CHAPTER XV
PURSUED
Slowly the airship arose, almost too slowly to suit those on board whoanxiously watched the oncoming officers. The latter had drawn theirshort swords, and at the sight of them Mr. Damon cried out:
"Bless my football! If they jab them into the gas bag, Tom, we're donefor!"
"They won't get the chance," answered the young inventor, and he spoketruly, for a moment later, as the big propellers took hold of the air,the Falcon went up with a rush, and was far beyond the reach of themen. In a rage the spy shook his fist at the fast receding craft, andone of the policemen drew his revolver.
"They're going to fire!" cried Ned.
"They can't do much damage," answered Tom coolly. "A bullet hole in thebag is easily repaired, and anywhere else it won't amount to anything."
The officer was aiming his revolver at the airship, now high above hishead, but with a quick motion the spy pulled down his companion's arm,and they seemed to be disputing among themselves.
"I wonder what that means?" mused Mr. Damon.
"Probably they didn't want to risk getting into trouble," replied theRussian. "There are strict laws in France about using firearms, and asyet we are accused of no crime. We are only suspected, and I supposethe spy didn't want to get into trouble. He is on foreign ground, andthere might be international complications."
"Then you really think he was a spy?" asked Tom.
"No doubt of it, and I'm afraid this is only the beginning of ourtrouble."
"In what way?"
"Well, of course word will be sent on ahead about us, and every wherewe go they'll be on the watch for us. They have our movements prettywell covered."
"We won't make a descent until we get to Siberia," said Tom, "and Iguess there it will be so lonesome that we won't be troubled much."
"Perhaps," admitted the Russian, "but we will have to be on our guard.Of course keeping up in the air will be an advantage but they may--"
He stopped suddenly and shrugged his shoulders.
"What were you going to say?" inquired Ned.
"Oh, it's just something that might happen, but it's too remote apossibility to work about. We're leaving those fellows nicely behind,"he added quickly, as though anxious to change the subject.
"Yes, at this rate we'll soon be out of France," observed Tom, as hespeeded the ship along still more. The young inventor wondered what Mr.Petrofsky had been going to say, but soon after this, some of therepaired machinery in the motor room needed adjusting, and the younginventor was kept so busy that the matter passed from his mind.
The dynamo and magneto were doing much more efficient work since Tomhad put the new platinum in, and the Falcon was making better time thanever before. They were flying at a moderate height, and could seewondering men, women and children rush out from their houses, to gazealoft at the strange sight. Paris was now far behind, and that nightthey were approaching the borders of Prussia, as Mr. Petrofsky informedthem, for he knew every part of Europe.
The route, as laid down by Tom and the Russian, would send the airshipskirting the southern coast of the Baltic sea, then north-west, to passto one side of St. Petersburg, and then, after getting far enough tothe north, so as to avoid the big cities, they would head due east forSiberia.
"In that way I think we'll avoid any danger from the Russian police,"remarked the exile.
For the next few days they flew steadily on at no remarkable speed, asthe extra effort used more gasolene than Tom cared to expend in themotor. He realized that he would need all he had, and he did not wantto have to buy any more until he was homeward bound, for the purchaseof it would lead to questions, and might cause their detention.
Mr. Damon gave his friends good meals and they enjoyed their trip verymuch, though naturally there was some anxiety about whether it wouldhave a successful conclusion.
"Well, if we don't find the platinum mine we'll rescue your brother, ifthere's a possible chance!" exclaimed Tom one day, as he sat in thepilot house with the exile. "Jove! it will be great to drop down, pickhim up, and fly away with him before those Cossacks, or whoever hashim, know what's up."
"I'm afraid we can't make such a sensational rescue as that," repliedMr. Petrofsky. "We'll have to go at it diplomatically. That's the onlyway to get an exile out of Siberia. We must get word to him somehow,after we locate him, that we are waiting to help him, and then we canplan for his escape. Poor Peter! I do hope we can find him, for if heis in the salt or sulphur mines it is a living death!" and he shudderedat the memory of his own exile.
"How do you expect to get definite information as to where he mightbe?" asked Tom.
"I think the only thing to do is to get in touch with some of therevolutionists," answered the Russian. "They have ways and means offinding out even state secrets. I think our best plan will be to landnear some small town, when we get to the edge of Siberia. If we canconceal the airship, so much the better. Then I can disguise myself andgo to the village."
"Will it be safe?" inquired the young inventor.
"I'll have to take that chance. It's the only way, as I am the only onein our party who can speak Russian."
"That's right," admitted Tom with a laugh. "I'm afraid I could nevermaster that tongue. It's as hard as Chinese."
"Not quite," replied his friend, "but it is not an easy language for anAmerican."
They talked at some length, and then Tom noticing, by one of theautomatic gages on the wall of the pilot house, that some of themachinery needed attention, went to attend to it.
He was rather surprised, on emerging from the motor compartment, to seeMr. Damon standing on the open after deck of the Falcon gazingearnestly toward the rear.
"Star-gazing in the day time?" asked Tom with a laugh.
"Bless my individuality!" exclaimed the odd man. "How you startled me,Tom! No, I'm not looking at stars, but I've been noticing a black speckin the sky for some time, and I was wondering whether it was myeyesight, or whether it really is something."
"Where is it?"
"Straight to the rear," answered Mr. Damon, "and it seems to be about amile up. It's been hanging in the same place this ten minutes."
"Oh, I see," spoke Tom, when the speck had been pointed out to him."It's there all right, but I guess it's a bird, an eagle perhaps. Wait,I'll get a glass and we'll take a look."
As he was taking the telescope down from its rack in the pilot house,Mr. Petrofsky saw him.
"What's up?" asked the Russian, and the youth told him.
"Must be a pretty big bird to be seen at such a distance as it is,"remarked Tom.
"Maybe it isn't a bird," suggested Ivan Petrofsky. "I'll take a lookmyself," and, showing something of alarm in his manner, he followed Tomto where Mr. Damon awaited them. Ned also came out on deck.
Quickly adjusting the glass, Tom focused it on the black speck. Itseemed to have grown larger. He peered at it steadily for severalseconds.
"Is it a bird?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Jove! It's another airship--a big biplane!" cried Tom, "and thereseems to be three men in her."
"An aeroplane!" gasped Ned.
"Bless my deflecting rudder!" cried Mr. Damon. "An airship in thisout-of-the-way place?" for they were flying over a desolate country.
"And they're coming right after us," added Tom, as he continued to gaze.
"I thought so," was the quiet comment of Mr. Petrofsky. "That is what Istarted to say a few days ago," he went on, "when I stopped, as Ihardly believed it possible. I thought they might possibly send anaeroplane after us, as both the French and Russian armies have a numberof fast ones. So they are pursuing us. I'm afraid my presence willbring you no end of trouble."
"Let it come!" cried Tom. "If they can catch up to us they've got agood machine. Come on, Ned, let's speed her up, and make them take moreof our star dust."
"Wait a minute," advised the Russian, as he took the telescope fromTom, and viewed the ever-increasing speck behind them. "Are you sure ofthe speed of thi
s craft?" he asked a moment later.
"I never saw the one yet I couldn't pull away from, even after givingthem a start," answered the young inventor proudly. "That is all but mylittle sky racer. I could let them get within speaking distance, andthen pull out like the Congressional Limited passing a slow freight."
"Then wait a few minutes," suggested Mr. Petrofsky. "That is anaeroplane all right, but I can't make out from what country. I'd like abetter view, and if it's safe we can come closer."
"Oh, it's safe enough," declared Tom. "I'll get things in shape for aquick move," and he hurried back to the machine room, while the otherstook turns looking at the oncoming aeroplane. And it was coming onrapidly, showing that it had tremendous power, for it was a very largeone, carrying three men.
"How do you suppose they got on our track?" asked Ned.
"Oh, we must have been reported from time to time, as we flew overcities or towns," replied Mr. Petrofsky. "You know we're rather large,and can be seen from a good distance. Then too, the whole Russiansecret police force is at the service of our enemies."
"But we're not over Russia yet," said Mr. Damon.
Ivan Petrofsky took the telescope and peered down toward the earth.They were not a great way above it, and at that moment they werepassing a small village.
"Can you tell where we are?" asked the odd man.
"We are just over the border of the land of the Czar," was the quietanswer. "The imperial flag is flying from a staff in front of one ofthe buildings down there. We are over Russia."
"And here comes that airship," called Ned suddenly.
They gazed back with alarm, and saw that it was indeed so. The bigaeroplane had come on wonderfully fast in the last few minutes.
"Tom! Tom!" cried his chum. "Better get ready to make a sprint."
"I'm all ready," calmly answered our hero. "Shall I go now?"
"If you can give us a few seconds longer I may be able to tell who isafter us," remarked Mr. Petrofsky, turning his telescope on the craftbehind them.
"I can let them get almost up to us, and get away," replied Tom.
The Russian did not answer. He was gazing earnestly at the approachingaeroplane. A moment later he took the glass down from his eye.
"It's our spy again," he said. "There are two others with him. That isone of the aeroplanes owned by the secret police. They are stationedall over Europe, ready for instant service, and they're on our trail."
The pursuing craft was so near that the occupants could easily be madeout with the naked eye, but it needed the glass to distinguish theirfeatures, and Mr. Petrofsky had done this.
"Shall I speed up?" cried Tom.
"Yes, get away as fast as you can!" shouted the Russian. "No tellingwhat they may do," and then, with a hum and a roar the motor of theFalcon increased its speed, and the big airship shot ahead.
Tom Swift and His Air Glider; Or, Seeking the Platinum Treasure Page 15
