CHAPTER VII
READY FOR THE TRIP
Andy Foger stood looking at his tilted airship. His clothes werecovered with mud from the ditch, some of the muck had splashed overhis face so that he was a pitiable looking object.
"What's the matter?" panted Pete Bailey.
"Are you hurt?" asked Sam Snedecker.
The two cronies had hurried to the side of the bully.
"Matter? Can't you see what's the matter?" demanded Andy wrathfully."The machine came down, that's what's the matter! Why didn't youfellows fix the motor better?" he shouted at the two machinists asthey came running up, followed by the crowd.
"Fix it better? The motor was all right," declared the tallermachinist. "Any of them are likely to stop unexpectedly."
"Well, I didn't think mine would," came from Andy. "Now look at myairship! It's all busted!"
"No, it isn't hurt much," said the other man, after criticallylooking it over. "We can fix it, and you'll fly yet, Andy."
"I hope I do, if only to fool Tom Swift," declared the bully, as hewiped some of the mud from his face. "Come on, now, help me wheelthe machine back, and I'll try it again."
Andy made another attempt, but this time the machine did not evenrise off the ground, and then, amid the jeers of the crowd, thediscomfited lad took his aeroplane back to the shed in the rear ofhis house.
"I'll fix it yet, and make a long flight," he declared. "I'll showTom Swift he can't laugh at me!"
"You'll make a long flight eh?" asked one of the machinists. "Wherewill you go?"
"Never mind," answered Andy, with a knowing wink. "I've got a planup my sleeve--my father and I are going to do something that willastonish everybody in Shopton," and then Andy, with many nods andwinks, went into the shed, where he began giving orders about theairship. He wanted the motor changed, and one of the machinists madesome suggestions about the planes, which, he said, would give betterresults.
As for Tom and Ned, they strolled away, satisfied that in Andy Fogerthey would not have a very dangerous rival, as far as airships wereconcerned.
Tom thought matters over during the next few days. He was nowsatisfied that Andy had a copy of the map, and, as far as he couldsee, there was no way of getting it from him, for he could not proveto the satisfaction of the legal authorities that the bully actuallyhad it.
"We'll just have to take a chance, that's all," decided the younginventor in talking matters over with his father, Ned, and AbeAbercrombie. "If Andy and some of his crowd trail after us, we'lljust have to run away from them and get to the valley first."
"If they do get there, they won't find it very easy traveling Ireckon," remarked Abe. "They'll get all they want of the caves ofice. But hadn't we better get a hustle on ourselves, Tom?"
"Yes, we will soon start now. I have the RED CLOUD all packed up forshipment to Seattle. We will send it on ahead, and then follow, forit will take some time to get there, even though it's going by fastfreight."
"What about Mr. Damon?" asked Ned. "When is he coming?"
"There's no telling," responded Tom. "He may be on hand any minute,and, again, he may only show up just as we are starting. I haven'theard from him in the last day or two."
At that moment there was a knock on the private office in theaeroplane shed, where Tom, Ned and Abe Abercrombie were talking.
"Who's there?" asked Tom.
"It's me," answered a voice recognizable as that of the colored manEradicate.
"What is it, Rad?" asked Tom.
"Why I jest thought I'd tell you dat de blessin' man am comin' downde road."
"The blessing man?" repeated Tom. "Oh, you mean Mr. Damon."
"Yais, sah, dat's jest who I done mean. An' dere's anodder gen'manwif him."
"Mr. Parker, I expect," spoke Tom. "Well, tell them to come in here,Rad."
"Yais, sah. Dey's comin' up de path now, so dey is."
The next moment Tom and the others heard a voice saying:
"Why, bless my necktie! The RED CLOUD is gone!" Mr. Damon had peeredinto the shed, and had not seen the airship, for Tom had it packedup. "I wonder if Tom Swift has gone away? Bless my top-knot, Mr.Parker, I hope we're not too late!"
"Indeed I hope not," added the scientist. "I wish to make a study ofthe caves of ice. I think perhaps they may be working south, and, intime, this part of the country may be covered deep under a frozenblanket."
"Cheerful, isn't he, Ned?" asked Tom, with a smile. Then, going tothe door of the shed he called out: "Here we are, Mr. Damon. Glad tosee you, Mr. Parker." This last wasn't exactly true, but Tom wantedto be polite.
"Bless my collar button, Tom! But what has become of the airship?"asked Mr. Damon, as he looked about the shed, and saw only a numberof boxes and crates.
"Taken apart, and packed up, ready for the trip to the valley ofgold and the caves of ice," replied the young inventor, and then hebriefly told of their plans.
"Well, that's a good idea," declared the eccentric man. "Mr. Parkerand I are ready to go whenever you are, Tom."
"Then we'll start very soon. I will get all our supplies in Seattle.Now, to discuss details," and, after Mr. Parker and Mr. Damon hadbeen made acquainted with the old miner, who told his story inbrief, they began a discussion of the prospective trip.
Mr. Damon and Mr. Parker took up their residence in Tom's house, andwhile the eccentric man busied himself in helping our hero, Ned andAbe Abercrombie in getting ready for the trip to Alaska, the gloomyscientist went about making "observations" as he called them, with aview to predicting what might happen in the near future.
He was particularly anxious to get up north, among the caves of ice,and, several times he repeated his statement that he believed themass of ice in Alaska was working down toward the south. But no onepaid much attention to him, though Tom recalled, not without alittle shudder, that Mr. Parker had correctly predicted thedestruction of Earthquake Island, and also the landslide on PhantomMountain.
The airship was finally sent off, being forwarded to Seattle insections, where it could easily be put together. The matter of AndyFoger having a duplicate map of the valley of gold was discussed,but it was agreed that nothing could be done about it. So Tom andthe others devoted all their energies to getting in shape for theirprospective journey.
Mr. Swift was invited to go, but declined on the ground that he hadseveral inventions to perfect, nor could Mr. Jackson go, as he wasneeded to help his employer. So Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon, Mr. Parker andAbe Abercrombie made up the party. Tom arranged to send wirelessmessages to his father from the airship once they were started offtoward the valley of gold, and over the frozen north.
One evening, when Tom had been to pay a last visit to Mary Nestor,as he was coming past the Foger premises he saw a number of largevans, loaded with big packing cases coming out of the banker's yard.
"Hum! I wonder if they're moving?" mused our hero. "If they arethey're taking a queer time for it." He paused a moment to look atthe procession of vans. As he did so he heard the voice of AndyFoger.
"Now, I want you men to be careful of everything!" the bully calledout arrogantly. "If you break anything I'll sue you for damages!"
"Oh, that cub makes me sick!" exclaimed one of the drivers as hecame opposite Tom.
"What are you moving--eggs, that you have to be so careful?" askedthe young inventor, in a low voice.
"Eggs? No! But it might just as well be," was the growling answer."He's shipping an airship, all taken to pieces, and he has nervousprostration for fear it will be broken. I don't believe the oldthing's any good, anyhow."
"An airship--Andy Foger sending away his airship?" gasped Tom."Where to?"
"Some place in Alaska," was the startling reply. "Pitka or Sitka, orsome such place like that. It's all in these boxes, G'lang there!"this to his horses.
"Andy sending his airship to Alaska!" murmured Tom in dismay. "Thenhe surely is going to make a try for that valley of gold!"
He turned away, while the snarling voice of the bully rang ou
t onthe night, urging the drivers to be very careful of the boxes andcrates on their trucks.
Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice, or, the Wreck of the Airship Page 7
