Part 19 (1/2)
”No,” answered Mr Jackson ”You try”
But Tom had no better luck There were two persons in the odd reat circle, with the Swift house for its center
”I wonder why they're hanging around here?” asked Togested Mr Jackson ”They may be fellow inventors--perhaps one of them is that Philadelphia man who had the Whizzer”
”No,” replied the lad ”He would have sent ers, I think There they are, coain”
Thetoward the watchers on the roof There was a , and his father ca the matter?” he asked anxiously
”Only a queer craft circling around up here,” was the reply ”Come and see, dad”
Mr Swift ascended to the roof The aeroplane was higher now, and those in her could not so easily be h he was being watched by the evil eyes of his enemies More than once he looked over to the shed where his craft was housed, as though so-Bird showed no signs of invaders
Suddenly the mysterious aeroplane increased its speed It circled about h to show the watchers of what it was capable Then, with a quick swoop it darted doard, straight for the building where Tom's newest invention was housed
”Look out! They'll hit soh those in the aeroplane could hear hi, the pilots of the mysterious craft shot her upward, after she had hovered for an instant over the big shed
”That was a queer move,” said Tom ”It looked as if they lost control of her for a !” cried Mr Jackson ”Look! so fell from the aeroplane on the roof of the shed”
”So, and see what sort of instruh”
The queer aeroplane was now shooting off in the darkness and To what its construction could be like He was to have another sight of it sooner than he expected
”Well, we et back to bed,” said Mr Jackson ”I'reed Toht doze He thought afterward he could not have slept more than half an hour when he heard a commotion out in the yard
For an instant he could not tell what it was, and then, as he greider awake he knew that it was the shouting of Eradicate Sa
But as Eradicate shouting?
”Fire! Fire! Fire!”
Tom leaped to his
”Wake up, Massa To-Bird will burn up! Hurry! Hurry!”
To up from the roof of the shed where his precious craft was kept
Chapter Seventeen