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

Chapter 23<strong>The</strong> Great Race“Well,” remarked Mr. Sharp, when <strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mr. Damon had called on him, tostate that Andy Foger’s machine was now on the grounds, <strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong>ing tobe allowed to view it, to see if it was an infringement on the one entered bythe young invent<strong>or</strong>, “I’ll do the best I can f<strong>or</strong> you. I’ll lay the case bef<strong>or</strong>e thecommittee. It will meet at once, <strong>and</strong> I’ll let you know what they say.”“Underst<strong>and</strong>,” said <strong>Tom</strong>, “I don’t want to interfere unless I am convincedthat Andy is trying an underh<strong>and</strong> trick. My plans are missing, <strong>and</strong> I think hetook them. If his machine is made after those plans, it is, obviously, a steal,<strong>and</strong> I want him ruled out of the meet.”“And so he shall be!” exclaimed Mr. Sharp. “Get the evidence against him,<strong>and</strong> we’ll act quickly enough.”<strong>The</strong> committee met in about an hour, <strong>and</strong> considered the case. Meanwhile,<strong>Tom</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mr. Damon strolled past the tent with its flaring sign. <strong>The</strong>re was aman on guard, but Andy was not in sight.<strong>The</strong>n <strong>Tom</strong> was sent f<strong>or</strong>, <strong>and</strong> Mr. Sharp told him what conclusion had beenarrived at. It was this:“Under the rules of the meet,” said the balloonist, “we had to guaranteeprivacy to all the contestants until such time as they choose to exhibit theirmachines. That is, they need not bring them out until just bef<strong>or</strong>e the races,”he added. “This is not a h<strong>and</strong>icap affair, <strong>and</strong> the speediest machine, <strong>or</strong> the onethat goes to the greatest height, acc<strong>or</strong>ding to which class it enters, will win. Inconsequence we cannot f<strong>or</strong>ce any contestant to declare what kind of a machinehe will use until he gets ready.“Some are going to use the familiar type of biplanes <strong>and</strong>, as you can see,there is no secret about them. <strong>The</strong>y are trying them out now.” This was so,f<strong>or</strong> several machines of this type were either in the air, circling about, <strong>or</strong> werebeing run over the ground.“But others,” continued Mr. Sharp, “will not even take the committee intotheir confidence until just bef<strong>or</strong>e the race. <strong>The</strong>y want to keep their craft a secret.We can’t compel them to do otherwise. I’m s<strong>or</strong>ry, <strong>Tom</strong>, but the only thing Isee f<strong>or</strong> you to do is to wait until the last minute. <strong>The</strong>n, if you find Andy has99