第25章

A Clash with Andy

Tom lost no time in writing to Mr.Sharp.He wondered more and more at his own neglect in not before having asked the balloonist, when the latter was in Shopton, where Andy was building his aeroplane.But, as it developed later, Mr.Sharp did not know at that time.

While waiting for a reply to his letter, Tom busied himself about his own craft, making several changes he had decided on.He also began to paint and decorate it, for he wanted to have the Humming-Bird present a neat appearance when she was officially entered in the great race.

Miss Nestor called on Tom again, and Mr.Damon was a frequent visitor.He agreed to accompany Tom to the aviation park when it was time for the race, and also to be a passenger in the ten-thousand-dollar contest.

"It must be perfectly wonderful to fly through the air," said Miss Nestor one day, when Tom and Mr.Damon had the Humming-Bird out on the testing ground, trying the engine, which had been keyed up to a higher pitch of speed."I consider it perfectly marvelous, and I can't imagine how it must seem to skim along that way.""Come and try it," urged Tom suddenly."There's not a bit of danger.Really there isn't.""Oh! I'd never dare do it!" replied the girl, with a gasp."That machine is too swift by name and swift by nature for me.""Why don't you take Miss Nestor on a grass-cutting flight, Tom?" suggested Mr.Damon."Bless my lawn mower! but she wouldn't be frightened at that.""Grass cutting?" repeated the girl."What in the world does that mean?""It means skimming along a few feet up in the air," answered the young inventor, who had now fully recovered from the effects of the blow given him by the midnight intruder.In spite of many inquiries, no clues to his identity had been obtained.

"How high do you go when you 'cut grass,' as you call it?" asked Miss Nestor, and Tom thought he detected a note of eager curiosity in her voice."Not high at all," he said."In fact, sometimes I do cut off the tops of tall daisies.Come, Mary! Won't you try that? I know you'll like it, and when you've been over the lawn a few times you'll be ready for a highflight.Come! there's no danger."

"I--I almost believe I will," she said hesitatingly."Will you take me down when I want to come?""Of course," said Tom."Get in, and we'll start."The Humming-Bird was all ready for a trial flight, and Tom was glad of the chance to test it, especially with such a pretty passenger as was Miss Nestor.

"Bless my shoelaces!" cried Mr.Damon."I can see where I am going to be cut out, Tom Swift.I'll not get many more rides with you now that Miss Nestor is taking to aeroplaning, you young rascal!" And he playfully shook his finger at Tom.

"Oh, I don't expect to get enthusiastic over it," said Miss Nestor, who, now that she had taken her place in one of the small seats under the engine, appeared as if she would be glad of the chance to change her mind.But she did not.

"Now, if you take me more than five feet up in the air, I'll never speak to you again, Tom Swift!" she exclaimed.

"Five feet it shall be, unless you yourself ask to go higher," was the youth's reply, as he winked at Mr.Damon.Well he knew the fascination of aeroplaning, and he was almost sure of what would happen."You can take a tape measure along, and see for yourself," he added to his fair passenger."The barograph will hardly register such a little height.""Well, it's as high as I want to go," said the girl."Oh!" with a scream, as Tom started the propeller."Are we going?""In a moment," was his reply.He took his seat beside the girl.The motor was speeded up until it sounded like the roar of the ocean surf in a storm.

"Let her go!" cried Tom to Mr.Damon and Mr.Jackson, who were holding back the Humming-Bird.They gave her a slight shove to over-come the inertia, and the trim little craft darted across the ground at every increasing speed.

Miss Nestor caught her breath with a gasp, glanced at Tom, and noted how cool he was, and then her frantic grip of the uprights slightly relaxed.

"We'll go up a little way in a minute!" shouted Tom in her ear as they were speeding over the level ground.

He pulled a lever slightly, and the Humming-Bird rose a little in the air, but only for a short distance, not more than five feet, and Tom held her there, though he had to run the engine at a greater speed than would have been the case had he been in the sustaining upper currents.It was as if the Humming-Bird resented being held so closely to the earth.

Around in a big circle, back and forth went the craft, at no time being more than seven feet from the ground.Tom glanced at Miss Nestor.Her cheeks were unusually red, and there was a bright sparkle in her eyes.

"It's glorious!" she cried."Do you--do you think there's any danger in going higher? I believe I'd like to go up a bit.""I knew it!" cried Tom."Up we go!" And he pulled the wind-bending plane lever toward him.Upward shot the craft, as if alive.

"Oh!" gasped Mary.

"Sit still! It's all right!" commanded Tom.

"It's glorious; glorious!" she cried.I'm not a bit afraid now!""I knew you wouldn't be," declared the young inventor, who had calculated on the fascination which the motion through the air, untrammeled and free, always produces."Shall we go higher?""Yes!" cried Miss Nestor, and she gazed fearlessly down at the earth, which was falling away from beneath their feet.She was in the grip of the air, and it was a new and wonderful sensation.

Tom went up to a considerable distance, for, once a person loses his first fright, one hundred feet or one thousand feet elevation makes little difference to him.It was this way with Miss Nestor.