The Runaway Auto
Had the inventors of the Red Cloud desired, they could have made
considerable money by giving further exhibitions at the Blakeville Aero
Carnival, and at others which were to be held in the near future at
adjoining cities. The fame of the new machine had spread, and there
were many invitations to compete for prizes.
But Tom and Mr. Sharp wished to try their skill in a long flight, and
at the close of the Blakeville exhibition they started for Shopton,
arriving there without mishap, though Tom more than half hoped that
they might happen to strike the tower of a certain school. I needn't
specify where.
The first thing to be done was to complete the fitting-up of the car,
or cabin. No berths had, as yet, been put in, and these were first
installed after the Red Cloud was in her shed. Then an electrical
heating and cooking apparatus was fitted in; some additional machinery,
tanks for carrying water, and chemicals for making the gas, boxes of
provisions, various measuring instruments and other supplies were put
in the proper places, until the cabin was filled almost to its
capacity. Of course particular attention had been paid to the ship
proper, and every portion was gone over until Mr. Sharp was sure it was
in shape for a long flight.
"Now the question is," he said to Tom one evening, "who shall we take
with us? You and I will go, of course, but I'd like one more. I wonder
if your father can't be induced to accompany us? He seemed to like the
trial trip."
"I'll ask him to-morrow," said the lad. "He's very busy to-night. If he
doesn't care about it, maybe Garret Jackson will go."
"I'm afraid not. He's too timid."
"I'd like to take Ned Newton, but he can't get any more time away from
the bank. I guess we'll have to depend on dad."
But, to the surprise of Tom and Mr. Sharp, the aged inventor shook his
head when the subject was broached to him next day.
"Why won't you go, dad?" asked his son.
"I'll tell you," replied Mr. Swift. "I was keeping it a secret until I
had made some advance in what I am engaged upon. But I don't want to go
because I am on the verge of perfecting a new apparatus for submarine
boats. It will revolutionize travel under the water, and I don't want
to leave home until I finish it. There is another point to be
considered. The government has offered a prize for an under-water boat
of a new type, and I wish to try for it."
"So that's what you've been working on, eh, dad?" asked his son.
"That's it, and, much as I should like to accompany you, I don't feel
free to go. My mind would be distracted, and I need to concentrate
myself on this invention. It will produce the most wonderful results,
I'm sure. Besides, the government prize is no small one. It is fifty
thousand dollars for a successful boat."
Mr. Swift told something more about his submarine, but, as I expect to
treat of that in another book, I will not dwell on it here, as I know
you are anxious to learn what happened on the trip of the Red Cloud.
"Well," remarked Mr. Sharp, somewhat dubiously, "I wonder who we can
get to go? We need someone besides you and I, Tom."
"I s'pose I could get Eradicate Sampson, and his mule Boomerang,"
replied the lad with a smile. "Yet I don't know--"
At that instant there was a tremendous racket outside. The loud puffing
of an automobile could be heard, but mingled with it was the crash of
wood, and then the whole house seemed jarred and shaken.
"Is it an earthquake?" exclaimed Mr. Swift, springing to his feet, and
rushing to the library windows.
"Something's happened!" cried Tom.
"Maybe an explosion of the airship gas!" yelled Mr. Sharp, making ready
to run to the balloon shed. But there was no need. The crashing of wood
ceased, and, above the puffing of an auto could be heard a voice
exclaiming:
"Bless my very existence! Bless my cats and dogs! Good gracious! But I
never meant to do this!"
Tom, his father and Mr. Sharp rushed to the long, low windows that
opened on the veranda. There, on the porch, which it had mounted by way
of the steps, tearing away part of the railing, was a large touring
car; and, sitting at the steering wheel, in a dazed sort of manner, was
Mr. Wakefield Damon.
"Bless my shirt studs!" he went on feebly. "But I have done it now!"
"What's the matter?" cried Tom, hastening up to him. "What happened?
Are you hurt?"
"Hurt? Not a bit of it! Bless my moonstone! It's the most lucky escape
I ever had! But I've damaged your porch, and I haven't done my machine
any good. Do you see anything of another machine chasing me?"
Tom looked puzzled, but glanced up and down the road. Far down the
highway could be discerned a cloud of dust, and, from the midst of it
came a faint "chug-chug."
"Looks like an auto down there," he said.
"Thank goodness! Bless my trousers, but I've escaped 'em!" cried the
eccentric man from whom Tom had purchased his motor-cycle.
"Escaped who?" asked Mr. Swift.
"Those men. They were after me. But I may as well get out and explain.
Dear me! However will I ever get my car off your porch?" and Mr. Damon
seemed quite distressed.
"Never mind," answered Tom. "We can manage that. Tell us what happened."
"Exactly," replied Mr. Damon, growing calmer, "Bless my shoe buttons,
but I had a fright, two of them, in fact.
"You see," he went on, "I was out partly on pleasure and partly on
business. The pleasure consisted in riding in my auto, which my
physician recommended for my health. The business consisted in bringing
to the Shopton Bank a large amount of cash. Well, I deposited it all
right, but, as I came out I saw some men hanging around. I didn't like
their looks, and I saw them eyeing me rather sharply. I thought I had
seen them before and, sure enough I had. Two of the men belonged to
that Happy Harry gang!"
Tom made a quick motion of a caution, pointing to his father, but it
was not necessary, as Mr. Swift was absently-mindedly calculating on a
piece of paper he had taken from his pocket, and had not heard what Mr.
Damon said. The latter, however, knew what Tom meant, and went on.
"Well, I didn't like the looks of these men, and when I saw them sizing
me up, evidently thinking I had drawn money out instead of putting it
in, I decided to give them the slip. I got in my auto, but I was
startled to see them get in their car. I headed for here, as I was
coming to pay you a visit, anyhow, and the mysterious men kept after
me. It became a regular race. I put on all the speed I could and headed
for your house, Tom, for I thought you would help me. I went faster and
faster, and so did they. They were almost up to me, and I was just
thinking of slowing down to turn in here, when I lost control of my
machine, and--well, I did turn in here, but not exactly as I intended.
Bless my gaiters! I came in with rather more of a rush than I expected.
It was awful--positively awful, I assure you. You've no idea how
nervous I was. But I escaped those scoundrels, for they rushed on when
they saw what I had done--smashed the porch railing."
"Probably they thought you'd smash them," observed Tom with a laugh.
"But why did they follow you?"
"Can't imagine! Haven't the least idea. Bless my spark-plug, but they
might have imagined I had money. Anyhow I'm glad I escaped them!"
"It's lucky you weren't hurt," said Mr. Sharp.
"Oh, me? Bless my existence! I'm always having narrow escapes." Mr.
Damon caught sight of the Red Cloud which was out in front of the big
shed. "Bless my heart! What's that?" he added.
"Our new airship," answered Tom proudly. "We are just planning a long
trip in it, but we can't find a third member of the party to go along."
"A third member!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Do you really mean it?"
"We do."
"Bless my shoe laces! Will you take me along?"
"Do you mean that?" asked Tom in turn, foreseeing a way out of their
difficulties.
"I certainly do," answered the eccentric man. "I am much interested in
airships, and I might as well die up in the clouds as any other way.
Certainly I prefer it to being smashed up in an auto. Will you take me?"
"Of course!" cried Tom heartily, and Mr. Sharp nodded an assent. Then
Tom drew Mr. Damon to one side. "We'll arrange the trip in a few
minutes," the lad said. "Tell me more about those mysterious men,
please."