Tom Swift and His Air Glider; Or, Seeking the Platinum Treasure

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER XVI

  THE NIHILISTS

  From the pursuing aircraft came a series of sharp explosions thatfairly rattled through the clear air.

  "Look out for bombs!" yelled Ned.

  "Bless my safety match!" cried Mr. Damon. "Are they anarchists?"

  "It's only their motor back-firing," cried Tom. "It's all right,They're done for now, we'll leave them behind."

  He was a true prophet, for with a continued rush and a roar the airshipof our friends opened up a big gap between her rear rudders and theforward planes of the craft that was chasing her. The three men wereworking frantically to get their motor in shape, but it was a uselesstask.

  A little later, finding that they were losing speed, the three policeagents, or spies, whatever they might be, had to volplane to earth andthere was no need for the Falcon to maintain the terrific pace, towhich Tom had pushed her. The pursuit was over.

  "Well, we got out of that luckily," remarked Ned, as he looked down towhere the spies were making a landing. "I guess they won't try thattrick again."

  "I'm afraid they will," predicted Mr. Petrofsky. "You don't know thesegovernment agents as I do. They never give up. They'll fix theirengine, and get on our trail again."

  "Then we'll make them work for what they get," put in Tom, who, havingset the automatic speed accelerator, had rejoined his companions."We'll try a high flight and if they can pick up a trail in the air,and come up to us, they're good ones!"

  He ran to the pilot house, and set the elevation rudder at its limit.Meanwhile the spies were working frantically over their motor, tryingto get it in shape for the pursuit. But soon they realized that thiswas out of the question, for the Falcon was far away, every momentgoing higher and higher, until she was lost to sight beyond the clouds.

  "I guess they'll have their own troubles now," remarked Ned. "We'veseen the last of them."

  "Don't be too sure," spoke the Russian. "We may have them after usagain. We're over the land of the Czar now, and they'll haveeverything their own way. They'll want to stop me at any cost."

  "Do you think they suspect that we're after the platinum?" asked Tom.

  "They may, for they know my brother and I were the only ones who everlocated it, though unless I get in the exact neighborhood I'd havetrouble myself picking it out. I remember some of the landmarks, but mybrother is better at that sort of work than I am. But I think what theyare mostly afraid of is that I have some designs on the life of, sayone of the Grand Dukes, or some high official. But I am totally opposedto violent measures," went on Mr. Petrofsky. "I believe in a campaignof education, to gain for the down-trodden people what are theirrights."

  "Do you think they know you are coming to rescue your brother?" askedTom.

  "I don't believe so. And I hope not, for once they suspected that, theywould remove him to some place where I never could locate him."

  Calmer feelings succeeded the excitement caused by the pursuit, and ourfriends, speculating on the matter, came to the conclusion that theaeroplane must have started from some Prussian town, as Mr. Petrofskysaid there were a number of Russian secret police in that country. TheFalcon was now speeding along at a considerable height, and afterrunning for a number of miles, sufficient to preclude the possibilitythat they could be picked up by the pursuing aeroplane, Tom sent hiscraft down, as the rarefied atmosphere made breathing difficult.

  It was about three days after the chase when, having carefully studiedthe map and made several observations through the telescope of theCountry over which they were traveling, that Ivan Petrofsky said:

  "If it can be managed, Tom, I think we ought to go down about here.There is a Russian town not far away, and I know a few friends there,There is a large stretch of woodland, and the airship can be easilyconcealed there.

  "All right," agreed the young inventor, "down we go, and I hope you getthe information you want."

  Flying high so as to keep out of the observation of the inhabitants ofthe Russian town, the young inventor sent his craft in a circle aboutit, and, having seen a clearing in the forest, he made a landing there,the Falcon having come to rest a second time since leaving Shopton, nowseveral thousand miles away.

  "We'll hide here for a few days," observed Tom, "and you can spend asmuch time in town as you like, Mr. Petrofsky."

  The Russian, disguising himself by trimming his beard, and putting on apair of dark spectacles, went to the village that afternoon.

  While he was gone Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon busied themselves about theairship, making a few repairs that could not very well be done while itwas in motion. As night came on, and the exile did not return, Tombegan to get a little worried, and he had some notion of going to seekhim, but he knew it would not be safe.

  "He'll come all right," declared Ned, as they sat down to supper. Allabout them was an almost impenetrable forest, cut here and there bypaths along which, as Mr. Petrofsky had told them, the wood cuttersdrove their wagons.

  It was quite a surprise therefor, when, as they were leaving the table,a knock was heard on the cabin door.

  "Bless my electric bell!" cried Mr. Damon. "Who can that be?"

  "Mr. Petrofsky of course," answered Ned.

  "He wouldn't knock--he'd walk right in," spoke Tom, as he went to thedoor. As he opened it he saw several dark-bearded men standing there,and in their midst Mr. Petrofsky.

  For one moment our hero feared that his friend had been arrested andthat the police had come to take the rest of them into custody. But aword from the exile reassured him.

  "These are some of my friends," said Mr. Petrofsky simply. "They areNihilists which I am not, but--"

  "Nihilists yes! Always!" exclaimed one who spoke English. "Death to theCzar and the Grand Dukes! Annihilation to the government!"

  "Gently my friend, gently," spoke Mr. Petrofsky. "I am opposed toviolence you know." And then, while his new friends gazed wonderinglyat the strange craft, he led them inside. Tom and the others werehardly able to comprehend what was about to take place.