102 CHAPTER 23. THE GREAT RACEbiplane, who raced against <strong>on</strong>e in a Baby Wright. It was a dead heat, acc<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>dingto the judges. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n came a flight f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> height; <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> while no rec<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ds were broken,the crowd was well satisfied.“Get ready f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> the hundred-mile ten-thous<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>-dollar-prize race!” shoutedthe announcer, through his megaph<strong>on</strong>e.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s heart gave a bound. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re were seven entrants in this c<strong>on</strong>test besides<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Andy Foger, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> as announced by the starter they were as follows:CONTESTANTV<strong>on</strong> Bergen . . . . .Alameda . . . . . . . .Perique . . . . . . . . . .Loi T<strong>on</strong>g . . . . . . . .Wendell . . . . . . . . .De Tromp . . . . . . .Lascalle . . . . . . . . .Andy Foger . . . . .<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swift</str<strong>on</strong>g> . . . . . . .MACHINEWright BiplaneAntoinette M<strong>on</strong>oplaneBleriot M<strong>on</strong>oplaneSantos-Dum<strong>on</strong>t M<strong>on</strong>oplaneCurtis BiplaneFarman BiplaneDemoiselle M<strong>on</strong>oplaneHumming-Bird M<strong>on</strong>oplane“What is the style of the Foger machine?” yelled some <strong>on</strong>e in the crowd, asthe announcer lowered his megaph<strong>on</strong>e.“It has not been announced,” was the reply. “It will at <strong>on</strong>ce be wheeled outthough, in acc<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>dance with the c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s of the race.”<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a craning of necks, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> an uneasy movement in the crowd, f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s st<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>y was now generally known.“Get ready to make your protest,” advised Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong> to the young invent<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>.“I’ll stay by the machine here until you come back. Bless my radiat<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>! I hopeyou beat him!”“I will, if it’s possible!” murmured <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>, with a grim tightening of his lips.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a movement about Andy’s tent, whence, f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> the last half hour hadcome spasmodic noises that indicated the trying-out of the mot<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> flapswere pulled back <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> a curious machine was wheeled into view. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> rushedover toward it, intent <strong>on</strong> 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. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> machine was totallyunlike any he had expected to see. It was large, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> to his mind rather clumsy,but it looked powerful. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n, as he took in the details, he knew that it was thesame <strong>on</strong>e that had flown over his house that night—it was the <strong>on</strong>e from whichthe fire bomb had been dropped.He pushed his way through the crowd. He saw Andy st<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing near thecurious biplane, which type of air craft it nearest resembled, though it hadsome m<strong>on</strong>oplane features. On the side was painted the name:Andy caught sight of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swift</str<strong>on</strong>g>.SLUGGER
103“I’m going to beat you!” the bully boasted, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> I haven’t a machine likeyours, after all. You were wr<strong>on</strong>g.““So I see,” stammered <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>, hardly knowing what to think. “What did youdo with my plans then?”“I never had them!”Andy turned away, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> began to assist the men he had hired to help him.Like all the others, his machine had two seats, f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> in this race each operat<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>must carry a passenger.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> turned away, both glad <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> s<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry,—glad that his rival was not to racehim in a duplicate of the Humming-Bird, but s<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry that he had as yet no trackof the strangely missing plans.“I w<strong>on</strong>der where they can be?” mused the young invent<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n came the firing of the preliminary gun. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> rushed back to where Mr.Dam<strong>on</strong> stood waiting f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> him.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a last look at the Humming-Bird. She was fit to race any machine<strong>on</strong> the ground. Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong> took his place. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> started the propeller. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>other c<strong>on</strong>testants were in their seats with their passengers. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir assistantsstood ready to shove them off. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> explosi<strong>on</strong>s of so many mot<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>s in acti<strong>on</strong> weredeafening.“How much thrust?” cried <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> to his machinist.“Twenty-two hundred pounds!”“Good!”<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> rep<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>t of the starting-gun could not be heard. But the smoke of itleaped into the air. It was the signal to go.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s voice would not have carried five feet. He waved his h<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>s as asignal. <str<strong>on</strong>g>His</str<strong>on</strong>g> helper thrust the Humming-Bird f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ward. Over the smooth groundit rushed. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> looked eagerly ahead. On a line with him were the othermachines, including Andy Foger’s Slugger.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> pulled a lever. He felt his craft soar upward. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> other machines alsopointed their noses into the air.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> big race f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> the ten-thous<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>-dollar prize was under way!