Tom Swift and His Airship

xplo

all rea

ned near some complicated apparatus, while the questioner,

went on the man. "Look out for you

y for it. If it does explod

e had so much trouble with the airsh

ft. "I'll watch the pressure gauge, and, if it goes

ooking anxiously at him, turned his gaze now and then toward a gauge, somewhat like those on st

me building where the two were conducting an experim

jump," advi

pressure is going up very slowly. M

ok out now. You can't tell

rom the tank, through the pipes, and into the aluminum container,

m quickly. "It's coming

ers, sought to fit the wrench over the nipple of the contr

"It's jammed! I can't shut off the

pen, a stop-cock, that he might relieve the strain. One trial showed him that the valve there had jammed too, and catching up a roll of blue prints the lad made a dash for the door of the sh

d shavings flew out of the door after the man and the yo

swung around to look back at the place where

t! How ab

e gauge on or we'd never have known when to run. Well, we've m

t mistake. I see what the trouble is now; and know how to remedy it. Co

t up, and that's so light it didn't do much damage. But we'd better w

the shop, which, in spite of the explosion that had taken place in it, was still intact, wh

We're al

happ

but I think we've had the last of our bad luck. We're going to try it again. Up to n

ce chimed in. "I'm sure something dreadful will happen! This is

. Baggert," interrupted T

ad in the oven," went on Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, "and I was so startled that I

, trying not to laugh. "We'll s

ed the motherly-looking woman, who looked

orted the lad. "We see where our

replied the ot

sed Tom. "Maybe we can rig up another container, mix some

ged inventor, once more. "I'm afraid you two ha

his son. "You'll see us yet s

n't be very likely to see you. But go sl

er bread. Tom and Mr. Sharp started toward the shop where they had been working. It was one of

om, as he peered in through a window, void of

ppy sentences, which, however, said all he meant. "The fumes of that gas aren't

pungent odor, and Tom felt an unplea

. Sharp. "I'll be looking over t

s knee, as he sat on an upturned barrel, the lad walked toward the rear of the large yard. It was enclosed by a high board fence, with a locked gate, but

dy Foger, Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey. I

dy Foger, a red-haired and squint-eyed lad, a sort of town bully, with

are killed?"

for doctors

out Pete, and he had to sit down

clearly much puzzled. "What are

illed in the explosion we heard

ne," rep

exclaimed Pete. "We heard

he smoke," ad

with a smile, "but no one was killed; or even hu

questioningly, and the disappoi

m, his crony, and he, t

g," continued Pete, ano

were walking along the lake road, and we heard an awful racket. If the police

harp, the balloonist, and I were conducting an experiment with a new kind of gas, and it was too strong,

" demanded Andy, and again he sp

e back at him sharply, "but, as everyone will soon kno

laimed Sam and Pe

e. "Well, I don't think you can do it, Tom Swift! You'll neve

a trifle nettled at the s

an you are to build an airship that will sai

let Andy Foger make him angry. "Maybe you can beat me at racing, too?" he went on. "If you think so, b

for, more than once had Tom, in his motor-boat, proved mo

ised Sam, in a low voice. "

ause my motor wasn't working right," he conceded, "but you can't do it again.

and then, if you want to race the Red Streak against that, I'll accommodate you. Or, if you

alloonist from being killed when his balloon caught fire," went on Andy,

to side with their crony, to whom they were in

Meanwhile, if you want to try the Red Streak against

his speedy boat, by a much smaller and less powerful one, was a sor

ou. I'm sick of hearing it. I consider that a threat, and I don't like it. If you d

d clenched fists, took a st

m," advised Sam. "We'l

s noticed that he shuffled off. "You just wait, I'll fix

d have made a more substantial rejoinder to Andy than mer

d away, Tom," he said. "We

Tom Swift turned aside, and followed