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

Chapter 10A Midnight Intruder<strong>Tom</strong> <strong>Swift</strong> sent his wonderful little craft upward on a gentle slant. Higher <strong>and</strong>higher it rose above the ground. Now it topped the trees; now it was well overthem.On the earth below stood Mr. <strong>Swift</strong>, Mr. Jackson, Eradicate <strong>and</strong> Mrs. Baggert.<strong>The</strong>y were the only witnesses of the trial flight, <strong>and</strong> as the aged invent<strong>or</strong>saw his son’s latest design in aeroplanes circling in the air he gave a cheer ofdelight. It was too feeble f<strong>or</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> to hear, but the lad, glancing down, saw hisfather waving his h<strong>and</strong> to him.“Dear old dad!” thought <strong>Tom</strong>, waving in return. “I hope he’s well enoughto see me win the big prize.”<strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mr. Damon went skimming easily through the air, at no greatspeed, to be sure, f<strong>or</strong> the young invent<strong>or</strong> did not want to put too sudden astrain on his mot<strong>or</strong>.“This is gl<strong>or</strong>ious!” cried the odd gentleman. “I never shall have enough ofaeroplaning, <strong>Tom</strong>!”“N<strong>or</strong> I, either,” added his companion. “But how do you like it? Don’t youthink it’s an improvement on my Butterfly, Mr. Damon?”“It certainly is. You’re a wonder, <strong>Tom</strong>! Look out! What are you up to?”f<strong>or</strong> the machine had suddenly swerved in a startling manner.“Oh, that’s just a new kind of spiral dip I was trying,” answered <strong>Tom</strong>. “Icouldn’t do that with my other machine, f<strong>or</strong> I couldn’t turn sharp enough.”“Well, don’t do it right away again,” begged Mr. Damon, who had turneda little white, <strong>and</strong> whose breath was coming in gasps, even though he was usedto hair-raising stunts in the frail craft of the air.<strong>Tom</strong> did not take his machine far away, f<strong>or</strong> he did not want to exhibit it tothe public yet, <strong>and</strong> he preferred to remain in the vicinity of his home, in case ofany accident. So he circled around, did figures of eight, went up <strong>and</strong> down onlong slants, took sharp turns, <strong>and</strong> gave the craft a good tryout.“Does it satisfy you?” asked Mr. Damon, when <strong>Tom</strong> had once m<strong>or</strong>e madethe spiral dip, but not at high speed.“In a way, yes,” was the answer. “I see a chance f<strong>or</strong> several changes <strong>and</strong>47