Chapter 10
A Bag of Tools
Wakefield Damon glanced at Mr. Swift. The inventor was oblivious to hissurroundings, and was busy figuring away on some paper. He seemed evento have forgotten the presence of the eccentric autoist.
"I don't want father to hear about the men," went on Tom, in a lowtone. "If he hears that Happy Harry and his confederates are in thisvicinity, he'll worry, and that doesn't agree with him. But are yousure the men you saw are the same ones who stole the turbine model?"
"Very certain," replied Mr. Damon. "I had a good view of them as I camefrom the bank, and I was surprised to see them, until I remembered thatthey were out of jail."
"But why do you think they pursued you?"
"Bless my eyes! I can't say. Perhaps they weren't after me at all. Imay have imagined it, but they certainly hurried off in their auto assoon as I left the bank, after leaving my money there. I'm glad Ideposited it before I saw them. I was so nervous, as it was, that Icouldn't steer straight. It's too bad, the way I've damaged your house."
"That doesn't matter. But how about the trip in the airship? I hope youmeant it when you said you would go."
"Of course I did. I've never traveled in the air, but it can't be muchworse than my experience with my motor-cycle and the auto. At least Ican't run up any stoop, can I?" and Mr. Damon looked at Mr. Sharp.
"No," replied the aeronaut, as he scratched his head, "I guess you'llbe safe on that score. But I hope you won't get nervous when we reach agreat height."
"Oh, no. I'll just calm myself with the reflection that I can't die butonce," and with this philosophical reflection Mr. Damon went back tolook at the auto, which certainly looked odd, stuck up on the veranda.
"Well, you'd better make arrangements to go with us then," went on Tom."Meanwhile I'll see to getting your car down. You'll want to send ithome, I suppose?"
"No, not if you'll keep it for me. The fact is that all my folks areaway, and will be for some time. I don't have to go home to notifythem, and it's a good thing, as my wife is very nervous, and mightobject, if she heard about the airship. I'll just stay here, if you'veno objection, until the Red Cloud sails, if sails is the proper term."
"'Sails' will do very well," answered Mr. Sharp. "But, Tom, let's seeif you and I can't get that car down. Perhaps Mr. Damon would like togo in the house and talk to your father," for Mr. Swift had left thepiazza.
The eccentric individual was glad enough not to be on hand when his carwas eased down from the veranda and disappeared into the house. Tomand Mr. Sharp, with the aid of Garret Jackson, then released the autofrom its position. They had to take down the rest of the brokenrailing, and their task was easy enough. The machine was stored in adisused shed, and Mr. Damon had no further concern until it was time toundertake the trip through the air.
"It will fool those men if I mysteriously disappear," he said, with asmile. "Bless my hat band, but they'll wonder what became of me. We'lljust slip off in the Red Cloud, and they'll never be the wiser."
"I don't know about that," commented Tom. "I fancy they are keepingpretty close watch in this vicinity, and I don't like it. I'm afraidthey are up to some mischief. I should think the bank authorities wouldhave them locked upon suspicion. I think I'll telephone Ned about it."
He did so, and his chum, in turn, notified the bank watchman. But thenext day it was reported that no sign of the men had been seen, and,later it was learned that an auto, answering the description of the onethey were in, had been seen going south, many miles from Shopton.
The work of preparing the Red Cloud for the long trip was all butcompleted. It had been placed back in the shed while a few moreadjustments were made to the machinery.
"Bless my eyelashes!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, a few days before the oneset for the start, "but I haven't asked where we are bound for. Whereare we going, anyhow, Mr. Sharp?"
"We're going to try and reach Atlanta, Georgia," replied theballoonist. "That will make a fairly long trip, and the winds at thisseason are favorable in that direction."
"That suits me all right," declared Mr. Damon. "I'm all ready andanxious to start."
It was decided to give the airship a few more trials around Shoptonbefore setting out, to see how it behaved with the car heavier loadedthan usual. With this in view a trip was made to Rocksmond, with Mr.Swift, Mr. Damon and Ned, in addition to Mr. Sharp and Tom, on board.Then, at Tom's somewhat blushing request, a stop was made near theSeminary, and, when the pupils came trooping out, the young inventorasked Miss Nestor if she didn't want to take a little flight. Sheconsented, and with two pretty companions climbed rather hesitatinglyinto the car. No great height was attained, but the girls were fullysatisfied and, after their first alarm really enjoyed the spin in theair, with Tom proudly presiding at the steering wheel, which Mr. Sharprelinquished to the lad, for he understood Tom's feelings.
Three days later all was in readiness for the trip to Atlanta. Mr.Swift was earnestly invited to undertake it, both Tom and Mr. Sharpurging him, but the veteran inventor said he must stay at home, andwork on his submarine plans.
The evening before the start, when the aeronaut and Tom were giving afinal inspection to the craft in the big shed, Mr. Sharp exclaimed "Ideclare Tom, I believe you'll have to take a run into town."
"What for?"
"Why to get that kit of special tools I ordered, which we might need tomake repairs. There are some long-handled wrenches, some spare levers,and a couple of braces and bits. Harrison, the hardware dealer, orderedthem for me from New York, and they were to be ready this afternoon,but I forgot them. Take an empty valise with you, and you can carrythem on your motorcycle. I'm sorry to have forgotten it, but--"
"That's all right, Mr. Sharp, I'd just as soon go as not. It will makethe time pass more quickly. I'll start right off."
An hour later, having received the tools, which made quite a bundle,the lad put them in the valise, and started back toward home. As heswung around the corner on which the bank was located--the same bank inwhich Ned Newton worked--one of the valves on the motor-cycle began toleak. Tom dismounted to adjust it, and had completed the work, beingabout to ride on, when down the street came Andy Foger and SamSnedecker. They started at the sight of our hero.
"There he is now!" exclaimed Sam, as if he and the red-haired bully hadbeen speaking of the young inventor.
"Let's lick him!" proposed Andy. "Now's our chance to get even forthrowing that paint and soot on us."
Tom heard their words. He was not afraid of both the lads, for, thougheach one matched him in size and strength, Tom knew they were cowards.
"If you're looking for anything I guess I can accommodate you," hesaid, coolly.
"Come on, Andy," urged Sam. But, somehow Andy hung back. Perhaps hedidn't like the way Tom squared off. The young inventor had let downthe rear brace of his motor-cycle, and was not obliged to hold it, sohe had both hands free.
"We ought to lick him good and proper," growled the squint-eyed lad.
"Well, why don't you?" invited Tom.
He moved to one side, so as not to be hampered by his wheel. As he didso he knocked from the handle bars the valise of tools. They fell witha clatter and a thud to the pavement, and the satchel came open. It wasunder a gas lamp, and the glitter of the long-handled wrenches andother implements caught the eyes of Andy and his crony.
"Huh! If we fought you, maybe you'd use some of them on us," sneeredAndy, glad of an excuse not to fight.
Tom quickly picked up his valise, shutting it, but he was aware of theclose scrutiny of the two vindictive lads.
"I don't fight with such things," he said, somewhat annoyed, and hehung the tools back on the handle bars.
"What you doing around the bank at this hour?" asked Sam, as if tochange the subject. "First thing you know the watchman will order youto move on. He might think you were a suspicious character."
"The same to you," retorted Tom, "but I'm going to ride on now, unlessyou want to have a further argument with me."
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"You'd better be careful how you hang around a bank," added Andy. "Thepolice are on the lookout here. There's been some mysterious men seenabout."
Tom did not care to go into that, and, seeing that the two bullies hadlost all desire to attack him, he put up the brace and mounted hiswheel.
"Good-by," he called to Andy and Sam, as he rode off, the toolsrattling and jingling in the valise, but it was a sarcastic farewell,and the two cronies did not reply.
"I hope I didn't damage any of the tools when I let them fall thattime," mused the young inventor. "My, the way Sam and Andy stared atthem it would make it seem as if I had a lot of weapons in the bag!They certainly took good note of them."
The time was to come, and very shortly, when Andy's and Sam'sobservation of the tools was to prove disastrous for our hero. As Tomturned the corner he looked back, and saw, still standing in front ofthe bank, the two cronies.