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

62 CHAPTER 13. A CLASH WITH ANDYHampton was a quiet little country town of about five thous<strong>and</strong> inhabitants,<strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> soon learned the address of Mr. Bentley, Andy’s uncle, from the hotelclerk.“What business is Mr. Bentley in?” asked <strong>Tom</strong>, f<strong>or</strong> he wanted to learn allhe could without inquiring of persons who might question his motives.“Oh, he’s retired,” said the clerk. “He lives on the interest of his money.But of late he’s been erecting some s<strong>or</strong>t of a building on his back lot, like a bigshed, <strong>and</strong> folks are s<strong>or</strong>t of wondering what he’s doing in it. Keeps mighty secretabout it. He’s got a young fellow helping him.”“Has he got red hair?” asked <strong>Tom</strong>, while his heart beat strangely fast.“Who? Mr. Bentley? No. <strong>His</strong> hair’s black.”“I mean the young fellow.”“Oh! his? Yes, his is red. He’s a nephew, <strong>or</strong> some relation to Mr. Bentley.I did hear his name, but I’ve f<strong>or</strong>gotten it. S<strong>and</strong>y, <strong>or</strong> Andy, <strong>or</strong> some such nameas that.”This was near enough f<strong>or</strong> <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mr. Damon, <strong>and</strong> they did not want t<strong>or</strong>isk asking any m<strong>or</strong>e questions. <strong>The</strong>y turned away to go to their rooms, asthe clerk was busy answering inquiries from some other guests. A little later,supper was served, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong>, having finished, whispered to Mr. Damon to joinhim upstairs as soon as he was through.“What are you going to do?” asked the eccentric man.“We’re going out <strong>and</strong> have a look at this new shed by moonlight,” decided<strong>Tom</strong>. “I want to see what it’s like, <strong>and</strong>, if possible, I want to get a peep inside.I’ll soon be able to tell whether <strong>or</strong> not Andy is using my stolen plans.”“All right. I’m with you. Bless my bill of fare! But we seem to be doing alot of mysterious w<strong>or</strong>k of late.”“Yes,” agreed <strong>Tom</strong>. “But if you have to bless anything to-night, Mr. Damon,please whisper it. Andy, <strong>or</strong> some of his friends, may be about the shed, <strong>and</strong> assoon as they hear one of your blessings they’ll know who’s coming.”“Oh, I’ll be careful,” promised Mr. Damon.“Andy will find out, sooner <strong>or</strong> later, that we are in town,” went on <strong>Tom</strong>,“but we may be able to learn to-night what we want to know, <strong>and</strong> then we cantell how to act.”A little later, as if. they were merely strolling about, Mr. Damon <strong>and</strong><strong>Tom</strong> headed f<strong>or</strong> Mr. Bentley’s place, which was on the outskirts of the town.<strong>The</strong>re was a full moon, <strong>and</strong> the night was just right f<strong>or</strong> the kind of observation<strong>Tom</strong> wanted to make. <strong>The</strong>re were few persons abroad, <strong>and</strong> the young invent<strong>or</strong>thought he would have no one spying on him.<strong>The</strong>y located the big house of Andy’s uncle without trouble. Going down aside street, they had a glimpse of a shed, built of new boards, st<strong>and</strong>ing in themiddle of a large lot. About the structure was a new, high wooden fence, butas <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> his friend passed along it they saw that a gate in it was open.“I’m going in!” whispered <strong>Tom</strong>.“Will it be safe?” asked Mr. Damon.“I don’t care whether it will be <strong>or</strong> not. I’ve got to know what Andy is doing.Come on! We’ll take a chance!”