Part 12 (1/2)
”Getting busy” was To on a new idea, as was the case now, he was seldoht or day
”I have hardly seen you for teeks,” Mary Nestor wrote hi to see me any more, or take me for a ride?”
”Yes,” Tom wrote back ”I'll be over soon And perhaps on the next ride we take I won't have to shout at you through a speaking tube because the athered that Toether satisfied with his progress, the young inventor felt that he was on the right track There were certain changes that needed to be --certain refinements that must be added, and when this should be done Tom was pretty certain that he would have ould prove to be a very quiet aeroplane, if not an absolutely silent one
The young inventor was engaged one day with some of the last details of the experied cylinders, had been attached to one of To some intricate calculations in relation to a new cylinder block, to be used when he started to make a completely new machine of the improved type
To the cross-section of one of the cylinders, and orking out the amount of stress to which he could subject a shoulder strut, when a shadoas cast across the drawing board he had propped up in his lap
In an instant Toures and looked up, a sudden fear co over him that another spy was at hand
But a hearty voice reassured hi!” cried Mr Damon, ”you shut yourself up here, Tom, like a hermit in the mountains Why don't you come out and enjoy life?”
”hello! Glad to see you!” cried Tom, joyfully ”You're just in time!”
”Time for what--dinner?” asked the eccentricwas very proper”
”Why, yes, I iine there must be a dinner in prospect somewhere, Mr
Daert about that But what I meant was that you're just in tio”
”Go where?”
”Oh, up in cloudland I have just finishedto try it this evening Would you like to co?”
”I would!” exclaimed Mr Damon ”Bless ht? Isn't it safer by daylight?”
”Oh, that doesn't h at any tiht after dark is that I don't want any spies about”
”Oh, I see! Are they ca on your trail?”
”Not exactly But I can't tell where they ht and be forced to -- Well, you knohat a croays collects to see a stranded airshi+p”
”That's right, Tom”
”That decided me to start off after dark Then if we have to coine trouble or because ht, we sha'n't have any prying eyes”
”I see! Well, Too with you Fortunately I didn't tellwhen I started out this afternoon, so she won't worry until after it's over, and then it won't hurt her I'm ready any time you are”
”Good! Stay to dinner and I'll show you what I've ht after dark”