Tom Swift and His Sky Racer or The Quickest Flight on ... - Fourmilab

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102 CHAPTER 23. THE GREAT RACEbiplane, who raced against one in a Baby Wright. It was a dead heat, acc<strong>or</strong>dingto the judges. <strong>The</strong>n came a flight f<strong>or</strong> height; <strong>and</strong> while no rec<strong>or</strong>ds were broken,the crowd was well satisfied.“Get ready f<strong>or</strong> the hundred-mile ten-thous<strong>and</strong>-dollar-prize race!” shoutedthe announcer, through his megaphone.<strong>Tom</strong>’s heart gave a bound. <strong>The</strong>re were seven entrants in this contest besides<strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Andy Foger, <strong>and</strong> as announced by the starter they were as follows:CONTESTANTVon Bergen . . . . .Alameda . . . . . . . .Perique . . . . . . . . . .Loi Tong . . . . . . . .Wendell . . . . . . . . .De Tromp . . . . . . .Lascalle . . . . . . . . .Andy Foger . . . . .<strong>Tom</strong> <strong>Swift</strong> . . . . . . .MACHINEWright BiplaneAntoinette MonoplaneBleriot MonoplaneSantos-Dumont MonoplaneCurtis BiplaneFarman BiplaneDemoiselle MonoplaneHumming-Bird Monoplane“What is the style of the Foger machine?” yelled some one in the crowd, asthe announcer lowered his megaphone.“It has not been announced,” was the reply. “It will at once be wheeled outthough, in acc<strong>or</strong>dance with the conditions of the race.”<strong>The</strong>re was a craning of necks, <strong>and</strong> an uneasy movement in the crowd, f<strong>or</strong><strong>Tom</strong>’s st<strong>or</strong>y was now generally known.“Get ready to make your protest,” advised Mr. Damon to the young invent<strong>or</strong>.“I’ll stay by the machine here until you come back. Bless my radiat<strong>or</strong>! I hopeyou beat him!”“I will, if it’s possible!” murmured <strong>Tom</strong>, with a grim tightening of his lips.<strong>The</strong>re was a movement about Andy’s tent, whence, f<strong>or</strong> the last half hour hadcome spasmodic noises that indicated the trying-out of the mot<strong>or</strong>. <strong>The</strong> flapswere pulled back <strong>and</strong> a curious machine was wheeled into view. <strong>Tom</strong> rushedover toward it, intent on getting the first view. Would it prove to be a copy ofhis speedy Humming-Bird?Eagerly he looked, but a curious sight met his eyes. <strong>The</strong> machine was totallyunlike any he had expected to see. It was large, <strong>and</strong> to his mind rather clumsy,but it looked powerful. <strong>The</strong>n, as he took in the details, he knew that it was thesame one that had flown over his house that night—it was the one from whichthe fire bomb had been dropped.He pushed his way through the crowd. He saw Andy st<strong>and</strong>ing near thecurious biplane, which type of air craft it nearest resembled, though it hadsome monoplane features. On the side was painted the name:Andy caught sight of <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>Swift</strong>.SLUGGER
103“I’m going to beat you!” the bully boasted, <strong>and</strong> I haven’t a machine likeyours, after all. You were wrong.““So I see,” stammered <strong>Tom</strong>, hardly knowing what to think. “What did youdo with my plans then?”“I never had them!”Andy turned away, <strong>and</strong> began to assist the men he had hired to help him.Like all the others, his machine had two seats, f<strong>or</strong> in this race each operat<strong>or</strong>must carry a passenger.<strong>Tom</strong> turned away, both glad <strong>and</strong> s<strong>or</strong>ry,—glad that his rival was not to racehim in a duplicate of the Humming-Bird, but s<strong>or</strong>ry that he had as yet no trackof the strangely missing plans.“I wonder where they can be?” mused the young invent<strong>or</strong>.<strong>The</strong>n came the firing of the preliminary gun. <strong>Tom</strong> rushed back to where Mr.Damon stood waiting f<strong>or</strong> him.<strong>The</strong>re was a last look at the Humming-Bird. She was fit to race any machineon the ground. Mr. Damon took his place. <strong>Tom</strong> started the propeller. <strong>The</strong>other contestants were in their seats with their passengers. <strong>The</strong>ir assistantsstood ready to shove them off. <strong>The</strong> explosions of so many mot<strong>or</strong>s in action weredeafening.“How much thrust?” cried <strong>Tom</strong> to his machinist.“Twenty-two hundred pounds!”“Good!”<strong>The</strong> rep<strong>or</strong>t of the starting-gun could not be heard. But the smoke of itleaped into the air. It was the signal to go.<strong>Tom</strong>’s voice would not have carried five feet. He waved his h<strong>and</strong>s as asignal. <strong>His</strong> helper thrust the Humming-Bird f<strong>or</strong>ward. Over the smooth groundit rushed. <strong>Tom</strong> looked eagerly ahead. On a line with him were the othermachines, including Andy Foger’s Slugger.<strong>Tom</strong> pulled a lever. He felt his craft soar upward. <strong>The</strong> other machines alsopointed their noses into the air.<strong>The</strong> big race f<strong>or</strong> the ten-thous<strong>and</strong>-dollar prize was under way!
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Tom Swift<
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4 CONTENTS20 Just in Time 8921 “W
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6 CHAPTER 1. THE PRIZE OFFER“It
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8 CHAPTER 1. THE PRIZE OFFERHe star
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10 CHAPTER 2. MR. SWIFT IS ILL“<s
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Chapter 3The Plans
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Tom followed him,
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that the screen was also unhooked,
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Chapter 4Anxious DaysPeering on all
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21about him. He may have been sneak
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Chapter 5Building the Sky</
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25“Why, then this heavy beard of
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Who had them? Was some one making a
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Chapter 6Andy Foger Will ContestOne
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31“Then you go o
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near you were ready, and</s
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Chapter 7Seeking a ClueJohn Sharp w
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37“Well, because it will add to t
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Chapter 8The Empty
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He left the house by a side do<stro
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Chapter 9A Trial Flight</st
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emained much to do on it. It was no
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Chapter 10A Midnight Intruder<stron
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must do his very best, and<
Page 51 and 52: Chapter 11Tom Is H
Page 53 and 54: He did not intend to shoot at the m
Page 55 and 56: Chapter 12Miss Nestor</stro
Page 57 and 58: 57“It’s possible,” agreed the
Page 59 and 60: Chapter 13A Clash with Andy
Page 61 and 62: 61“It’s glorio
Page 63 and 64: 63Cautiously they entered the enclo
Page 65 and 66: Chapter 14The Grea
Page 67 and 68: “To-morrow, if I
Page 69 and 70: Chapter 15A Noise in the Night“We
Page 71 and 72: 71“Oh, we’ll take good care of
Page 73 and 74: Chapter 16A Mysterious FireF<strong
Page 75 and 76: Tom looked out. Fl
Page 77 and 78: Chapter 17Mr. Swift</strong
Page 79 and 80: above that the flames were now on t
Page 81 and 82: Chapter 18The Brok
Page 83 and 84: 83By daylight it was seen that quit
Page 85 and 86: Chapter 19A Nervy Specialist<strong
Page 87 and 88: was so absorbed in
Page 89 and 90: Chapter 20Just in TimeWhile Dr. Hen
Page 91 and 92: 91Humming-Bird gave a dangerous <st
Page 93 and 94: Chapter 21“Will He Live?”Soon t
Page 95 and 96: Chapter 22Off to the MeetSoftly <st
Page 97 and 98: There was a wirele
Page 99 and 100: Chapter 23The Grea
Page 101: 101“Don’t worr
Page 105 and 106: Chapter 24Won by a LengthRising upw
Page 107 and 108: 107he would wait until five miles f
Page 109 and 110: Chapter 25Home Again—ConclusionMr
Page 111 and 112: 111But Tom almost
Page 113 and 114: 113“Indeed I did. But you helped
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Tom Swift and His Sky Racer or The Quickest Flight on ... - Fourmilab

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