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

60 CHAPTER 13. A CLASH WITH ANDYyou’ve been over the lawn a few times you’ll be ready f<strong>or</strong> a high flight. Come!there’s no danger.”“I—I almost believe I will,” she said hesitatingly. “Will you take me downwhen I want to come?”“Of course,” said <strong>Tom</strong>. “Get in, <strong>and</strong> we’ll start.”<strong>The</strong> Humming-Bird was all ready f<strong>or</strong> a trial flight, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> was glad of thechance to test it, especially with such a pretty passenger as was Miss Nest<strong>or</strong>.“Bless my shoelaces!” cried Mr. Damon. “I can see where I am going to becut out, <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>Swift</strong>. I’ll not get many m<strong>or</strong>e rides with you now that Miss Nest<strong>or</strong>is taking to aeroplaning, you young rascal!” And he playfully shook his fingerat <strong>Tom</strong>.“Oh, I don’t expect to get enthusiastic over it,” said Miss Nest<strong>or</strong>, who, nowthat she had taken her place in one of the small seats under the engine, appearedas if she would be glad of the chance to change her mind. But she did not.“Now, if you take me m<strong>or</strong>e than five feet up in the air, I’ll never speak toyou again, <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>Swift</strong>!” she exclaimed.“Five feet it shall be, unless you yourself ask to go higher,” was the youth’sreply, as he winked at Mr. Damon. Well he knew the fascination of aeroplaning,<strong>and</strong> he was almost sure of what would happen. “You can take a tape measurealong, <strong>and</strong> see f<strong>or</strong> yourself,” he added to his fair passenger. “<strong>The</strong> barographwill hardly register such a little height.”“Well, it’s as high as I want to go,” said the girl. “Oh!” with a scream, as<strong>Tom</strong> started the propeller. “Are we going?”“In a moment,” was his reply. He took his seat beside the girl. <strong>The</strong> mot<strong>or</strong>was speeded up until it sounded like the roar of the ocean surf in a st<strong>or</strong>m.“Let her go!” cried <strong>Tom</strong> to Mr. Damon <strong>and</strong> Mr. Jackson, who were holdingback the Humming-Bird. <strong>The</strong>y gave her a slight shove to over-come the inertia,<strong>and</strong> the trim little craft darted across the ground at every increasing speed.Miss Nest<strong>or</strong> caught her breath with a gasp, glanced at <strong>Tom</strong>, <strong>and</strong> noted howcool he was, <strong>and</strong> then her frantic grip of the uprights slightly relaxed.“We’ll go up a little way in a minute!” shouted <strong>Tom</strong> in her ear as they werespeeding over the level ground.He pulled a lever slightly, <strong>and</strong> the Humming-Bird rose a little in the air,but only f<strong>or</strong> a sh<strong>or</strong>t distance, not m<strong>or</strong>e than five feet, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> held her there,though he had to run the engine at a greater speed than would have been thecase had he been in the sustaining upper currents. It was as if the Humming-Bird resented being held so closely to the earth.Around in a big circle, back <strong>and</strong> f<strong>or</strong>th went the craft, at no time being m<strong>or</strong>ethan seven feet from the ground. <strong>Tom</strong> glanced at Miss Nest<strong>or</strong>. Her cheeks wereunusually red, <strong>and</strong> there was a bright sparkle in her eyes.“It’s gl<strong>or</strong>ious!” she cried. “Do you—do you think there’s any danger ingoing higher? I believe I’d like to go up a bit.”“I knew it!” cried <strong>Tom</strong>. “Up we go!” And he pulled the wind-bending planelever toward him. Upward shot the craft, as if alive.“Oh!” gasped Mary.“Sit still! It’s all right!” comm<strong>and</strong>ed <strong>Tom</strong>.