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

Chapter 13A Clash with Andy<strong>Tom</strong> lost no time in writing to Mr. Sharp. He wondered m<strong>or</strong>e <strong>and</strong> m<strong>or</strong>e at hisown neglect in not bef<strong>or</strong>e having asked the balloonist, when the latter was inShopton, where Andy was building his aeroplane. But, as it developed later,Mr. Sharp did not know at that time.While waiting f<strong>or</strong> a reply to his letter, <strong>Tom</strong> busied himself about his owncraft, making several changes he had decided on. He also began to paint <strong>and</strong>dec<strong>or</strong>ate it, f<strong>or</strong> he wanted to have the Humming-Bird present a neat appearancewhen she was officially entered in the great race.Miss Nest<strong>or</strong> called on <strong>Tom</strong> again, <strong>and</strong> Mr. Damon was a frequent visit<strong>or</strong>. Heagreed to accompany <strong>Tom</strong> to the aviation park when it was time f<strong>or</strong> the race,<strong>and</strong> also to be a passenger in the ten-thous<strong>and</strong>-dollar contest.“It must be perfectly wonderful to fly through the air,” said Miss Nest<strong>or</strong>one day, when <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mr. Damon had the Humming-Bird out on the testingground, trying the engine, which had been keyed up to a higher pitch of speed.“I consider it perfectly marvelous, <strong>and</strong> I can’t imagine how it must seem to skimalong that way.”“Come <strong>and</strong> try it,” urged <strong>Tom</strong> suddenly. “<strong>The</strong>re’s not a bit of danger. Reallythere isn’t.”“Oh! I’d never dare do it!” replied the girl, with a gasp. “That machine istoo swift by name <strong>and</strong> swift by nature f<strong>or</strong> me.”“Why don’t you take Miss Nest<strong>or</strong> on a grass-cutting flight, <strong>Tom</strong>?” suggestedMr. Damon. “Bless my lawn mower! but she wouldn’t be frightened at that.”“Grass cutting?” repeated the girl. “What in the w<strong>or</strong>ld does that mean?”“It means skimming along a few feet up in the air,” answered the younginvent<strong>or</strong>, who had now fully recovered from the effects of the blow given him bythe midnight intruder. In spite of many inquiries, no clues to his identity hadbeen obtained.“How high do you go when you ’cut grass,’ as you call it?” asked MissNest<strong>or</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> thought he detected a note of eager curiosity in her voice.“Not high at all,” he said. “In fact, sometimes I do cut off the tops of talldaisies. Come, Mary! Won’t you try that? I know you’ll like it, <strong>and</strong> when59