74 CHAPTER 16. A MYSTERIOUS FIRE“Perhaps they want to talk to you,” suggested Mr. Jacks<strong>on</strong>. “<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y maybe fellow invent<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>—perhaps <strong>on</strong>e of them is that Philadelphia man who had theWhizzer.”“No,” replied the lad. “He would have sent me w<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>d if he intended calling<strong>on</strong> me. Those are strangers, I think. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re they are, coming back again.”<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> mysterious aeroplane was <strong>on</strong>ce m<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e circling toward the watchers <strong>on</strong>the roof. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a movement <strong>on</strong> the steps, near which <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> was st<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing,<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> his father came up.“Is anything the matter?” he asked anxiously.“Only a queer craft circling around up here,” was the reply. “Come <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> see,dad.”Mr. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Swift</str<strong>on</strong>g> ascended to the roof. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> aeroplane was higher now, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> those inher could not so easily be made out. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> felt a vague sense of fear, as thoughhe was being watched by the evil eyes of his enemies. M<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e than <strong>on</strong>ce he lookedover to the shed where his craft was housed, as though some danger mightthreaten it. But the shed of the Humming-Bird showed no signs of invaders.Suddenly the mysterious aeroplane increased its speed. It circled about m<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>equickly, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> shot upward, as though to show the watchers of what it was capable.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n, with a quick swoop it darted downward, straight f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> the building where<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s newest inventi<strong>on</strong> was housed.“Look out! <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y’ll hit something!” cried the young invent<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>, as thoughthose in the aeroplane could hear him.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n, just as though they had heeded his warning, the pilots of the mysteriouscraft shot her upward, after she had hovered f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> an instant over the bigshed.“That was a queer move,” said <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>. “It looked as if they lost c<strong>on</strong>trol of herf<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> a moment.”“And they dropped something!” cried Mr. Jacks<strong>on</strong>. “Look! something fellfrom the aeroplane <strong>on</strong> the roof of the shed.”“Some tool, likely,” spoke <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>. “I’ll get it in the m<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ning, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> see whats<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>t of instruments they carry. I’d like to examine that machine, though.”<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> queer aeroplane was now shooting off in the darkness <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> followedit with the glasses, w<strong>on</strong>dering what its c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> could be like. He was tohave another sight of it so<strong>on</strong>er than he expected.“Well, we may as well get back to bed,” said Mr. Jacks<strong>on</strong>. “I’m tired, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>we’ve got lots to do to-m<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>row.”“Yes,” agreed <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>. “It’s cooler now. Come <strong>on</strong>, dad.”<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> fell into a light doze. He thought afterward he could not have sleptm<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e than half an hour when he heard a commoti<strong>on</strong> out in the yard. F<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> aninstant he could not tell what it was, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> then, as he grew wider awake he knewthat it was the shouting of Eradicate Samps<strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> the braying of Boomerang.But what was Eradicate shouting?“Fire! Fire! Fire!”<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> leaped to his window.“Wake up, Massa <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>! Wake up! De areoplane shed am <strong>on</strong> fire, an’ deHumming-Bird will burn up! Hurry! Hurry!”
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> looked out. Flames were shooting up from the roof of the shed wherehis precious craft was kept.75
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