Part 6 (1/2)
”Then it's all settled but the details,” declared the youth, ”and now I'll call in Mr. Jackson, and we'll talk about how soon we can have the airs.h.i.+p ready.”
”My, but you folks are almost as speedy as a herd of the big elephants themselves!” exclaimed Mr. Durban, and with the advent of the engineer the talk turned to things mechanical among Tom and Mr.
Jackson and Mr. Damon, while Mr. Durban told Mr. Swift hunting stories which the old inventor greatly enjoyed.
The next day Tom engaged two machinists who had worked for him building airs.h.i.+ps before, and in the next week rush work began on the new Black Hawk. Meanwhile Mr. Durban was a frequent visitor at Tom's home, where he learned to use the new rifle, declaring it was even more wonderful than he had at first supposed.
”That will get the elephants!” he exclaimed. It did, as you shall soon learn, and it also was the means of saving several lives in the wilds of the African jungle.
CHAPTER VI
NEWS FROM ANDY
Tom Swift's former airs.h.i.+p, the Red Cloud, had been such a fine craft, and had done such good service that he thought, in building a successor, that he could do no better than to follow the design of the skys.h.i.+p which had been destroyed in the ice caves. But, on talking with the old elephant hunter, and learning something of the peculiarities of the African jungle the young inventor decided on certain changes.
In general the Black Hawk would be on the lines of the Red Cloud but it would be smaller and lighter and would also be capable of swifter motion.
”You want it so that it will rise and descend quickly and at sharp angles,” said Mr. Durban.
”Why,” inquired Tom.
”Because in Africa, at least in the part where we will go, there are wide patches of jungle and forest, with here and there big open places. If you are skimming along close to the ground, in an open place, in pursuit of a herd of elephants and they should suddenly plunge into the forest, you would want to be able to rise above the trees quickly.”
”That's so,” admitted Tom. ”Then I'll have to use a smaller gas bag than we had on the other s.h.i.+p, for the air resistance to that big one made us go slowly at times.”
”Will it be as safe with a small bag?” Mr. Damon wanted to know.
”Yes, for I will use a more powerful gas, so that we will be more quickly lifted,” said the young inventor. ”I will also retain the aeroplane feature, so that the Black Hawk will be a combined biplane and dirigible balloon. But it will have many new features. I have the plans all drawn for a new style of gas generating apparatus, and I think it can be made in time.”
There were busy days about the Swift home. Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, was in despair. She said the good meals she got ready were wasted, because no one would come to table when they were ready. She would ring the bell, and announce that dinner would be served in five minutes.
Then Tom would shout from his workshop that he could not leave until he had inserted a certain lever in place. Mr. Jackson would positively decline to sit down until he had screwed fast some part of a machine. Even Mr. Swift, who, because of his recent illness, was not allowed to do much, would often delay his meal to test some new style of gears.
As for Mr. Damon, it was to be expected that he would be eccentric as he always was. He was not an expert mechanic, but he knew something of machinery and was of considerable help to Tom in the rush work on the airs.h.i.+p. He would hear the dinner bell ring, and would exclaim:
”Bless my napkin ring! I can't come now. I have to fix up this electrical register first.”
And so it would go. Eradicate and Boomerang, his mule, were the only ones who ate regularly, and they always insisted on stopping at exactly twelve o'clock to partake of the noonday meal.
”'Cause ef I didn't,” explained the colored man, ”dat contrary mule ob mine would lay down in de dust ob de road an' not move a step, lessen' he got his oats. So dat's why we has t' eat, him an' me.”
”Well, I'm glad there's some one who's got sense,” murmured Mrs.
Baggert. Eradicate and Boomerang were of great service in the hurried work that followed, for the colored man in his cart brought from town, or from the freight depot, many things that Tom needed.
The young inventor was very enthusiastic about his proposed trip, and at night, after a hard day's work in the shop, he would read books on African hunting, or he would sit and listen to the stories told by Mr. Durban. And the latter knew how to tell hunting tales, for he had been long in his dangerous calling, and had had many narrow escapes.
”And there are other dangers than from elephants and wild beasts in Africa,” he said.
”Bless my toothbrus.h.!.+” exclaimed Mr. Damon. ”Do you mean cannibals, Mr. Durban?”