Chapter 11
The Red Cloud Departs
"Well, dad, I wish you were going along with us," said Tom to hisfather next morning. "You don't know what you're going to miss. A finetrip of several hundred miles through the air, seeing strange sights,and experiencing new sensations."
"Yes, I wish you would reconsider your determination, and accompanyus," added Mr. Damon. "I would enjoy your company."
"There's plenty of room. We can carry six persons with ease," said Mr.Sharp.
Mr. Swift shook his head, and smiled.
"I have too much work to do here at home," he replied. "Perhaps I mayastonish you with something when you come back. I have nearly perfectedmy latest invention."
There was no combating such a resolution as this, and Tom and theothers considered the decision of the aged inventor as final. Theairship was ready for the start, and every one had arisen earlier thanusual on this account. The bag of tools, for which Tom had gone totown, were put in their proper place, the last of the supplies weretaken abroad, final tests were made of the various apparatus, the motorhad been given a trial spin, disconnected from the propellers, and thenthe balloonist announced:
"Well, Tom and Mr. Damon, you had better begin to think of starting.We've had breakfast here, but there's no telling where we will eatdinner."
"Bless my soul! Don't you talk that way!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Youmake me exceedingly nervous. Why shouldn't we know where we are goingto eat dinner?"
"Oh, I meant we couldn't tell over just what part of the United Stateswe would be when dinner time came," explained the aeronaut.
"Oh, that's different. Bless my pocket knife, but I thought you meantwe might be dashed to pieces, and incapable of eating any dinner."
"Hardly," remarked Mr. Sharp. "The Red Cloud is not that kind of anairship, I hope. But get aboard, if you please."
Tom and Mr. Damon entered the car. It was resting on the ground, on thesmall wheels used to start the airship when the gas inflation methodwas not used. In this case, however, it had been decided to rise in theair by means of the powerful vapor, and not to use the wings and planesuntil another time. Consequently the ship was swaying slightly, andtugging at the restraining cables.
As Tom and Mr. Damon entered the cabin there drove into the Swift yarda dilapidated wagon, drawn by a bony mule, and it did not need theaddition of a colored man's voice, calling: "Whoa, dar, Boomerang!" totell Tom that his friend Eradicate Sampson was on hand. As forEradicate, as soon as he saw the great airship, which he had neverbefore beheld fully rigged, all ready for a flight, his eyes became bigwith wonder.
"Is dat yo' flyin' machine, Mistah Swift?" he asked.
"That's it, Rad," answered Tom. "Don't you want to come and take a ridewith us?"
"Me? Good land a' massy! No indeedy, Mistah Swift," and thewhitewasher, who had descended from his wagon, edged away, as if theairship might suddenly put out a pair of hands and grab him. "Noindeedy I doant! I come t' do a little whitewashin' an' when I do datI'se gwine on mah way. But dat's a pow'ful fine ship; it suah am!"
"Better come and try a flight, Rad," added Mr. Damon. "I'll look afteryou."
"No, sah, an' I doan't take it kind ob yo' all t' tempt me dat way,nuther," spoke Eradicate. But, when he saw that the craft wasstationary, he ventured to approach closer. Gingerly he put out onehand and touched the framework of the wheels, just forward of thecabin. The negro grasped the timber, and lifted it slightly. To hisastonishment the whole front of the airship tilted up, for it was aboutready to fly, and a child might have lifted it, so buoyant was it. ButEradicate did not know this. Wonderingly he looked at the great bulk ofthe ship, looming above him, then he glanced at his arm. Once more,noting that the attention of his friends was elsewhere, he lifted thecraft. Then he cried "Look yeah, Mistah Swift! Look yeah! No wonderday calls me Sampson. I done lifted dis monstrousness airship wif onehand, See, I kin do it! I kin do it!"
Once more he raised the Red Cloud slightly, and a delighted grin, notunmixed with a look of awe, spread over his honest countenance.
"I suppose you'll give up whitewashing and join a circus as a strongman, now," observed Mr. Sharp, with a wink at his companions.
"Days what I will!" announced Eradicate proudly. "I neber knowed I wasdat strong, but ob course I allers knowed I had some muscle. Golly, Imust hab growed strong ober night! Now, Boomerang, yo' suah has got t'look out fo' yo' sef. No mo' ob yo' cuttin' up capers, or I'll jestlift you up, an' sot yo' down on yo' back, I suah will," and the negrofeeling of his biceps walked over to where the mule stood, with itseyes closed.
"I guess you can cast off, Tom," called Mr. Sharp, as he entered thecar, having seen that everything was all right. "We'll not go up veryfar at first, until Mr. Damon gets used to the thin air."
"Bless my soul, I believe I'm getting nervous," announced the eccentricman. "Bless my liver, but I hope nothing happens."
"Nothing will happen," Mr. Sharp assured him. "Just keep calm, when itfeels as if the bottom was dropping out of everything and you'll soonget over it. Are you casting off those ropes, Tom? Is all clear?"
"All but the bow and stern lines."
"You attend to the bow line, and I'll go to the stern," and, going overto the gas generator, Mr. Sharp started it so as to force more vaporinto the red aluminum container. This had the effect of rendering theairship more buoyant, and it tugged and strained harder than ever atthe ropes.
"Good-by, Tom," called Mr. Swift, reaching up to shake hands with hisson. "Drop me a line when you get a chance."
"Oh, Tom, do be careful," implored Mrs. Baggert, her kind face showingher anxiety. "May I kiss you good-by?"
"Of course," answered the young inventor, though the motherlyhousekeeper had not done this since he was a little chap. She had tostand on a soap box, which Eradicate brought in order to reach Tom'sface, and, when she had kissed him she said:
"Oh, I'm so worried! I just know you'll be killed, risking your livesin that terrible airship!"
"Ha! Not a very cheerful view to take, madam," observed Mr. Damon."Don't hold that view, I beg of you. Bless my eyelashes, but you'll seeus coming home, covered with glory and star dust."
"I'm sure I hope so," answered Mrs. Baggert, laughing a little in spiteof herself.
The last ropes were cast off. Good-bys were shouted as the airship shotinto the air, and Mr. Sharp started the motor, to warm it up before thepropellers were thrown into gear. The twenty cylinders began explodingwith a terrific racket, as the muffler was open, and Tom, looking down,saw Boomerang awaken with a jump. The mule was so frightened that hestarted off on a dead run, swinging the rickety, old wagon along behindhim.
Eradicate Sampson, who had been feeling his muscle since he discoveredwhat he thought was his marvelous strength, saw what was happening.
"Whoa, dar, Boomerang!" he shouted. Then, as the tailboard of the wagonswung past him, he reached out and grabbed it. Perhaps he thought hecould bring the runaway mule up standing, but, if he did, he wasgrievously disappointed. Boomerang pulled his master along the gravelwalk, and kept running in spite of Eradicate's command to "whoa, dar!"
It might have gone hard with him, had not Garret Jackson, the engineer,running in front of Boomerang, caught the animal. Eradicate pickedhimself up, and gazed sadly at his arms. The navigators of the aircould not hear what he said, but what he thought was evident to them.
Then, as Mr. Sharp deadened the explosions of the powerful motor. Tom,looking at a gauge, noted that their height was seven hundred feet."High enough!" called Mr. Sharp, and it was time, for Mr. Damon, inspite of his resolution, was getting pale.
The gas was shut off, the propellers thrown into gear, and, with a rushthe Red Cloud shot toward the south, passing over the Swift homestead,and high above the heads of the crowd that had gathered to witness thestart. The eventful voyage of the air had begun.