Tom Swift and His Wireless Message; Or, The Castaways of Earthquake Island

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER VII

  MAKING SOME CHANGES

  "Well, what do you think of it?" asked Mr. Fenwick again, as Tomwalked all about the electric airship, still without speaking.

  "It's big, certainly," remarked the lad.

  "Bless my shoe horn! I should say it was!" burst out Mr. Damon."It's larger than your RED CLOUD, Tom."

  "But will it go? That's what I want to know," insisted the inventor."Do you think it will fly, Tom? I haven't dared to try it yet,though a small model which I made floated in the air for some time.But it wouldn't move, except as the wind blew it."

  "It would be hard to say, without a careful examination, whetherthis large one will fly or not," answered Tom.

  "Then give it a careful examination," suggested Mr. Fenwick. "I'llpay you well for your time and trouble."

  "Oh if I can help a fellow inventor, and assist in making a newmodel of airship fly, I'm only too glad to do it without pay,"retorted Tom, quickly. "I didn't come here for that. Suppose we goin the cabin, and look at the motor. That's the most importantpoint, if your airship is to navigate."

  There was certainly plenty of machinery in the cabin of the WHIZZER.Most of it was electrical, for on that power Mr. Fenwick intended todepend to sail through space. There was a new type of gasoleneengine, small but very powerful, and this served to operate adynamo. In turn, the dynamo operated an electrical motor, as Mr.Fenwick had an idea that better, and more uniform, power could beobtained in this way, than from a gasolene motor direct. Oneadvantage which Tom noticed at once, was that the WHIZZER had alarge electric storage battery.

  This was intended to operate the electric motor in case of a breakto the main machinery, and it seemed a good idea. There were variousother apparatuses, machines, and appliances, the nature of which Tomcould not readily gather from a mere casual view.

  "Well, what's your opinion, now that you have seen the motor?" askedMr. Fenwick, anxiously.

  "I'd have to see it in operation," said Tom.

  "And you shall, right after dinner," declared the inventor. "I'dlike to start it now, and hear what you have to say, but I'm not soselfish as that. I know you must be hungry after your trip fromShopton, as they say aeroplaning gives one an appetite."

  "I don't know whether it's that or not," answered Tom with a laugh,"but I am certainly hungry."

  "Then we'll postpone the trial until after dinner. It must be readyby this time, I think," said Mr. Fenwick, as he led the way back tothe house. It was magnificently furnished, for the inventor was aman of wealth, and only took up aeroplaning as a "fad." An excellentdinner was served, and then the three returned once more to the shedwhere the WHIZZER was kept.

  "Shall I start the motor in here?" asked Mr. Fenwick, when he hadsummoned several of the machinists whom he employed, to aid himselfand the young inventor.

  "It would be better if we could take it outside," suggested Tom,"yet a crowd is sure to gather, and I don't like to work in a mob ofpeople."

  "Oh, we can easily get around that," said Mr. Fenwick. "I have twoopenings to my aeroplane shed. We can take the WHIZZER out of therear door, into a field enclosed by a high fence. That is where Imade all my trials, and the crowd couldn't get in, though some boysdid find knot-holes and use them. But I don't mind that. The onlything that bothers me is that I can't make the WHIZZER go up, and ifit won't go up, it certainly won't sail. That's my difficulty, and Ihope you can remedy it, Tom Swift."

  "I'll do the best I can. But let's get the airship outside."

  This was soon accomplished, and in the open lot Tom made a thoroughand careful examination of the mechanism. The motor was started, andthe propellers, for there were two, whirled around at rapid speed.

  Tom made some tests and calculations, at which he was an expert, andapplied the brake test, to see how much horse power the motor woulddeliver.

  "I think there is one trouble that we will have to get over," hefinally said to Mr. Fenwick.

  "What is that?"

  "The motor is not quite powerful enough because of the way in whichyou have it geared up. I think by changing some of the cogs, andgetting rid of the off-set shaft, also by increasing the number ofrevolutions, and perhaps by using a new style of carburetor, we canget more speed and power."

  "Then we'll do it!" cried Mr. Fenwick, with enthusiasm. "I knew Ihadn't got everything just right. Do you think it will work afterthat?"

  "Well," remarked Tom, hesitatingly, "I think the arrangement of theplanes will also have to be changed. It will take quite some work,but perhaps, after a bit, we can get the WHIZZER up in the air."

  "Can you begin work at once?" asked the inventor, eagerly.

  Tom shook his head.

  "I can't stay long enough on this trip," he said. "I promised fatherI would be back by to-morrow at the latest, but I will come overhere again, and arrange to stay until I have done all I can. I needto get some of my special tools, and then, too, you will requiresome other supplies, of which I will give you a list. I hope youdon't mind me speaking in this way, Mr. Fenwick, as though I knewmore about it than you do," added Tom, modestly.

  "Not a bit of it!" cried the inventor heartily. "I want the benefitof your advice and experience, and I'll do just as you say. I hopeyou can come back soon."

  "I'll return the first of the week," promised Tom, "and then we'llsee what can be done. Now I'll go over the whole ship once more, andsee what I need. I also want to test the lifting capacity of yourgas bag."

  The rest of the day was a busy one for our hero. With the aid of Mr.Damon and the owner of the WHIZZER, he went over every pointcarefully. Then, as it was too late to attempt the return flight toShopton, he telegraphed his father, and he and Mr. Damon remainedover night with Mr. Fenwick.

  In the morning, having written out a list of the things that wouldbe needed, Tom went out to Franklin Field, and repaired his ownmonoplane. It was found that one of the electric wires connectedwith the motor had broken, thus cutting off the spark. It was soonrepaired, and, in the presence of a large crowd, Tom and Mr. Damonstarted on their return flight.

  "Do you think you can make the WHIZZER work, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon,as they were flying high over Philadelphia.

  "I'm a little dubious about it," was the reply. "But after I make somechanges I may have a different opinion. The whole affair is too bigand clumsy, that's the trouble; though the electrical part of it isvery good."

  Shopton was reached without incident, in about three hours, andthere was no necessity, this time, of vol-planing back to earth.After a short rest, Tom began getting together a number of specialtools and appliances, which he proposed taking back to Philadelphiawith him.

  The young inventor made another trip to Mr. Fenwick's house thefirst of the following week. He went by train this time, as he hadto ship his tools, and Mr. Damon did not accompany him. Then, withthe assistance of the inventor of the WHIZZER, and several of hismechanics, Tom began making the changes on the airship.

  "Do you think you can make it fly?" asked Mr. Fenwick, anxiously,after several days of labor.

  "I hope so," replied our hero, and there was more confidence in histone than there had been before. As the work progressed, he began tobe more hopeful. "I'll make a trial flight, anyhow, in a few days,"he added.

  "Then I must send word to Mr. Damon," decided Mr. Fenwick. "He wantsto be on hand to see it, and, if possible, go up; so he told me."

  "All right," assented Tom. "I only hope it does go up," heconcluded, in a low tone.