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

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER VIII

  ANDY FOGER'S REVENGE

  During the following week, Tom was kept busy over the airship. Hemade many important changes, and one of these was to use a new kindof gas in the balloon bag. He wanted a gas with a greater liftingpower than that of the ordinary illuminating vapor which Mr. Fenwickhad used.

  "Well," remarked Tom, as he came from the airship shed oneafternoon, "I think we can give it a try-out, Mr. Fenwick, in a fewdays more. I shall have to go back to Shopton to get some articles Ineed, and when I come back I will bring Mr. Damon with me, and wewill see what the WHIZZER can do."

  "Do you mean we will make a trial flight?"

  "Yes."

  "For how long a distance?"

  "It all depends on how she behaves," answered Tom, with a smile. "Ifpossible, we'll make a long flight."

  "Then I'll tell you what I'm going to do," went on the inventor,"I'm going to put aboard a stock of provisions, and some othersupplies and stores, in case we are two or three days in the air."

  "It might not be a bad plan," agreed Tom, "though I hardly think wewill be gone as long as that."

  "Well, being out in the air always makes me hungry," proceeded Mr.Fenwick, "so I'm going to take plenty of food along."

  The time was to come, and that very soon, when this decision of theinventor of the WHIZZER stood the adventurers in good stead.

  Tom returned to Shopton the next day, and sent word to have Mr.Damon join him in time to go back to the Quaker City two days later.

  "But why don't you start right back to Philadelphia to-morrow,"asked Mr. Swift of his son.

  "Because," answered Tom, and that was all the reason he would give,though had any one seen him reading a certain note a few minutesbefore that, which note was awaiting him on his arrival from theQuaker City, they would not have wondered at his decision.

  The note was brief. It merely said:

  "Won't you come, and have some apple turnovers? The new cook is atreasure, and the girls are anxious to meet you."

  It was signed: Mary Nestor.

  "I think I could enjoy some apple turnovers," remarked Tom, with asmile.

  Having gotten ready the few special appliances he wished to takeback to Philadelphia with him, Tom went, that evening, to call onMiss Nestor. True to her promise, the girl had a big plate full ofapple turnovers, which she gaily offered our hero on his arrival,and, on his laughing declination to partake of so many, she usheredhim into a room full of pretty girls, saying:

  "They'll help you eat them, Tom. Girls, here is Mr. Swift, whodoesn't mind going up in the air or under the ocean, or evencatching runaway horses," by which last she referred to the time Tomsaved her life, and first made her acquaintance.

  As for the young inventor, he gave a gasp, almost as if he hadplunged into a bath of icy water, at the sight of so many prettyfaces staring at him. He said afterward that he would rather havevol-planed back to earth from a seven-mile height, than again facesuch a battery of sparkling eyes.

  But our hero soon recovered himself, and entered into the merrimentof the evening, and, before he knew it he was telling Miss Nestorand her attractive guests something of his exploits.

  "But I'm talking altogether too much about myself." he said,finally. "How is the new cook Miss Nestor; and have you heard fromyour father and mother since they sailed on the RESOLUTE for theWest Indies?"

  "As to the new cook, she is a jewel of the first water," answeredMiss Nestor. "We all like her, and she is anxious for another ridein a taxicab, as she calls your auto."

  "She shall have it," declared Tom, "for those are the best appleturnovers I ever ate."

  "I'll tell her so," declared Mary. "She'll appreciate it coming froman inventor of your ability."

  "Have you heard from your parents?" asked Tom, anxious to change thesubject.

  "Oh, yes. I had a wire to-day. They stopped at St. Augustine to letme know they were having a glorious time aboard the yacht. Mr.Hosbrook, the owner, is an ideal host, mamma said. They areproceeding directly to the West Indies, now. I do hope they willarrive safely. They say there are bad storms down there at this timeof year."

  "Perhaps, if they are shipwrecked, Mr. Swift will go to their rescuein one of his airships, or a submarine," suggested Mabel Jackson,one of the several pretty girls.

  "Oh, I hope he doesn't have to!" exclaimed Mary. "Don't speak ofshipwrecks! It makes me shudder," and she seemed unduly alarmed.

  "Of course they won't have any trouble," asserted Tom, confidently,more to reassure Miss Nestor, than from any knowledge he possessed;"but if they do get cast away on a desert island, I'll certainly goto their rescue," he added.

  It was late when Tom started for home that night, for the society ofMiss Nestor and her friends made the time pass quickly. He promisedto call again, and try some more samples of the new cook's culinaryart, as soon as he had gotten Mr. Fenwick's airship in shape forflying.

  As, later that night, the young inventor came in sight of his home,and the various buildings and shops surrounding it, his first glancewas toward the shed which contained his monoplane, BUTTERFLY. Thatlittle craft was Tom's pet. It had not cost him anything like asmuch as had his other inventions, either in time or money, but hecared more for it than for his big airship, RED CLOUD. This wasprincipally because the BUTTERFLY was so light and airy, and couldbe gotten ready so quickly for a flight across country. It wascapable of long endurance, too, for an extra large supply ofgasolene and oil was carried aboard.

  So it was with rather a start of surprise that Tom saw a light inthe structure where the BUTTERFLY was housed.

  "I wonder if dad or Mr. Jackson can be out there?" he mused. "Yet, Idon't see why they should be. They wouldn't be going for a flight atnight. Or perhaps Mr. Damon arrived, and is out looking it over."

  A moment's reflection, however, told Tom that this last surmisecould not be true, since the eccentric man had telegraphed, sayinghe would not arrive until the next day.

  "Somebody's out there, however," went on Tom, "and I'm going to seewho it is. I hope it isn't Eradicate monkeying with the monoplane.He's very curious, and he might get it out of order."

  Tom increased his pace, and moved swiftly but softly toward theshed. If there was an intruder inside he wanted to surprise him.There were large windows to the place, and they would give a goodview of the interior. As Tom approached, the light within flickered,and moved to and fro.

  Tom reached one of the casements, and peered in. He caught a glimpseof a moving figure, and he heard a peculiar ripping sound. Then, ashe sprang toward the front door, the light suddenly went out, andthe young inventor could hear some one running from the shop.

  "They've seen me, and are trying to get away," thought the lad. "Imust catch them!"

  He fairly leaped toward the portal, and, just as he reached it, afigure sprang out. So close was Tom that the unknown collided withhim, and our hero went over on his back. The other person was tossedback by the force of the impact, but quickly recovered himself, anddashed away.

  Not before, however, Tom had had a chance to glance at his face,and, to the chagrin of the young inventor, he recognized, by the dimlight of a crescent moon, the countenance of Andy Foger! Ifadditional evidence was needed Tom fully recognized the form as thatof the town bully.

  "Hold on there, Andy Foger!" shouted the young inventor. "What areyou doing in my shed? What right have you in there? What did youdo?"

  Back came the answer through the night:

  "I told you I'd get square with you, and I've done it," and thenAndy's footsteps died away, while a mocking laugh floated back toTom. What was Andy's revenge?