Part 8 (2/2)
”But I don't see how I can help you”
”Of course you can! You're an expert with airshi+ps The s airshi+ps, of that I'm sure You tell me you have just perfected a noiseless aircraft That will be just the thing You can hover on the border, near the line dividing New York State from Canada, or near the St Lawrence, which is the natural division for a certain distance, and when you see an airshi+p co you can slip up in your noiseless one, overhaul it, and make them submit to a search”
”But I won't have any authority to do that,” objected Tom, who really did not care for the coet the proper authority all right,” said Mr
Whitford significantly ”I ht, but if you'll undertake this work, to catch the sular custo I can't catch them?” interposed our hero ”They uess you'll catch 'eht!” put in Ned, as at his chu a quiet Shopton street in the darkness ”There's not an aeroplane going that can beat yours, To inventor ”But--”
”Then you'll undertake this work for Uncle Saerly ”Come, Tom, I know you will”
”I' to be as easy as you think There aremay be done over such a wide area that it would need a whole fleet of airshi+ps to capture even one of the others, for they ht choose a most unfrequented place to cross the border”
”Oh, ould be in coent ”We can cooods will be shi+pped froet to the place before they have floay But with your airshi+p, you could catch thee, about where to look for them So that's no objection You have a wireless outfit on your airshi+ps, haven't you, Toht”
”Then you can't have any more objections, Tom”
”Well, there are soht”
”Practically all of it, yes”
”Well, it isn't going to be easy to pick out a contraband airshi+p in the dark, and chase it But I'll tell you what I'll do, Mr
Whitford, I feel as if I had sort of 'fallen down' on this clew business, as the newspaper ood in some way”
”That's what I want--not that I think you haven't done all you could,” interposed the agent
”Well, if I can figure out so these slers, I'll undertake the work!”
exclaimed Tom ”I'll do it as a duty to Uncle Sa to cost considerable, but--”
”Don't mind the expense!” interrupted Mr Whitford ”Uncle Sa thousands of dollars every week It's a big leak, and must be stopped, and you're the one to stop it, Tom”
”Well, I'll try I'll see you in a couple of days, and let you know if I have foret to bed”
”So do I,” added the agent ”I'll call on you day after to-ht on the job,” he added with a laugh
”Have you any idea what you are going to do, Tom?” asked his chum, as they turned toward their houses
”Not exactly If I go I'll use my noiseless airshi+p That will coht business rather stuet around that Of course I could use an ordinary searchlight, but that doesn't give a bright enough bea to be quite a probleers; wasn't it, Tom?”