." + +"I guess this will light up the road far enough in advance, so that we +can see where we are going," suggested Tom, as he switched on the +powerful electric search-light. Though it was not dark enough to +illuminate the highway to the best advantage, the powerful gleam shone +dazzlingly in front of the swiftly moving auto. + +"I guess that will show up every pebble in the road," commented the +balloonist. "It's very powerful." + +Tom turned off the light, as, until it was darker, he could see to +better advantage unaided by it. He slowed down the speed somewhat, but +was still going at a good rate. + +"There's a bridge somewhere about here," remarked the lad, when they +had gone on a mile further. "I remember seeing it on my road map. It's +not very strong, and we'll have to run slow over it." + +"Bless my gizzard, I hope we don't go through it!" cried Mr. Damon. "Is +your car very heavy, Tom?" + +"Not heavy enough to break the bridge. Ah, there it is. Guess I'll turn +on the light so we can see what we're doing." + +Just ahead of them loomed up the super-structure of a bridge, and Tom +turned the searchlight switch. At the instant he did so, whether he did +not keep a steady hand on the steering wheel, or whether the auto went +into a rut from which it could not be turned, did not immediately +develop, but the car suddenly shot from the straight road, and swerved +to one side. There was a lurch, and the front wheels sank down. + +"Look out! We're going into the river!" yelled Mr. Damon. + +Tom jammed on the brakes and shut off the current. The auto came to a +sudden stop. The young inventor turned the searchlight downward, to +illuminate the ground directly in front of the car. + +"Are we in the river?" asked Mr. Sharp. + +"No," replied Tom in great chagrin. "We're in a muddy ditch. One at +the side of the road. Wheels in over the hubs! There should have been a +guard rail here. We're stuck for fair!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE POWER GONE + + +"Bless my overshoes!" cried Mr. Damon. "Stuck in the mud, eh?" + +"Hard and fast," added Tom, in disgust. + +"What's to be done?" inquired Mr. Sharp. + +"I should say we'll have to stay here until daylight, and wait for some +other auto to come along and pull us out," was Mr. Damon's opinion. +"It's might unpleasant, too, for there doesn't seem to be any place +around here where we can spend the night in any kind of comfort. If we +had the submarine or the airship, now, it wouldn't so much matter." + +"No, and this won't matter a great deal," remarked the young inventor +quickly. "We'll soon be out of this, but it will be hard work." + +"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Sharp. + +"I mean that we've got to pull ourselves out of this mud hole," +explained the lad, as he prepared to descend. "I was afraid something +like this would happen, so I came prepared for it. I've got ropes and +pulleys with me, in the car. We'll fasten the rope to the machine, +attach one pulley to the bridge, another to the car, and I guess we can +get out of the mud. We'll try, anyhow." + +"Well, I must say you looked pretty far ahead," complimented Mr. Damon. + +From a box under the tonneau Tom took out a thin but strong rope and +two compound pulleys, which would enable considerable force to be +applied. Mr. Sharp detached one of the powerful oil lamps, and the +three travelers took a look at the auto. It was indeed deep in the mud +and it seemed like a hopeless task to try to get it out unaided. But +Tom insisted that they could do it, and the rope was soon attached, the +hook of one pulley being slipped around one of the braces of the bridge. + +"Now, all together!" cried the lad, as he and his friends grasped the +long rope. They gave a great heave. At first it seemed like pulling on +a stone wall. The rope strained and the pulleys creaked. + +"I--guess--we--will--pull--the--bridge--over!" gasped Mr. Sharp. + +"Something's got to give way!" puffed Tom. "Now, once more! All +together!" + +Suddenly they felt the rope moving. The pulleys creaked still more and, +by the light of the lamp, they could see that the auto was slowly being +pulled backward, out of the mud, and onto the hard road. In a few +minutes it was ready to proceed again. + +The rope and pulleys were put away, and, after Tom had made an +examination of the car to see that it had sustained no damage, they +were off again, making good time to the hotel in Burgfield, where they +spent the night. They had an early breakfast, and, as Tom went out to +the barn to look at his car, he saw it surrounded by a curious throng +of men and boys. One of the boys was turning some of the handles and +levers. + +"Here! Quit that!" yelled Tom, and the meddlesome lad leaped down in +fright. "Do you want to start the car and have it smash into +something?" demanded the young inventor. + +"Aw, nothin' happened," retorted the lad. "I pulled every handle on it, +an' it didn't move." + +"Good reason," murmured Tom, for he had taken the precaution to remove +a connecting plug, without which the machine could not be started. + +The three were soon under way again, and covered many miles over the +fine country roads, the weather conditions being delightful. On inquiry +they found that by taking an infrequently used highway, they could save +several miles. It was over an unoccupied part of country, rather wild +and desolate, but they did not mind that. + +They were whizzing along, talking of Tom's chances for winning the race +when, after climbing a slight grade, the auto came to a sudden stop on +the summit. + +"What's the matter?" asked Mr. Sharp. "Why are you stopping here, Tom?" + +"I didn't stop," was the surprising answer, and the lad shoved the +starting lever back and forth. + +But there was no response. There was no hum from the motor. The machine +was "dead." + +"That's queer," murmured the young inventor. + +"Maybe a fuse blew out," suggested Mr. Damon, that seeming to be his +favorite form of trouble. + +"If it had you'd have known it," remarked Mr. Sharp. + +"There's plenty of current in the battery, according to the registering +gauge," murmured the lad. "I can't understand it." He reversed the +current, thinking the wires might have become crossed, but the machine +would move neither backward nor forward, yet the dial indicated that +there was enough power stored away to send it a hundred miles or more. + +"Perhaps the dial hand has become caught," suggested Mr. Sharp. "That +sometimes happens on a steam gauge, and indicates a high pressure when +there isn't any. Hit it slightly, and see if the hand swings back." + +Tom did so. At once the hand fell to zero, indicating that there was +not an ampere of current left. The battery was exhausted, but this fact +had not been indicated on the gauge. + +"I see now!" cried Tom. "It was those fellows at the hotel barn! They +monkeyed with the mechanism, short circuited the battery, and jammed +the gauge so I couldn't tell when my power was gone. If I had known +there wasn't enough to carry us I could have recharged the battery at +the hotel. But I figured that I had enough current for the entire trip, +and so there would have been, if it hadn't leaked away. Now we're in a +pretty pickle." + +"Bless my hat band!" cried Mr. Damon. "Does that mean we can't move?" + +"Guess that's about it," answered Mr. Sharp, and Tom nodded. + +"Well, why can't we go on to some place where they sell electricity, +and get enough to take us where we want to go?" asked the odd +character, whose ideas of machinery were somewhat hazy. + +"The only trouble is we can't carry the heavy car with us," replied +Tom. "It's too big to pick up and take to a charging station." + +"Then we've got to wait until some one comes along with a team of +horses, and tows us in," commented Mr. Sharp. "And that will be some +time, on this lonely road." + +Tom shook his head despondently. He went all over the car again, but +was forced to the first conclusion, that the reserve current had leaked +away, in consequence of the meddling prank of the youth at the hotel. +The situation was far from pleasant, and the delay would seriously +interfere with their plans. + +Suddenly, as Tom was pacing up and down the road, he heard from afar, a +peculiar humming sound. He paused to listen. + +"Trolley car," observed Mr. Sharp. "Maybe one of us could go somewhere +on the trolley and get help. There it is," and he pointed to the +electric vehicle, moving along about half a mile away, at the foot of a +gentle slope. + +At the sight of the car Tom uttered a cry. "I have it!" he exclaimed. +"None of us need go for help! It's right at hand!" His companions +looked curiously, as the young inventor pointed triumphantly to the +fast disappearing electric. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +ON THE TRACK + + +"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Damon. "Will the electric trolley pull us +to a charging station?" + +"No, we'll not need to go to a station," answered the youth. "If we +can get my car to the trolley tracks I can charge my battery from +there. And I think we can push the auto near enough. It's down hill, +and I've got a long wire so we won't have to go too close." + +"Good!" cried Mr. Sharp. "But attach the rope to the front of the car, +Tom. Mr. Damon and I will pull it. You'll have to ride in it to steer +it." + +"We can take turns at riding," was Tom's answer, for he did not want +his companions to do all the work. + +"Nonsense! You ride," said Mr. Damon. "You're lighter than we are, and +can steer better. It won't be any trouble at all to pull this car down +hill." + +It proved to be an easy task, and in a short time the "dead" auto was +near enough to the electric line to permit Tom to run his charging wire +over to it. + +"Why bless my soul!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, looking up. "There's no +overhead trolley wire. The car must run on storage batteries." + +"Third rail, more likely," was the opinion of Mr. Sharp and so it +proved. + +"I can charge from either the third rail or the trolley wire," declared +Tom, who was insulating his hands in rubber gloves, and getting his +wires ready. In a short time he had the proper connections made, and +the much-needed current was soon flowing into the depleted battery, or +batteries, for there were several sets, though the whole source of +motive power was usually referred to as a "storage battery." + +"How long will it take?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"About two hours," answered the lad. "We'll probably have to disconnect +our wires several times, whenever a trolley car comes past. By my +system I can recharge the battery very quickly. + +"Do you suppose the owners of the road will make any objection?" asked +the balloonist. + +"I'm going to pay for the current I use," explained the young inventor. +"I have a meter which tells how much I take." + +The hum of an approaching car was heard, and Tom took the wires from +the third rail. The car came to a stop opposite the automobile, the +passengers, as well as the crew, looking curiously at the queer racing +machine. Tom explained to the conductor what was going on, and asked +the fare-collector to notify those in charge of the power station that +all current used would be paid for. The conductor said this would be +satisfactory, he was sure, and the car proceeded, Tom resuming the +charging of his battery. + +Allowing plenty of reserve power to accumulate, and making sure that +the gauge would not stick again, and deceive him, the owner of the +speedy electric was soon ready to proceed again. They had been delayed +a little over three hours, for they had to make several shifts, as the +cars came past. + +They reached their shore cottage late that night, and, after seeing +that the runabout was safely locked in the big shed where the submarine +had been built, they all went to bed, for they were very tired. + +Tom sent word, the next day, to the managers of the race, that he would +be on hand at the time stipulated, and announced that he had made part +of the trip, as required, under the power of the auto itself. + +The next day was spent in overhauling the machinery, tightening up some +loose bearings, oiling different parts, and further charging the +battery. Tires were looked to, and the ones on the spare wheels were +gone over to prepare for any emergency that might arise when the race +was started. + +On the third day, Tom, Mr. Sharp and Mr. Damon, leaving the cottage +completed the trip to Havenford, Long Island, where the new track had +been constructed. + +They reached the place shortly before noon, and, if they had been +unaware of the location they could not have missed it, for there were +many autos speeding along the road toward the scene of the race, which +would take place the following day. + +Several electric cars passed Tom and his friends, whizzing swiftly by, +but the young inventor was not going to show off his speed until the +time came. Besides, he did not want to run any risks of an accident. +But some of the contestants seemed anxious for impromptu "brushes," and +more than one called to our hero to "speed up and let's see what she +can do." But Tom smiled, and shook his head. + +There were many gasolene and some steam autos going out to the new +track, which was considered a remarkable piece of engineering. It was +in the shape of an octagon, and the turns were considered very safe. It +was a five mile track, and to complete the race it would be necessary +to make a hundred circuits. + +Through scores of autos Tom and his friends threaded their way, the +young inventor keeping a watchful eye on the various types of machine +with which he would soon have to compete. + +There were many kinds. Some were larger and some smaller than his. Many +obviously carried very large batteries, but whether they had the speed +or not was another question. Some, in spurts, seemed to Tom, to be +fully as fast as his own, and he began to have some doubts whether he +would win the race. + +"But I'm not going to give up until the five hundredth mile is +finished," he thought, grimly. + +They were now in sight of the track, and noted many machines speeding +around it. + +"Go on in and try your car, Tom," urged Mr. Sharp. + +"Yes, do," added Mr. Damon. "Let's see how it travels." + +"I will, after I notify the proper officials that I have arrived," +decided the lad. + +The formalities were soon complied with. Tom received his entry card, +after paying the fee, made affidavit that he had completed the entire +trip from home under his own power, save for the little stretch when +the car was pulled, which did not count against him, and was soon ready +to go on the track. Only electric cars were allowed there. + +As the young inventor guided his latest effort in the machine line onto +the big track there were murmurs of surprise from the throngs. + +"That's a queer machine," said one. + +"Yes, but it looks speedy," was another's opinion. + +"There's the car for my money," added a third, pointing to a big red +electric which was certainly whizzing around the track. Tom noted the +red car. Behind it was a green one, also moving at a fast rate of speed. + +"Those will be my nearest rivals," thought the lad, as he guided his +car onto the track. A moment later he was sending the auto ahead at +moderate speed, while the other contestants looked at the new arrival, +as if trying to discover whether in it they would have a dangerous +competitor. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +WINNING THE PRIZE + + +After making two circuits of the track at moderate speed, Tom turned on +more power, deciding to see how the machine would behave on the turns, +going at a fast speed. As it happened he forged ahead just as the big +red car was coming up behind him. The driver of it took this for a +challenge and threw his controller handle forward. + +"Come on!" he cried to our hero, when even with him. + +Tom did not want to decline the invitation, and the impromptu race was +under way. Soon the green car came rushing up, and for two miles the +three kept almost in line. It was evident that neither the green nor +the red car drivers wanted to "open out," until they saw Tom do so. + +He was willing to oblige them, and suddenly increased his speed. They +did the same, and went ahead of him. Then Tom turned on a little more +juice and got the lead, but the two men were right after him, and they +see-sawed like this for two more miles. Then, with a cry the man in +the red car, with a sudden burst of speed, left Tom and the green car +behind. The green car was soon up to its rival, but Tom decided he +would not spurt. + +The lad and his friends spent the early part of the night in making a +final inspection of the machinery, finding it in good order. Then, with +his head filled with visions of the race on the morrow Tom went to bed. +He had made inquiries, by telephone, of the friends of Miss Nestor, and +learned that she had not arrived. Tom felt a distinct sense of +disappointment. + +The day of the race could not have been better. It was ideal weather, +and conditions at the track were just right. Tom was up early, and went +over every inch of his car with a nervous dread that he might find +something the matter. + +The final details of the race were completed, and the entrants given +their numbers and places. Tom drew a good position, not the best, but +he had no reason to complain. Half an hour before the start he again +telephoned to see if Miss Nestor had arrived, but she had not, and it +was with rather gloomy thoughts that the lad entered his car, in which +Mr. Sharp had already taken his place. Mr. Damon went to the +grandstand to watch the race. + +"I wanted Mary to see me win," thought our hero, for he had grimly set +his mind on coming in ahead. + +There was a great crowd in the grandstand and scattered about the big +track, which took in a large extent of territory. In spite of its +size--five miles around--it seemed solidly packed for the entire +length with autos, containing gay parties who had come to see the +electric contest. There was a band playing gay airs, as Tom guided his +machine through the entrance gate, and onto the track. + +The judges made their final inspection. There were twenty cars entered, +but it was obvious that some of them would not last long, as their +battery capacity was not large enough. Their owners might have relied +on recharging, but how they could do this under the usual slow system, +and hope to win, Tom could not see. He hoped to run the entire distance +on the single charge, but, if by some accident part of his current +should leak away, his battery could be charged in a short time, by +means of his new system, to run for a considerable distance, or he +could install a new one already charged, for he had two sets on hand. +Tom glanced over the cars of his competitors. They were to be sent away +in batches, the affair being a handicap one, with time allowance for +the smaller powered cars. Tom noted that his car and the red and the +green ones were in the same bunch. Tom's car was purple. + +"Are you all ready?" asked the starter of the first group of races. + +"Ready," was the low-voiced response. + +"Crack!" went the pistol, and there followed the hum of the motors as +the current set the mechanism to work. Forward went the cars, amid the +crash of the band and the cheers of the crowd. The big race was under +way. + +"Do you feel nervous, Tom?" asked Mr. Sharp. + +"Not a bit," replied the lad. + +Around and around the track flew the speedy electrics. It was evident +that the holding of a meet solely for cars of this character had +brought out many new ideas that would be to the benefit of the +industry. Some cars were "freaks" and others, like Tom's, showed a +distinct advance over previous styles of construction. + +A five-hundred mile race around a track is rather a monotonous affair, +except for what happens, and things very soon began to happen at this +race. + +As Tom had expected, several of the machines were forced to withdraw. +Tire troubles beset some, and others found that they were hopelessly +out of it because of low power, or lack of battery capacity. + +Tom determined not to let the red or the green car gain any advantage +over him, and so he watched those two vehicles narrowly. On the other +hand, the red and the green electrics were evidently afraid of one +another and of Tom. + +They all three kept pretty much together for the first thirty miles. By +this time the race had settled down into a steady grind. There was some +excitement when the steering gear of one car broke, and it crashed into +the fence, injuring the driver, but the race went on. + +The young inventor was holding his own with his two chief rivals, and +was feeling rather proud of his car, when there came from it a report +like a pistol shot. + +"Blow out!" yelled Tom desperately, steering to one of the several +repair stations on the inner side of the track. "Be ready with the +extra wheel, Mr. Sharp!" + +"Right you are!" cried the balloonist. The car was scarcely stopped +when he had leaped out, and had the lifting jack under the left rear +wheel, where the tire had gone to the bad. He and Tom labored like +Trojans to take off the wheel, and put on the other. They lost five +minutes, and when they got under way again the red and the green cars +were three quarters of a lap ahead. + +"You've got to catch them!" declared Sharp firmly. + +But the red and the green car drivers saw their advantage, and were +determined to hold it. Tom could not catch them without going his +limit, and he did not want to do this just yet. However, he had his +opportunity when about two hundred miles had been covered. Both the red +and the green cars had tire troubles, but the red one was delayed +scarcely two minutes as there was a corps of mechanics on hand to take +off the defective wheel and put on another. Still Tom regained his lost +ground, and once more the race between those three cars was even. + +In the rear of Tom's car Mr. Sharp was mending the blown-out tire, +though there was still one spare wheel on reserve. Tom, in front, +peered eagerly at the track. Nearly side by side raced the red and the +green cars, the latter somewhat to the rear. + +It was at the three hundred and fiftieth mile that Tom had another +blow-out. This time it took a little longer to change the wheel, and +the red and green cars gained a full lap on him. The track was now so +dusty that it was difficult to see the contesting cars. Many had +dropped out, and more were on the verge of giving up. + +With the odds against him, Tom started in to regain the lost ground. +Narrowly he watched his electric power. Slowly he saw it dropping. +Would he have enough left to finish out the race? He feared not. The +hours were passing. Still there was a hundred miles yet to go twenty +circuits of the track. Some of the spectators were getting weary and +leaving. The band played spasmodically. + +Suddenly Tom saw the red car shoot to one side of the track, toward a +charging station; The green car followed. + +"That's our cue!" cried the young inventor "We need a little more +'juice' and now is the time to get it." + +The lad ran to the shed where his charging wires were, and they were +connected in a trice. He allowed twenty-five minutes for the charging, +as he knew with his improved battery he could get enough current in +that time to finish the contest. Before the red and green car drivers +had finished installing new batteries, for they could not recharge as +quickly as could our hero, Tom was on the track again. But, in a little +while, his two rivals were after him. + +It was now a spectacular race. Around and around swept the three big +cars. All the others were practically out of it. The crowd became +lively airs. Mile after mile was reeled off. The day was passing. Tired +and covered with dust from the track, Tom still sat at the steering +wheel. + +"Two laps more!" cried Mr. Sharp, as the starter's pistol gave this +warning. "Can you get away from 'em, Tom?" + +The red and the green cars were following closely. The young inventor +looked back and nodded. He turned on more power, almost to the +limit--that he was saving for the final spurt. But after him still came +the two big cars. Suddenly the red car shot ahead, just as the last lap +was beginning. The green tried to follow, but there was a flash of +fire, a loud report, and Tom knew a fuse had blown out. There was no +time for his rival to put in a new one. The race was now between Tom +and the red car. Could the lad catch and pass it? + +They were now only a mile from the finish. The red car was three +lengths ahead. With a quick motion Tom turned on the last bit of power. +There seemed to come a roar from his motor and his car shot ahead. It +was on even terms with the red car when what Tom had been fearing for +the last five minutes happened: his fuse blew out. + +"Too bad! It's all up with us!" cried Mr. Sharp. + +"No!" cried Tom in a ringing voice. "I've got an emergency fuse ready!" +He snapped a switch in place, putting into commission another fuse. The +motor that had lost speed began to pick it up again. Tom had pulled +back the controller handle, but he now shoved it forward again, notch +by notch, until it was at the limit. He had fallen back from the red +car, and the occupants of that, with a yell of triumph, prepared to +cross the line a winner. + +But, like a race horse that nerves himself for the last desperate +spurt, Tom's machine fairly leaped ahead. With his hands gripping the +rim of the steering wheel, until it seemed that the bones of his +fingers would protrude, Tom sent his car straight for the finishing +tape. There was a yell from the spectators. Men were standing up, +waving their hats and shouting. Women were fairly screaming. Mr. Damon +was blessing everything within sight. Mr. Sharp, in his excitement, was +pushing on the back of the front seats as if to shove the car ahead. + +Then, as the pistol announced the close of the race, Tom's car, with +what seemed a mighty leap, like a hunter clearing a ditch, forged +ahead, and crossed the line a length in advance of the red car. Tom +Swift had Won. + +Amid the cheers of the crowd the lad slowed up, and, at the direction +of the judges, wheeled back to the stand, to receive the prize. A +certified check for three thousand dollars was handed him, and he +received the congratulations of the racing officials. The driver of the +red car also generously praised him. + +"You won fair and square," he said, shaking hands with Tom. + +The young inventor and his friends drove their car to their shed. As +Tom was descending, weary and begrimed with dust he heard a voice +asking: + +"Mayn't I congratulate you also?" + +He wheeled around, to confront Mary Nestor, immaculate in a summer gown. + +"Why--why," he stammered. "I--I thought you didn't come." + +"Oh, yes I did," she answered, laughing. "I wouldn't have missed it for +anything. I arrived late, but I saw the whole race. Wasn't it +glorious. I'm so glad you won!" Tom was too, now, but he shrank back +when Miss Nestor held out both daintily gloved hands to him. His hands +were covered with oil and dirt. + +"As if I cared for my gloves!" she cried, and she took possession of +his hands, a proceeding to which Tom was nothing loath. "Are you going +to race any more?" she asked, as he walked along by her side, away from +the gathering crowd. + +"I don't know," he replied. "My car is speedier than I thought it was. +Perhaps I may enter it in other contests." + +But what Tom Swift did later on will be told in another volume, to be +called, "Tom Swift and His Wireless Message; or, The Castaways of +Earthquake Island"--a strange tale of ship-wreck and mystery. + +The run back home was made without incident, save for a broken chain, +easily repaired, the day following the race, and Tom later received a +number of invitations to give exhibitions of speed. Several automobile +manufacturers wanted to secure the rights to his machine, but he said +he desired to consider the matter before acting. He did not forget his +promise to Mrs. Baggert, regarding the diamond earrings, and bought her +the finest pair he could find. + +"Come on, Mr. Sharp," proposed Tom, a week or so after the big race, +"let's go for a spin in the airship. I want to see how it feels to be +among the clouds once more," and they were soon soaring aloft. + +The new bank, started by Mr. Foger, did not flourish long. It closed +its doors in less than six months, but the old institution was stronger +than ever. Mr. Berg disappeared, and Tom never learned whether the +agent really was the man he had chased, and whose watch charm he tore +loose, though he always had his suspicions. Nor did it ever develop who +crossed the electric wires, so that Tom was so nearly fatally shocked. +Andy Foger disliked our hero more than ever, and on several occasions +caused him not a little trouble, but Tom was able to look after himself. + + + + +THE END + + + + + +This Isn't All! + +Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in +this book? + +Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and +experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author? + +On the reverse side of the wrapper which comes with this book, you will +find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same store +where you got this book. + +Don't throw away the Wrapper + +Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. But +in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete +catalog. + + + +THE TOM SWIFT SERIES + +By VICTOR APPLETON + +Uniform Style of Binding. Individual Colored Wrappers, Every Volume +Complete in Itself. + +Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift is a +bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make the most +interesting kind of reading. + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORBOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE + TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS + TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE + TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER + TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON + TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP + TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL + TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDER + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH + TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER + TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS + + + +THE DON STURDY SERIES + +By VICTOR APPLETON + + Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations by + WALTER S. ROGERS + Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +In the company with his uncles, one a mighty hunter and the other a +noted scientist, Don Sturdy travels far and wide, gaining much useful +knowledge and meeting many thrilling adventures. + +DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY; + An engrossing tale of the Sahara Desert, of encounters with + wild animals and crafty Arabs. + +DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS; + Don's uncle, the hunter, took an order for some of the biggest + snakes to be found in South America--to be delivered alive! + +DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD; + A fascinating tale of exploration and adventure in the Valley + of Kings in Egypt. + +DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE; + A great polar blizzard nearly wrecks the airship of the + explorers. + +DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES; + An absorbing tale of adventure among the volcanos of Alaska. + +DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS; + This story is just full of exciting and fearful experiences on + the sea. + +DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS; + A thrilling story of adventure in darkest Africa. Don is + carried over a mighty waterfall into the heart of gorilla land. + + + +THE TOM SWIFT SERIES + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-CYCLE + Or Fun and Adventure on the Road + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT + Or the Rivals of Lake Carlopa + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP + Or the Stirring Cruise of the Red Cloud + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT + Or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT + Or the Speediest Car on the Road + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout, by +Victor Appleton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOM SWIFT AND ELECTRIC RUNABOUT *** + +***** This file should be named 950.txt or 950.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/9/5/950/ + +Produced by Anthony Matonac + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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