Part 5 (1/2)

”He--he--” stammered Andy. He did not know what to say.

At that instant Tom Swift himself pa.s.sed by in the road. He had been over to Shopton on an errand. One look into the yard of Andy's house showed to our hero the old miner sitting at the door of the airs.h.i.+p shed.

”Mr. Abercrombie--Abe!” cried Tom, almost, before he thought.

”h.e.l.lo, Tom! I got here!” cried the miner, heartily. ”I was jest talking to your partner.”

”My partner!” spoke Tom in amazement.

”Yes--partner in th' airs.h.i.+p business. I should think you'd need about three partners to build these machines!”

”My partner! Andy Foger isn't my partner!” cried Tom, wondering what would happen next. ”I have no partner! If he said he was he deceived you!”

”No partner? Ain't he your partner?” cried Mr. Abercrombie. ”Why, I thought he was. I told him about th' valley of gold--I--I--give him the map--”

”The map?”

”Yes, the map t' tell how to get there. He's got it!”

There was a mocking smile on Andy's face.

”Give that map back at once!” cried Tom, sternly, now understanding something of the situation. ”Hand it over at once, Andy Foger!”

”I will--when I get ready! He gave it to me!” cried the bully, and then, before either Tom or Abe could stop him, Andy darted into the big shed, and slammed shut the door.

CHAPTER IV

TOM GETS THE MAP

For a few seconds Tom was so surprised at the sudden action of the bully that he could neither move nor speak. Then, crying out a command to halt, the young inventor took after his enemy.

”The scamp!” he cried. ”The nerve he has! To deceive Abe Abercrombie in that fas.h.i.+on! Wait until I get hold of him!”

”What's it all about?” asked the old miner, who, being a slow thinker had not understood all that had happened. ”What's up, Tom Swift?”

”Haven't time to tell you now,” flung back the running lad over his shoulder. ”I've got to catch Andy! Then I'll explain. He's trying to get ahead of us, I guess, but we'll stop him!” Thereupon Tom flung himself against the door of the airs.h.i.+p shed. The young inventor found the portal bolted, though it vibrated with the impact of his body.

”Come out of there, Andy Foger!” cried Tom, pounding on the door.

”Come out, or I'll get an officer, and have you arrested!”

There was no answer.

”Come out, I say!” repeated Tom.

”Around th' back! Try th' back door!” suggested the miner, who had hastened to Tom's side. ”Maybe he's run out that way!”

Tom listened. There was no movement in the shop. Then the young inventor sprinted around the side. He was just in time to see the bully running away over the lots and fields in the rear of his father's premises. Andy had climbed out of the back window of the shed, into which Tom and Ned had peered that day, had climbed the high fence, dropped down on the other side, and was now running away with all the speed he could muster.