THE AERIAL WARSHIP
Ned Newton looked at Tom questioningly. Then he glanced at the
unsuspicious colored man, who was industriously polishing the
half-dollar the mysterious stranger had given him.
"Rad, just exactly what sort of a man was this one you speak of?" asked
Tom.
"Why, he were a gen'man--"
"Yes, I know that much. You've said it before. But was he an
Englishman, an American--or--"
Tom paused and waited for an answer.
"I think he were a Frenchman," spoke Eradicate. "I done didn't see him
eat no frogs' laigs, but he smoked a cigarette dat had a funny smell,
and he suah was monstrous polite. He suah was a Frenchman. I think."
Tom and Ned laughed at Eradicate's description of the man, but Tom's
face was soon grave again.
"Tell us more about him, Rad," he suggested. "Did he seem especially
interested in the fire?"
"No, sah, Massa Tom, he seemed laik he was more special interested in
mah mule, Boomerang. He done asted how long I had him, an' how much I
wanted fo' him, an' how old he was."
"But every once in a while he put in some question about the fire, or
about our shops, didn't he, Rad?" Tom wanted to know.
The colored man scratched his kinky head, and glanced with a queer look
at Tom.
"How yo' all done guess dat?" he asked.
"Answer my question," insisted Tom.
"Yes, sah, he done did ask about yo', and de wuks, ebery now and den,"
Rad confessed. "But how yo' all knowed dat, Massa Tom, when I were
a-tellin' yo' all about him astin' fo' mah mule, done gets me--dat's
what it suah does."
"Never mind, Rad. He asked questions about the plant, that's all I want
to know. But you didn't tell him much, did you?"
Eradicate looked reproachfully at his master.
"Yo' all done knows me bettah dan dat, Massa Tom," the old colored man
said. "Yo' all know yo' done gib orders fo' nobody t' talk about yo'
projections."
"Yes, I know I gave those orders," Tom said, with a smile, "but I want
to make sure that they have been followed."
"Well, I done follered 'em, Massa Tom."
"Then you didn't tell this queer stranger, Frenchman, or whatever he
is, much about my place?"
"I didn't tell him nuffin', sah. I done frowed dust in his eyes."
Ned uttered an exclamation of surprise.
"Eradicate is speaking figuratively," Tom said, with a laugh.
"Dat's what I means," the colored man went on. "I done fooled him. When
he asted me about de fire I said it didn't do no damage at all--in fack
dat we'd rather hab de fire dan not hab it, 'case it done gib us a
chance t' practice our hose drill."
"That's good," laughed Tom. "What else?"
"Well, he done sort ob hinted t' me ef we all knowed how de fire done
start. I says as how we did, dat we done start it ourse'ves fo'
practice, an dat we done expected it all along, an' were ready fo' it.
Course I knows dat were a sort of fairy story, Massa Tom, but den dat
cigarette-smokin' Frenchman didn't hab no right t' asted me so many
questions, did he?"
"No, indeed, Rad. And I'm glad you didn't give him straight answers. So
he's coming here later on, is he?"
"T' see ef I wants t' sell mah mule, Boomerang, yais, sah. I sort ob
thought maybe you'd want t' hab a look at dat man, so I tole him t'
come on. Course I doan't want t' sell Boomerang, but ef he was t' offer
me a big lot ob money fo' him I'd take it."
"Of course," Tom answered. "Very well, Rad. You may go on now, and
don't say anything to anyone about what you have told me."
"I won't, Massa Tom," promised the colored man, as he went off
muttering to himself.
"Well, what do you make of it, Tom?" asked Ned of his chum, as they
walked on toward the shed of the new, big aerial warship.
"I don't know just what to think, Ned. Of course things like this have
happened before--persons trying to worm secrets out of Eradicate, or
some of the other men."
"They never succeeded in getting much, I'm glad to say, but it always
keeps me worried for fear something will happen," Tom concluded.
"But about this Frenchman?"
"Well, he must be a new one. And, now I come to think of it, I did hear
some of the men speaking about a foreigner--a stranger--being around
town last week. It was just a casual reference, and I paid little
attention to it. Now it looks as though there might be something in it."
"Do you think he'll come to bargain with Eradicate about the mule?" Ned
asked.
"Hardly. That was only talk to make Eradicate unsuspicious. The
stranger, whoever he was, sized Rad up partly right. I surmised, when
Rad said he asked a lot of questions about the mule, that was only to
divert suspicion, and that he'd come back to the subject of the fire
every chance he got."
"And you were right."
"Yes, so it seems. But I don't believe the fellow will come around
here. It would be too risky. All the same, we'll be prepared for him.
I'll just rig up one of my photo-telephone machines, so that, if he
does come to have a talk with Rad, we can both see and hear him."
"That's great, Tom! But do you think this fellow had anything to do
with the fire?"
"I don't know. He knew about it, of course. This isn't the first fire
we've had in the works, and, though we always fight them ourselves,
still news of it will leak out to the town. So he could easily have
known about it. And he might be in with those who set it, for I firmly
believe the fire was set by someone who has an object in injuring me."
"It's too bad!" declared Ned. "Seems as though they might let you
alone, if they haven't gumption enough to invent things for themselves."
"Well, don't worry. Maybe it will come out all right," returned Tom.
"Now, let's go and have a look at my aerial warship. I haven't shown it
to you yet. Then we'll get ready for that mysterious Frenchman, if he
comes--but I don't believe he will."
The young inventor unlocked the door of the shed where he kept his
latest "pet," and at the sight which met his eyes Ned Newton uttered an
exclamation of surprise.
"Tom, what is it?" he cried in an awed voice.
"My aerial warship!" was the quiet answer.
Ned Newton gave vent to a long whistle, and then began a detailed
examination of the wonderful craft he saw before him. That is, he made
as detailed an examination as was possible under the circumstances, for
it was a long time before the young bank clerk fully appreciated all
Tom Swift had accomplished in building the Mars, which was the warlike
name painted in red letters on the big gas container that tugged and
swayed overhead.
"Tom, however did you do it?" gasped Ned at length.
"By hard work," was the modest reply. "I've been at this for a longer
time than you'd suppose, working on it at odd moments. I had a lot of
help, too, or I never could have done it. And now it is nearly all
finished, as far as the ship itself is concerned. The only thing that
bothers me is to provide for the recoil of the guns I want to carry.
Maybe you can help me with that. Come on, now, I'll explain how the
affair works, and what I hope to accomplish with it."
In brief Tom's aerial warship was a sort of German Zeppelin type of
dirigible balloon, rising in the air by means of a gas container, or,
rather, several of them, for the section for holding the lifting gas
element was divided by bulkheads.
The chief difference between dirigible balloons and ordinary
aeroplanes, as you all know, is that the former are lifted from the
earth by a gas, such as hydrogen, which is lighter than air, while the
aeroplane lifts itself by getting into motion, when broad, flat planes,
or surfaces, hold it up, just as a flat stone is held up when you sail
it through the air. The moment the stone, or aeroplane, loses its
forward motion, it begins to fall.
This is not so with a dirigible balloon. It is held in the air by means
of the lifting gas, and once so in the air can be sent in any direction
by means of propellers and rudders.
Tom's aerial warship contained many new features. While it was as large
as some of the war-type Zeppelins, it differed from them materially.
But the details would be of more interest to a scientific builder of
such things than to the ordinary reader, so I will not weary you with
them.
Sufficient to say that Tom's craft consisted first of a great
semi-rigid bag, or envelope, made of specially prepared oiled silk and
aluminum, to hold the gas, which was manufactured on board. There were
a number of gas-tight compartments, so that if one, or even if a number
of them burst, or were shot by an enemy, the craft would still remain
afloat.
Below the big gas bag was the ship proper, a light but strong and rigid
framework about which were built enclosed cabins. These cabins, or
compartments, housed the driving machinery, the gas-generating plant,
living, sleeping and dining quarters, and a pilot-house, whence the
ship could be controlled.
But this was not all.
Ned, making a tour of the Mars, as she swayed gently in the big shed,
saw where several aluminum pedestals were mounted, fore and aft and on
either beam of the ship.
"They look just like places where you intend to mount guns," said Ned
to Tom.
"And that's exactly what they are," the young inventor replied. "I
have the guns nearly ready for mounting, but I can't seem to think of a
way of providing for the recoil. And if I don't take care of that, I'm
likely to find my ship coming apart under me, after we bombard the
enemy with a broadside or two."
"Then you intend to fight with this ship?" asked Ned.
"Well, no; not exactly personally. I was thinking of offering it to the
United States Government. Foreign nations are getting ready large
fleets of aerial warships, so why shouldn't we? Matters in Europe are
mighty uncertain. There may be a great war there in which aerial craft
will play a big part. I am conceited enough to think I can build one
that will measure up to the foreign ones, and I'll soon be in a
position to know."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I have already communicated with our government experts, and
they are soon to come and inspect this craft. I have sent them word
that it is about finished. There is only the matter of the guns, and
some of the ordnance officers may be able to help me out with a
suggestion, for I admit I am stuck!" exclaimed Tom.
"Then you're going to do the same with this aerial warship as you did
with your big lantern and that immense gun you perfected?" asked Ned.
"That's right," confirmed Tom. My former readers will know to what Ned
Newton referred, and those of you who do not may learn the details of
how Tom helped Uncle Sam, by reading the previous volumes, "Tom Swift
and His Great Searchlight," and "Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon."
"When do you expect the government experts?" Ned asked.
"Within a few days, now. But I'll have to hustle to get ready for them,
as this fire has put me back. There are quite a number of details I
need to change. Well, now, let me explain about that gun recoil
business. Maybe you can help me."
"Fire away," laughed Ned. "I'll do the best I can."
Tom led the way from the main shed, where the aerial warship was
housed, to a small private office. As Ned entered, the door, pulled by
a strong spring, swung after him. He held back his hand to prevent it
from slamming, but there was no need, for a patent arrangement took up
all the force, and the door closed gently. Ned looked around, not much
surprised, for the same sort of door-check was in use at his bank. But
a sudden idea came to him.
"There you are, Tom!" he cried. "Why not take up the recoil of the guns
on your aerial warship by some such device as that?" and Ned pointed to
the door-check.