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

91Humming-Bird gave a dangerous <strong>and</strong> sickening dive, <strong>and</strong> tilted at a terrifyingangle.“Are we going to turn turtle?” cried the doct<strong>or</strong>.“I—I hope not!” gasped <strong>Tom</strong>. He could not underst<strong>and</strong> why the equilibriumweights did not w<strong>or</strong>k, but he had no time then to investigate. Quickly he warpedthe wing tips <strong>and</strong> brought the craft up on an even keel.He gave a sigh of relief as the aeroplane was once m<strong>or</strong>e shooting f<strong>or</strong>ward, <strong>and</strong>he was not mistaken when he thought he heard Dr. Hendrix murmur a prayerof thankfulness. <strong>The</strong>ir escape had been a narrow one. <strong>Tom</strong>’s nerve, <strong>and</strong> thecoolness of the physician, had alone saved them from a fall to death.But now, as if ashamed of her prank, the Humming-Bird went along evenbetter than bef<strong>or</strong>e. <strong>Tom</strong> was peering through the slight haze that hung overthe earth, f<strong>or</strong> a sight of Shopton. At length the spires of the churches came intoview.“<strong>The</strong>re it is,” he called, pointing downward. “We’ll l<strong>and</strong> in two minutesm<strong>or</strong>e.”“No time to spare,” murmured the doct<strong>or</strong>, who knew the serious nature ofthe aged invent<strong>or</strong>’s illness. “How long did it take us?”“Fifty-one minutes,” replied <strong>Tom</strong>, glancing at a small clock in front of him.<strong>The</strong>n he shut off the mot<strong>or</strong> <strong>and</strong> volplaned to earth, to the no small astonishmentof the surgeon. He made a perfect l<strong>and</strong>ing in the yard bef<strong>or</strong>e the shed, leapedfrom his seat, <strong>and</strong> called:“Come, Dr. Hendrix!”<strong>The</strong> surgeon followed him. Dr. Gladby <strong>and</strong> Dr. Kurtz came to the do<strong>or</strong> ofthe house. On their faces were grave looks. <strong>The</strong>y greeted the celebrated surgeoneagerly.“Well?” he asked quickly, <strong>and</strong> they knew what he meant.“You are only just in time,” said Dr. Gladby, softly, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tom</strong>, following thedoct<strong>or</strong>s into the house, wondered if his trip with the specialist had been in vain.