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

Chapter 6Andy Foger Will ContestOne afternoon, as <strong>Tom</strong> was w<strong>or</strong>king away in the shop on his sky racer, adjustingone of the rear rudders, <strong>and</strong> pausing now <strong>and</strong> then to admire the trim littlecraft, he heard some one approaching. Looking out through a small observationpeephole made f<strong>or</strong> this purpose, he saw Mrs. Baggert hurrying toward thebuilding.“I wonder what’s the matter?” he said aloud, f<strong>or</strong> there was a look of w<strong>or</strong>rimenton the lady’s face. <strong>Tom</strong> threw open the do<strong>or</strong>. “What is it, Mrs. Baggert?”he called. “Some one up at the house who wants to see me?”“No, it’s your father!” panted the housekeeper, f<strong>or</strong> she was quite stout. “Heis very ill again, <strong>and</strong> I can’t seem to get Dr. Gladby on the telephone. Centralsays he doesn’t answer.”“My father w<strong>or</strong>se!” cried <strong>Tom</strong> in alarm, dropping his tools <strong>and</strong> hurryingfrom the shop. “Where’s Eradicate? Send him f<strong>or</strong> the doct<strong>or</strong>. Perhaps thewires are broken. If he can’t locate Dr. Gladby, get Dr. Kurtz. We must havesome one. Here, Rad! Where are you?” he called, raising his voice.“Heah I be!” answered the col<strong>or</strong>ed man, coming from the direction of thegarden, which he had been weeding.“Get cut your mule, <strong>and</strong> go f<strong>or</strong> Dr. Gladby. If he isn’t home, get Dr. Kurtz.Hurry, Rad!”“I’s mighty s<strong>or</strong>ry, Massa <strong>Tom</strong>,” answered the col<strong>or</strong>ed man, “but I cain’thurry, nohow.”“Why not?”“Because Boomerang done gone lame, an’ he won’t run. I’ll go mahse’f, butI cain’t take dat air mule.”“Never mind. I’ll go in the Butterfly,” decided <strong>Tom</strong> quickly. “I’ll run upto the house <strong>and</strong> see how dad is, <strong>and</strong> while I’m gone, Rad, you get out theButterfly. I can make the trip in that. If Dr. Kurtz had a ’phone I could gethim, but he lives over on the back road, where there isn’t a line. Hurry, Rad!”“Yes, sah, Massa <strong>Tom</strong>, I’ll hurry!”<strong>The</strong> col<strong>or</strong>ed man knew how to get the monoplane in shape f<strong>or</strong> a flight, as hehad often done it.29