98 CHAPTER 22. OFF TO THE MEETway back he saw a newly-erected tent. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a young man st<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing in theentrance, at the sight of whom the eccentric man murmured:“Bless my skate-strap! <str<strong>on</strong>g>His</str<strong>on</strong>g> face looks very familiar!”<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> youth disappeared inside the tent suddenly, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>, as Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong> cameopposite the canvas shelter, he started in surprise.F<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <strong>on</strong> a strip of muslin which was across the tent, painted in gay col<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>s,were the w<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ds:THE FOGER AEROPLANE“Bless my elevati<strong>on</strong> rudder!” cried Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong>. “Andy’s here at last! I musttell <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>!”
Chapter 23<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Great Race“Well,” remarked Mr. Sharp, when <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong> had called <strong>on</strong> him, tostate that Andy Foger’s machine was now <strong>on</strong> the grounds, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> dem<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing tobe allowed to view it, to see if it was an infringement <strong>on</strong> the <strong>on</strong>e entered bythe young invent<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>, “I’ll do the best I can f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> you. I’ll lay the case bef<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e thecommittee. It will meet at <strong>on</strong>ce, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> I’ll let you know what they say.”“Underst<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>,” said <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>, “I d<strong>on</strong>’t want to interfere unless I am c<strong>on</strong>vincedthat Andy is trying an underh<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> trick. My plans are missing, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> I think hetook them. If his machine is made after those plans, it is, obviously, a steal,<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> I want him ruled out of the meet.”“And so he shall be!” exclaimed Mr. Sharp. “Get the evidence against him,<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> we’ll act quickly enough.”<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> committee met in about an hour, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sidered the case. Meanwhile,<str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Mr. Dam<strong>on</strong> strolled past the tent with its flaring sign. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was aman <strong>on</strong> guard, but Andy was not in sight.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g> was sent f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Mr. Sharp told him what c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong> had beenarrived at. It was this:“Under the rules of the meet,” said the ballo<strong>on</strong>ist, “we had to guaranteeprivacy to all the c<strong>on</strong>testants until such time as they choose to exhibit theirmachines. That is, they need not bring them out until just bef<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e the races,”he added. “This is not a h<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>icap affair, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> the speediest machine, <str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <strong>on</strong>ethat goes to the greatest height, acc<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ding to which class it enters, will win. Inc<strong>on</strong>sequence we cannot f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce any c<strong>on</strong>testant to declare what kind of a machinehe will use until he gets ready.“Some are going to use the familiar type of biplanes <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>, as you can see,there is no secret about them. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y are trying them out now.” This was so,f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> several machines of this type were either in the air, circling about, <str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> werebeing run over the ground.“But others,” c<strong>on</strong>tinued Mr. Sharp, “will not even take the committee intotheir c<strong>on</strong>fidence until just bef<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>e the race. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y want to keep their craft a secret.We can’t compel them to do otherwise. I’m s<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Tom</str<strong>on</strong>g>, but the <strong>on</strong>ly thing Isee f<str<strong>on</strong>g>or</str<strong>on</strong>g> you to do is to wait until the last minute. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>n, if you find Andy has99
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