Tom Swift and His Airship

tew

," suggested Ned, after a pa

h these fellows, and I don't want him to worry any more. Besides, he is working on a new i

ion is he pl

e keeps at it. He hardly spares time to help Mr. Sharp a

If the place was robbed they might blame me; if they

be too glad to have the bl

ance expression, or how soon he himself was to fall unde

Ned, "and he can notify the watchman at the bank. But do y

und out our mistake about the

rip in one myself, if it didn

ours completed," promised his ch

ephoning from Tom's house to the bank president about having seen the suspicious men. That official thanked his young employee, and said he would take all necessary precautions. The telephone message was not sent until

into, but no such alarming report circulated in Shopton. In fact having made some inquiries that day of Ned, he learned

same ones," suggested Ned, when he p

nventor. "I'd be very glad to think so. Even if they were, your encount

wift, and with Garret Jackson, the engineer, to lend a hand whenever needed, the aer

ked Mr. Sharp one day, when the new al

olutionize travel along a certain line, but whether he is working on an airship that will rival ours, or a new automobile, I can't ma

we'll christen it after it's completed. Now if you'll tighten up some of tho

of the aeronaut from the blazing balloon over Lake Carlopa. The general idea of the airship was that of the familiar aeroplane, but in addition to the sustaining sur

ere carefully made, of different layers of wood "built up" as they are called, to make them stronger. They were eight feet in diameter, and driven by a twenty-cylinder, air-cooled, m

age. It was a complete living room, with the engine and other apparatus, including that for generating the gas, in a separate compartment, and the whole was the combined work of Tom and Mr. Sharp. There were accommodations for five

m case before starting, to sustain the ship for two weeks. The engine, steering apparatus, and the gas machine were within easy reach and control of the pilot, who

eels, as is done in the case of the ordinary aeroplane, or it could be lifted by the gas

ng inventor and Mr. Sharp had made no mistake this time. No explosio

nd have a trial flight. We shall need a few more aluminum bolts, though, and if you don't mind you m

o Shopton, and Merton was a machinist

m. "I'll start now. Ho

ouple of

pt. As he passed the building where the big frame of the airship,

ng to the apparatus as if it could understand. "I guess we'll smash some re

trifling matter, which he soon put right, when he was aware of a man standing, observing him. Without looking up at the man's face, the young inventor was unpleasantly aware of a sharp scrutiny. He could hardly explain it, but

face. "I thought I recognized you." He moved nearer to

me," admitt

t on Morse. "I'm not done with y

faster than usual. Morse had spoken in a threatening manner, and, as the youth look

an. "You got me and my frien

his father had suffered at the hands of the gang. "You ought to be in jail now, instead of out;

law," sneered Morse. "Well, I tell you one thin

cried Tom, and he boldly faced the

We'll get even with you yet, Tom Swift. In fact I've a good

quickly into the street, where the lad stood beside his wheel

Tom, who was hampered by havi

you!" retorted the scoundrel. "I'm goin

of a wagon, drawn by a big, loose-jointed mule, the large ears of which were flapping to and fro. The animal was advancing rapidly, in respon

he colored man in the wagon. "What are

u drive on and let me manage this affair if

fully. "I's Eradicate Sampson, an' dish yeah am mah mule, Boomerang. Whoa

u want trouble

an' Boomerang has had lots of trouble. We's used to it. No, Mistah Man, you'd be

ed Morse, now unreasoningly angry. "Thi

e, but the latter, letting go his hold on the lad's shoulder, grasped with that hand, the fist wh

Swift!" directed the colored

is own troubles doing

romptly, as he climbed back off the seat,

rfere with me!"

nd laid his motor-cycle on the ground, in order to ha

cried Morse, as he started toward Tom, his eyes

yo' suffin yo' ain't lookin'

the contents of the bucket over Morse, who was rushing at Tom. The white fluid spread over the m

he grasped his long handled brush, and clambered down from the wagon, ready for a renewal of the