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

113“Indeed I did. But you helped me win, Mr. Damon.”“Nonsense!” exclaimed the odd man.“Yes, you did. You helped me a lot.”“Well, are you going to keep after m<strong>or</strong>e air-prizes, <strong>Tom</strong>, <strong>or</strong> are you going totry f<strong>or</strong> something else?” asked his father.“I don’t believe I’ll go in any m<strong>or</strong>e aeroplane races right away,” answeredthe young invent<strong>or</strong>. “F<strong>or</strong> some time I’ve been wanting to complete <strong>and</strong> perfectmy electric rifle. I think I’ll begin w<strong>or</strong>k on that soon.”“And go hunting?” asked Mr. Damon.“I think so,” answered <strong>Tom</strong>, dreamily. “I don’t know just where, though.”Where he went, <strong>and</strong> what he shot, will be told in the next volume of thisseries, to be called: “<strong>Tom</strong> <strong>Swift</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>His</strong> Electric Rifle; <strong>or</strong>, Daring Adventuresin Elephant L<strong>and</strong>.”F<strong>or</strong> a few moments after <strong>Tom</strong>’s announcement no one spoke, then the younginvent<strong>or</strong> said:“It’s too bad that first set of plans were stolen. If I had them I could makea good deal with the Government about my little aeroplane. But they don’twant to take up with it as long as there is a chance of some f<strong>or</strong>eign nationgetting inf<strong>or</strong>mation about the secret parts, <strong>and</strong> my patents won’t hold abroad.I wonder if there is any way of getting those plans away from Andy Foger? Idon’t underst<strong>and</strong> why he hasn’t used them bef<strong>or</strong>e this. I thought sure he wouldmake a craft like the Humming-Bird to race against me.”“What plans are those?” asked Mr. <strong>Swift</strong>.“Why, don’t you remember?” asked <strong>Tom</strong>. “<strong>The</strong> ones I showed you one day,in the library, when you fell asleep, <strong>and</strong> some one slipped in <strong>and</strong> stole them.”A curious look came over Mr. <strong>Swift</strong>’s face. He passed his h<strong>and</strong> across hisbrow.“I am beginning to remember something I have been trying to recall eversince I became ill,” he said slowly. “It is coming back to me. Those plans—inthe library—I fell asleep, but bef<strong>or</strong>e I did so I hid those plans, <strong>Tom</strong>!”“You hid those plans!” <strong>Tom</strong> fairly shouted the w<strong>or</strong>ds.“Yes, I remember feeling a drowsy feeling coming on, <strong>and</strong> I feared lest someone might see the drawings. I got up <strong>and</strong> put them under the window, in a little,hollow place in the foundation wall. <strong>The</strong>n I came back in through the windowagain, <strong>and</strong> went to sleep. <strong>The</strong>n, on account of my illness, just as I once bef<strong>or</strong>ef<strong>or</strong>got something, <strong>and</strong> thought the minister had called, I lost all recollection ofthem. I hid those plans.”<strong>Tom</strong> leaped to his feet. He rushed to the place named by his father. Soonhis triumphant shout told of his success. He came hurrying back into the housewith a roll of papers in his h<strong>and</strong>s.And there were the long-missing plans! Damp <strong>and</strong> stained by the weather,but all there. No enemy had them, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong>’s secret was safe.“Now I can accept the Government offer!” he cried. And a few weeks later hemade a most advantageous deal with the United States officials f<strong>or</strong> his patents.Dr. Gladby explained that Mr. <strong>Swift</strong>’s queer action was due to his illness.He became liable to lapses of mem<strong>or</strong>y, <strong>and</strong> one happened just after he hid away