Produced by Anthony Matonac,
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK
or
Doing His Bit For Uncle Sam
By
VICTOR APPLETON
CONTENTS
I Past Memories II Tom's Indifference III Ned is Worried IV Queer Doings V "Is He a Slacker?" VI Seeing Things VII Up a Tree VIII Detective Rad IX A Night Test X A Runaway Giant XI Tom's Tank XII Bridging a Gap XIII Into a Trench XIV The Ruined Factory XV Across Country XVI The Old Barn XVII Veiled Threats XVIII Ready for France XIX Tom Is Missing XX The Search XXI A Prisoner XXII Rescued XXIII Gone XXIV Camouflaged XXV Foiled
Chapter I
Past Memories
Ceasing his restless walk up and down the room, Tom Swift strode to thewindow and gazed across the field toward the many buildings, wheremachines were turning out the products evolved from the brains of hisfather and himself. There was a worried look on the face of the younginventor, and he seemed preoccupied, as though thinking of somethingfar removed from whatever it was his eyes gazed upon.
"Well, I'll do it!" suddenly exclaimed Tom. "I don't want to, but Iwill. It's in the line of 'doing my bit,' I suppose; but I'd rather itwas something else. I wonder--"
"Ha! Up to your old tricks, I see, Tom!" exclaimed a voice, in whichenergy and friendliness mingled pleasingly. "Up to your old tricks!"
"Oh, hello, Mr. Damon!" cried Tom, turning to shake hands with anelderly gentleman--that is, elderly in appearance but not in action,for he crossed the room with the springing step of a lad, and there wasthe enthusiasm of youth on his face. "What do you mean--my old tricks?"
"Talking to yourself, Tom. And when you do that it means there issomething in the wind. I hope, as a sort of side remark, it isn't rainthat's in the wind, for the soldiers over at camp have had enough waterto set up a rival establishment with Mr. Noah. But there's somethinggoing on, isn't there? Bless my memorandum book, but don't tell methere isn't, or I shall begin to believe I have lost all my deductivepowers of reasoning! I come in here, after knocking two or three times,to which you pay not the least attention, and find you mysteriouslymurmuring to yourself.
"The last time that happened, Tom, was just before you started to digthe big tunnel--No, I'm wrong. It was just before you started for theLand of Wonders, as we decided it ought to be called. You were talkingto yourself then, when I walked in on you, and--Say, Tom!" suddenlyexclaimed Mr. Damon eagerly, "don't tell me you're going off on anotherwild journey like that--don't!"
"Why?" asked Tom, smiling at the energy of his caller.
"Because if you are, I'll want to go with you, of course, and if I goit means I'll have to start in as soon as I can to bring my wife aroundto my way of thinking. The last time I went it took me two weeks to gether to consent, and then she didn't like it. So if--"
"No, Mr. Damon," interrupted Tom, "I don't count on going on any sortof a trip--that is, any long one. I was just getting ready to take alittle spin in the Hawk, and if you'd like to come along--"
"You mean that saucy little airship of yours, Tom, that's always tryingto sit down on her tail, or tickle herself with one wing?"
"That's the Hawk!" laughed Tom; "though that tickling business youspeak of is when I spiral. Don't you like it?"
"Can't say I do," observed Mr. Damon dryly.
"Well, I'll promise not to try any stunts if you come along," Tom wenton.
"Where are you going?" asked his friend.
"Oh, no place in particular. As you surmised, I've been doing a bit ofthinking, and--"
"Serious thinking, too, Tom!" interrupted Mr. Damon. "Excuse me, but Icouldn't help overhearing what you said. It was something about goingto do something though you didn't want to, and that it was part of your'bit'. That sounds like soldier talk. Are you going to enlist, Tom?"
"No."
"Um! Well, then--"
"It's something I can't talk about, Mr. Damon, even to you, as yet,"Tom said, and there was a new quality in his voice, at which his friendlooked up in some surprise.
"Oh, of course, Tom, if it's a secret--"
"Well, it hasn't even got that far, as yet. It's all up in the air, soto speak. I'll tell you in due season. But, speaking of the air, let'sgo for a spin. It may drive some of the cobwebs out of my brain. Did Ihear you say you thought it would rain?"
"No, it's as clear as a bell. I said I hoped it wouldn't rain for thesake of the soldiers in camp. They've had their share of wet weather,and, goodness knows, they'll get more when they get to Flanders. Itseems to do nothing but rain in France."
"It is damp," agreed Tom. "And, come to think of it, they are going tohave some airship contests over at camp to-day--for the men who arebeing trained to be aviators, you know. It just occurred to me that wemight fly over there and watch them."
"Fine!" cried Mr. Damon. "That's the very thing I should like. I'lltake a chance in your Hawk, Tom, if you'll promise not to try anyspiral stunts."
"I promise, Mr. Damon. Come on! I'll have Koku run the machine out andget her ready for a flight to Camp. It's a good day for a jaunt in theair."
"Get out the Hawk, Koku," ordered the young inventor, as he motioned toa big man--a veritable giant--who nodded to show he understood. Kokuwas really a giant, one of a race of strange beings, and Tom Swift hadbrought the big man with him when he escaped from captivity, as thosewill remember who have read that book.
"Going far, Tom?" asked an aged man, coming to the door of one of themany buildings of which the shed where the airship was kept formed one.
"Not very far, Father," answered the young inventor. "Mr. Damon and Iare going for a little spin over to Camp Grant, to see some aircraftcontests among the army birdmen."
"Oh, all right, Tom. I just wanted to tell you that I think I've gottenover that difficulty you found with the big carburetor you were workingon. You didn't say what you wanted it for, except that it was for aheavy duty gasolene engine, and you couldn't get the needle valve towork as you'd like. I think I've found a way."
"Good, Dad! I'll look at it when I come back. That carburetor didbother me, and if I can get that to work--well, maybe we'll havesomething soon that will--"
But Tom did not finish his sentence, for Koku was getting the aircraftin operation and Mr. Damon was already taking his place behind thepilot's seat, which would be occupied by Tom.
"All ready, are you, Koku?" asked the young inventor.
"All ready, Master," answered the giant.
There was a roar like that of a machine gun as the Hawk's engine spunthe propeller, and then, after a little run across the sod, it mountedinto the air, carrying Tom and Mr. Damon with it.
"Mind you, Tom, no stunts!" called the visitor to the young inventorthrough the speaking tube apparatus, which enabled a conversation to becarried on, even above the roar of the powerful engine. "Bless myovershoes! if you try, looping the loop with me--"
"I won't do anything like that!" promised Tom.
Away they soared, swift as a veritable hawk, and soon, after there hadunrolled below their eyes a succession of fields and forest, there cameinto view rows and rows of small brown objects, among which beings,like ants, seemed crawling about.
"There's the Camp!" exclaimed Tom.
"I see," and Mr. Damon nodded.
As they approached, they saw, starting up from a green space amid thebrown tents, what appeared to be big bugs of a dirty white colorsplotched with green.
"The aircraft--and they have camouflage paint on," said Tom. "We canwatch 'em from up here!"
Mr. Dam
on nodded, though Tom could not see him, sitting in front of hisfriend as he was.
Up and up circled the army aircraft, and they seemed to bow and nod agreeting to the Hawk, which was soon in the midst of them. Tom and Mr.Damon, flying high, though at no great speed, looked at the maneuversof the veterans and the learners--many of whom might soon be engagingthe Boches in far-off France.
"Some of 'em are pretty good!" called Tom, through the tube. "That onefellow did the loop as prettily as I've ever seen it done," and TomSwift had a right to speak as one of authority.
Tom and his friend watched the aircraft for some time, and then startedoff in a long flight, attaining a high speed, which, at first, made Mr.Damon gasp, until he became used to it. He was no novice at flying, andhad even operated aeroplanes himself, though at no great height.
Suddenly the Hawk seemed to falter, almost as does a bird stricken by ahunter's gun. The craft seemed to hang in the air, losing motion asthough about to plunge to earth unguided.
"What's the matter?" cried Mr. Damon.
"One of the control wires broken!" was Tom's laconic answer. "I'll haveto volplane down. Sit tight, there's no danger!"
Mr. Damon knew that with so competent a pilot as Tom Swift in theforward seat this was true, but, nevertheless, he was a bit nervousuntil he felt the smooth, gliding motion, with now and then an upwardtilt, which showed that Tom was coming down from the upper regions in aseries of long glides. The engine had stopped, and the cessation of thethundering noise made it possible for Tom and his passenger to talkwithout the use of the speaking tube.
"All right?" asked Mr. Damon.
"All right," Tom answered, and a little later the machine was rollinggently over the turf of a large field, a mile or so from the camp.
Before Tom and Mr. Damon could get out of their seats, a man, seeminglyspringing up from some hollow in the ground, walked toward them.
"Had an accident?" he asked, in what he evidently meant for a friendlyvoice.
"A little one, easily mended," Tom answered.
He was about to take off his goggles, but at sight of the man's face achange came over the countenance of Tom Swift, and he replaced the eyeprotectors. Then Tom turned to Mr. Damon, as if to ask a question, butthe stranger came so close, evidently curious to see the aircraft atclose quarters, that the young inventor could not speak without beingoverheard.
Tom got out his kit of tools to repair the broken control, and the manwatched him curiously. As he tinkered away, something was stirringamong the past memories of the inventor. A question he asked himselfover and over again was:
"Where have I seen this man before? His face is familiar, but I can'tplace him. He is associated with something unpleasant. But where have Iseen this man before?"