Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice, or, the Wreck of the Airship

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER XI

  OFF FOR THE FROZEN NORTH

  Tom Swift felt as if he was struggling in some dream or nightmare.He felt strong hands holding him and saw evil faces leering at him.

  Then gradually his brain cleared. His muscles, that had beenweakened by the cowardly blow, grew strong. He felt his fist landheavily on some one's face. He heard a smothered gasp of pain.

  Then came the sound of footsteps running--Tom heard the "ping" of apoliceman's night-stick on the sidewalk.

  "Here come the cops!" he heard one voice exclaim.

  "Did you get it?" asked another.

  "No, I can't find it. Cut for it now!"

  They released the young inventor so suddenly that he staggered aboutand almost fell.

  The next moment Tom was looking into the face of a big policeman,who was half supporting him.

  "What's the matter?" asked the officer.

  "Hold-up, I guess," mumbled the lad. "There they go!" he pointedtoward two dark forms slipping along down the dimly-lighted street.

  The officer drew his revolver, and fired two shots in the air, butthe fleeing figures did not stop.

  "How did it happen?" asked the policeman. "Did they get anythingfrom you?"

  "No--I guess not," answered Tom. He saw the packages containing hispurchases lying where they had fallen. A touch told him his watchand pocketbook were safe. The precious map was in a belt about hiswaist, and that had not been removed. "No, they didn't getanything," he assured the officer.

  "I came along too quick for 'em, I guess," spoke the bluecoat. "Thisis a bad neighborhood. There have been several hold-ups here oflate, but I was on the job too soon for these fellows. Hello, Mike,"as another officer came running up in answer to the shots and theraps of the night-stick. "Couple of strong-arm-men tackled thisyoung fellow just now. I saw something going on as I turned thecorner, and I rapped and ran up. They went down that way. I fired at'em. You take after 'em, Mike, and I'll stay here. Don't believe youcan land 'em, but try! I came up too quick to allow 'em to getanything, though."

  Tom did not contradict this. He knew, however, that, had the men whoattacked him wished to take his watch or money, they could have doneit several times before the officer arrived.

  "It was the map they were after," thought Tom, "not my watch ormoney. This is more of the Foger's work. We must get away fromhere."

  The policeman inquired for more particulars from Tom, who relatedhow the hold-up had taken place. The young inventor, however, saidnothing about the map he carried, letting the officer think it wasan ordinary attempt at robbery, for Tom did not want any referencein the newspapers to his search for the valley of gold.

  Presently the other policeman returned, having been unable to getany trace of the daring men. The two bluecoats wanted to accompanyTom back to the airship shed, for his own safety, but he declaredthere was no more danger, and, after having given his name, so thatthe affair might be reported at headquarters, he was allowed to goon his way. His head ached from the blow, but otherwise he wasunhurt.

  "Those fellows have been keeping watch for me," the lad reasoned, ashe walked quickly toward the airship shed. "They must have beenshadowing me, and they hid there until I came back. Andy Foger andhis father must be getting desperate. I think I know why, too. Thatlittle dig I gave Andy about his map is bearing fruit. He begins tothink it's the wrong map, and he wants to get hold of the right one.Well, they shan't if I can help it. We'll be away from here in themorning."

  There was indignation and some alarm among Tom's friends when hetold his story a little later that night.

  "Bless my walking-stick!" cried Mr. Damon. "You'll need a bodyguardafter this."

  "I'd just like t' git my hands on them fellers!" exclaimed the oldminer. "I'd show 'em!" and a look at his rugged frame and hismuscular arms and gnarled hands showed Tom and Ned that in the eventof a fight they could count much on Abe Abercrombie.

  "I am glad there will be no more delays, and that we will soon bemoving northward," spoke Mr. Parker, a little later. "I am anxiousto confirm my theory about the advance of the ice crust, I met a manto-day who had just returned from the north of Alaska. He said thata severe winter had already set in up there. So I am anxious to getto the ice caves."

  "So am I," added Tom, but it was for a different reason.

  They were all up early the next morning, for there were severalthings to look after before they started on the trip that mightbring much of danger to the adventurers. Under Tom's direction, moregas was generated, and forced into the big bag. A last adjustmentwas made of the planes, wing tips and rudders, and the motor wasgiven a try-out.

  "I guess everything is all right," announced the young inventor."We'll take her out."

  The RED CLOUD was wheeled from the big shed, and placed on the openlot, where she would have room to rush across the ground to acquiremomentum enough to rise in the air. Tom, whenever it was practical,always mounted this way, rather than by means of the lifting gas,as, in the event of a wind, he would have better control of theship, while it was ascending into the upper currents of air, thanwhen it was rising like a balloon.

  "All aboard!" cried the lad, as he looked to see that the course wasclear. Early as it was, there was quite a crowd on hand to witnessthe flight, as there had been every day of late, for the populationof Seattle was curious regarding the big craft of the air.

  "Let her go!" cried Ned Newton, enthusiastically.

  Tom took his place in the steering-tower, or pilothouse, which wasforward of the main cabin. Ned was in the engine-room, ready to giveany assistance if needed. Mr. Damon, Mr. Parker and Abe Abercrombiewere in the main cabin, looking out of the windows at the rapidlyincreasing throng.

  "Here we go!" cried the young inventor, as he pulled the leverstarting the motor, There was a buzz and a hum. The powerfulpropellers whirred around like blurs of light. Forward shot thegreat airship over the ground, gathering speed at every revolutionof the blades.

  Tom tilted the forward rudder to lift the ship. Suddenly it shotover the heads of the crowd. There was a cheer and some applause.

  "Off for the frozen north!" cried Ned, waving his cap.

  Tom shifted the rudder, to change the course of the airship. Mr.Damon was gazing on the crowd below.

  "Tom! Tom!" he cried suddenly. "There's the man with the blackmustache--the man who tried to rob you in the sleeping-car!" Hepointed downward to some one in the throng.

  "He can't get us now!" exclaimed Tom, as he increased the speed ofthe RED CLOUD, and then, taking up a telescope, after setting theautomatic steering gear, Tom pointed the glass at the person whomMr. Damon had indicated.