108 CHAPTER 24. WON BY A LENGTH<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was nothing to be d<strong>on</strong>e. He could not reach it In mid-air. He could <strong>on</strong>lykeep <strong>on</strong>, crippled as he was, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> trust to luck.Andy passed by his rival with an evil smile <strong>on</strong> his ugly face. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n theAntoinette flashed by. In turn all the others left <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> in the rear. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s heartwas like lead. Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong> gazed blankly f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ward. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y were beaten. It did notseem possible.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was but a single chance. If <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> shut off all power, coasted f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> amoment, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> then, ere the propeller had ceased revolving, if he could start themot<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> the spark, the silent cylinders might pick up, with the others, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>begin again. He would try it. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y could be no w<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>se off than they were.“A mile behind!” gasped <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>. “It’s a l<strong>on</strong>g chance, but I’ll take it.”He shut off the power. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> mot<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> was silent. the Humming-Bird beganto fall. But ere she had g<strong>on</strong>e down ten feet <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> suddenly switched <strong>on</strong> thebatteries. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a moment of silence, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> then came the welcome roar thattold of the rekindled mot<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>. And such a roar as it was! Every cylinder wasexploding as though n<strong>on</strong>e of them had ever stopped!“We did it!” yelled <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Opening up at full speed, he sent the sky racer <strong>on</strong>the course to overtake <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> pass his rivals.Slowly he crept <strong>on</strong> them. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y looked back <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> saw him coming. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y triedto put <strong>on</strong> m<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e speed, but it was impossible. Andy Foger was in the lead. Hewas being slowly overhauled by the Santos-Dum<strong>on</strong>t, with the queer tail-rudders.“I’ll get him!” muttered <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>. “I’ll pass ’em all!”And he did. With a w<strong>on</strong>derful burst of speed the little Humming-Birdovertook <strong>on</strong>e after another of her larger rivals, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> passed them. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n shecrept up <strong>on</strong> Andy’s Slugger.In an instant m<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e it was d<strong>on</strong>e, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>, a good length in advance of the Fogercraft, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> shot over the finish line a winner, richer by ten thous<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> dollars,<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>, not <strong>on</strong>ly that, but he had picked up a mile that had been lost, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> hadsnatched vict<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>y from almost certain defeat.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a successi<strong>on</strong> of thundering cheers as he shut off the mot<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>volplaned to earth, but he paid little attenti<strong>on</strong> to them. He brought his craft toa stop just as the wireless <strong>on</strong> it buzzed again.He listened with a look of pain <strong>on</strong> his face.“My father is dying,” he said simply. “I must go to him. Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong>, willyou fill the tanks with oil <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> gasoline, while I send off a message?”“Oil <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> gasoline,” murmured the odd man, while hundreds pressed up toc<strong>on</strong>gratulate <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swift</str<strong>on</strong>g> “What are you going to do?”“I’m going to my father in the Humming-Bird, said <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>. ”It’s the <strong>on</strong>ly wayI can see him alive,“ <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> he began to click off a message to Mr. Jacks<strong>on</strong>, statingthat he had w<strong>on</strong> the race <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> was going to fly to Shopt<strong>on</strong>, while Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong><str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> several others replenished the fuel <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> oil of the aeroplane.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swift</str<strong>on</strong>g> had w<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong>e race. Could he win the other?
Chapter 25Home Again—C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>Mr. Sharp pushed his way through the crowd.“<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> committee has the certified check ready f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> you, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>,” called theballo<strong>on</strong>ist. “Will you come <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> get it?”“Send it to me, please,” answered the young invent<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>. “I must go to myfather.”“Huh! I’d have beaten him in another round,” boasted Andy Foger. No <strong>on</strong>epaid any attenti<strong>on</strong> to him.“M<strong>on</strong>sieur ezz plucky!” said the Frenchman, Perique. “I am h<strong>on</strong>aired toshake his h<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>! He has broken all ze rec<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ds!”“Dot’s der best machine I effer saw,” spoke the Dutchman, De Tromp, p<strong>on</strong>derously.“Shake h<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>s!”“Ver’ fine, ver’ good!” came from the little Japanese, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> all the c<strong>on</strong>testantsc<strong>on</strong>gratulated <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> warmly. Never bef<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e had a hundred miles been covered sospeedily.A man elbowed his way through the press of people.“Is your machine fully protected by patents?” he inquired earnestly.“It is,” said <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>.“<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n, as a representative of the United States Government, I would like anopti<strong>on</strong> to purchase the exclusive right to use them,” said the man. “Can youguarantee that no <strong>on</strong>e else has any plans of them? It will mean a f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>tune toyou.”<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> hesitated. He thought of the stolen plans. If he could <strong>on</strong>ly get possessi<strong>on</strong>of them! He glanced at Andy Foger, who was wheeling his machine hackinto the tent. But there was no time now to have it out with the bully.“I will see you again,” said <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> to the government agent. “I must go to myfather, who is dying. I can’t answer you now.”<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> tanks were filled. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> gave a hasty look to his machine, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>, bidding hisnew friends fairwell, he <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong> took their places aboard the Humming-Bird. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> little craft rose in the air, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> so<strong>on</strong> they had left Eagle Park farbehind. Eagerly <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> strained his eyes f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> a sight of his home town, though heknew it would be several hours ere he could hover over it.109
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