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

He did not intend to shoot at the man, but only to fire to scare him, <strong>and</strong>thus hasten the coming of Mr. Jackson <strong>and</strong> the col<strong>or</strong>ed man. But there was noneed of this, f<strong>or</strong> an instant later the two came running up silently, Eradicatewith a big club.“Whar am he?” he asked in a hoarse whisper. “Let me git at him, Massa<strong>Tom</strong>!”“Hush!” exclaimed the young invent<strong>or</strong>. “We have no time to lose! He’s inthere, getting ready to chop my aeroplane to bits! Go to the back do<strong>or</strong>, Rad,<strong>and</strong> if he tries to come out don’t let him get away.”“I won’t!” declared the col<strong>or</strong>ed man emphatically, <strong>and</strong> he shook his clubsuggestively.“Come on! We’ll go in the front do<strong>or</strong>,” whispered <strong>Tom</strong> to the engineer. “Ihave the key. We’ll catch him red-h<strong>and</strong>ed, <strong>and</strong> h<strong>and</strong> him over to the police.”Waiting a few seconds, to enable Eradicate to get to his place, <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong>the engineer stole softly toward the big double do<strong>or</strong>s. Every moment the youthexpected to hear the crash of the hatchet on his prize machine. He shivered inanticipation, but the blows did not fall.<strong>Tom</strong> pushed open the do<strong>or</strong> <strong>and</strong> stepped inside, followed by Mr. Jackson. Asthey did so they saw the man st<strong>and</strong>ing in front of the Humming-Bird. He againraised the little hatchet, which was like an Indian tomahawk, <strong>and</strong> poised it f<strong>or</strong>an instant over the delicate framew<strong>or</strong>k <strong>and</strong> planes of the air craft. <strong>The</strong>n his armbegan to descend.“Stop!” yelled <strong>Tom</strong>, <strong>and</strong> at the same time he fired in the air.<strong>The</strong> man turned as suddenly as though a bullet had struck him, <strong>and</strong> f<strong>or</strong> amoment <strong>Tom</strong> was afraid lest he had hit him by accident; but an instant laterthe intruder grabbed up his flashlight, <strong>and</strong> holding it bef<strong>or</strong>e him, so that itsrays shone full on <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mr. Jackson, while it left him in the shadow, sprangtoward them, the hatchet still in his h<strong>and</strong>.“Look out, <strong>Tom</strong>!” cried Mr. Jackson.“Out of my way!” shouted the man.Bravely <strong>Tom</strong> stood his ground. He wished now that he had a club instead ofhis revolver. <strong>The</strong> would-be v<strong>and</strong>al was almost upon him. Mr. Jackson clubbedhis rifle <strong>and</strong> swung it at the fellow. <strong>The</strong> latter dodged, <strong>and</strong> came straight at<strong>Tom</strong>.“Look out!” yelled the engineer again, but it was too late. <strong>The</strong>re was thesound of a blow, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> went down like a log. <strong>The</strong>n the place was in darkness,<strong>and</strong> the sound of footsteps in rapid flight could be heard outside the shed.<strong>The</strong> intruder, after wounding the young invent<strong>or</strong>, had made his escape.53