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

Chapter 9A Trial <strong>Flight</strong>F<strong>or</strong> a few moments after their exclamations of surprise <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mr. Damondid not know what else to say. <strong>The</strong>y stared about in amazement, hardly able tobelieve that the shed could be empty. <strong>The</strong>y had expected to see some f<strong>or</strong>m ofaeroplane in it, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> was almost sure his eyes would meet a reproductionof his Humming Bird, made from the stolen plans.“Can it be possible there’s nothing here?” went on <strong>Tom</strong>, after a long pause.He could not seem to believe it“Evidently not,” answered Mr. Damon, as he advanced toward the center ofthe big building <strong>and</strong> flashed the light on all sides. “You can see f<strong>or</strong> yourself.”“Or, rather, you can’t see,” spoke the youth. “It isn’t here, that’s sure. Youcan’t stick an aeroplane, even as small a one as my Humming Bird, in a c<strong>or</strong>ner.No; it isn’t here,”“Well, we’ll have to look further,” went on Mr. Damon. “I think—”But a sudden noise near the big main do<strong>or</strong>s of the shed interrupted him.“Come on!” exclaimed <strong>Tom</strong> in a whisper. “Some one’s coining! <strong>The</strong>y maysee us! Let’s get out!”Mr. Damon released the pressure on the spring switch, <strong>and</strong> the light went out.After waiting a moment to let their eyes become accustomed to the darkness,he <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> stole to the do<strong>or</strong> by which they had entered. As they swung itcautiously open they again heard the noise near the main p<strong>or</strong>tals by which Andyhad f<strong>or</strong>merly taken in <strong>and</strong> out the Anthony, as he had named the aeroplane inwhich he <strong>and</strong> his father went to Alaska, where, like <strong>Tom</strong>’s craft, it was wrecked.“Some one is coming in!” whispered <strong>Tom</strong>.Hardly had he spoken when a light shone in the direction of the sound. <strong>The</strong>illumination came from a big lantern of the <strong>or</strong>dinary kind, carried by some onewho had just entered the shed.“Can you see who it is?” whispered Mr. Damon, peering eagerly f<strong>or</strong>ward;too eagerly, f<strong>or</strong> his foot struck against the wooden side wall with a loud hang.“Who’s there?” suddenly dem<strong>and</strong>ed the person carrying the lantern.He raised it high above his head, in <strong>or</strong>der to cast the gleams into all thedistant c<strong>or</strong>ners. As he did so a ray of light fell upon his face. “Andy Foger!”43