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

94 CHAPTER 21. “WILL HE LIVE?”bless something again, even if it was only a wishbone.“No!” exclaimed <strong>Tom</strong>, in ringing tones. “Andy Foger isn’t going to beatme, <strong>and</strong> if I find out he is going to race with a machine made after my stolenplans, I’ll make him wish he’d never taken them.”“But if the machine he had flying over here when he dropped that bomb onthe shed roof, <strong>and</strong> set fire to it, is the one he’s going to race with, it isn’t likeyours,” suggested Mr. Damon, who was glad he had turned the conversationinto a m<strong>or</strong>e cheerful channel.“That’s so,” agreed the young invent<strong>or</strong>. “We’ll, we’ll have to wait <strong>and</strong> see.”He was busy now, going over every detail of the Humming-Bird. Mr. Damonhelped him, <strong>and</strong> they discovered the defect in the equilibrium weights, <strong>and</strong>remedied it.“We can’t aff<strong>or</strong>d to have an accident in the race,” said <strong>Tom</strong>. He glancedtoward the house, <strong>and</strong> wondered if the operation had begun yet. He could seethe trained nurse hurrying here <strong>and</strong> there, Mrs. Baggert helping her.Eradicate Sampson shuffled out from the stable where he kept his muleBoomerang. On the face of the honest col<strong>or</strong>ed man there was a dejected look.“Am Massa <strong>Swift</strong> any better, Massa <strong>Tom</strong>?” he asked.“We can’t tell yet,” was the answer.“Well, if he doan’t git well, den I’m goin’ t’ sell mah mule,” went on thedirt-chaser, from which line of activity Eradicate had derived his name.“Sell Boomerang! Bless my curry comb! what f<strong>or</strong>?” asked Mr. Damon.“’Case as how he wouldn’t neber be any good fo’ wuk any mo’,” explainedEradicate. “He’s got so attached t’ dis place, an’ all de folkes on it, dat he’d feelso s<strong>or</strong>ry ef—ef—well, ef any ob ’em went away, dat I couldn’t git no mo’ wukout ob him, no how. So ef Massa <strong>Swift</strong> doan’t git well, den I an’ Boomerangparts!”“Well, we hope it won’t happen,” said <strong>Tom</strong>, greatly touched by the simplegrief of Eradicate. <strong>The</strong> young invent<strong>or</strong> was silent a moment, <strong>and</strong> then he softlyadded: “I—I wonder when—when we’ll know?”“Soon now, I think,” answered Mr. Damon, in a low voice.Silently they waited about the aeroplane. <strong>Tom</strong> tried to busy himself, but hecould not. He kept his eyes fastened on the house.It seemed like several hours, but it was not m<strong>or</strong>e than one, ere the whitecappednurse came to the do<strong>or</strong> <strong>and</strong> waved her h<strong>and</strong> to <strong>Tom</strong>. He sprang to hisfeet <strong>and</strong> rushed f<strong>or</strong>ward. What would be the message he was to receive?He stood bef<strong>or</strong>e the nurse, his heart madly beating. She looked gently athim.“Will he—will he live?” <strong>Tom</strong> asked, pantingly.“I think so,” she answered gently. “<strong>The</strong> operation is over. It was a success,so far. Time alone will tell, now. Dr. Hendrix says you can see your father f<strong>or</strong>just a moment.”