Part 13 (1/2)

”We'll be warm in the airs.h.i.+p, though; won't we?” asked Abe.

”Oh, yes,” answered Tom. ”We'll be warm, and have plenty to eat.

Which reminds me that I must begin to see about our stock of provisions and other supplies, for we'll soon be on our way.”

Work on the airs.h.i.+p was hastened to such good advantage the next two days that it was in shape for a trial flight, and, one afternoon, the RED CLOUD was wheeled from the shed out into big field, the gas was generated, and the motor started.

There was a little hitch, due to the fact that some of the machine adjustments were wrong, but Tom soon had that remedied and then, with the big propellers whirling around, the airs.h.i.+p was sent scudding across the field.

Another moment and it rose like a great eagle, and sailed through the air, while a small crowd that had daily gathered in the hope of seeing a flight, sent up a cheer.

”Does it work all right?” asked Ned anxiously, as he stood in the pilothouse beside his chum.

”As good as it did in Shopton,” answered the young inventor, proudly.

”Bless my pocketbook! but that's lucky,” exclaimed Mr. Damon. ”Then we can soon start, eh?”

”As soon as we are stocked up,” replied the lad.

Tom put the airs.h.i.+p through a number of ”stunts” to test her stability and the rudder control, much to the delight of the gathering throng. Everything was found to work well, and after ascending to a considerable height, to the no small alarm of the old miner, Tom made a quick descent, with the motor shut off. The RED CLOUD conducted herself perfectly, and there was nothing else to be desired.

She was sent down to earth and wheeled back into the shed, and not without some difficulty, for the crowd, which was now very large, wanted to get near enough to touch the wonderful craft.

”To-morrow I'll arrange about the supplies and provisions, and we'll stock her up,” said Tom to his companions. ”Now you folks had better go back to the hotel.”

”Aren't you coming?” asked Ned.

I'm going to bunk here in the shed to-night, said the young inventor.

”What for?”

”I can't take any chances now that the RED CLOUD is in shape for flying. Some of the Foger crowd might be hanging around, and break in here to damage her.”

”But the watchman will be on guard,” suggested Ned, for since the hiring of the shed, the young inventor had engaged a man to remain on duty all night.

”I know,” answered Tom Swift, ”but I'm not going to take any chances. I'll stay here with the watchman.”

Ned offered to share the vigil with his chum, and, after some objection Tom consented. The others went back to the hotel, promising to return early in the morning.

Tom slept heavily that night, much heavier than he was in the habit of doing. So did Ned, and their deep breathing as they lay in their staterooms, in the cabin of the airs.h.i.+p, told of physical weariness, for they had worked hard to re-a.s.semble the RED CLOUD.

The watchman was seated in a chair just inside the big door of the shed, near a small stove in which was a fire to take off the chill of the big place. The guard had slept all day, and there was no excuse for him nodding in the way that he did.

”Queer, how drowsy I feel,” he murmured several times. ”It's only a little after midnight, too,” he added, looking at his watch, ”Guess I'll walk around a bit to rouse myself.”

He firmly intended to do this, but he thought he would wait just a few minutes more, and he stretched out his legs and got comfortable in the chair.

Three minutes more and the watchman was asleep--sound asleep, while a strange, sweet, sickish odor seemed to fill the atmosphere about him.

There was a noise at the door of the shed, a door in which there were several cracks. A man outside laid aside something that looked like an air pump. He applied one eye to a crack, and looked in on the sleeping watchman.