Part 13 (1/2)
”That's all right, Mr. Sharp, I'd just as soon go as not. It will make the time pa.s.s more quickly. I'll start right off.”
An hour later, having received the tools, which made quite a bundle, the lad put them in the valise, and started back toward home. As he swung around the corner on which the bank was located--the same bank in which Ned Newton worked--one of the valves on the motor-cycle began to leak. Tom dismounted to adjust it, and had completed the work, being about to ride on, when down the street came Andy Foger and Sam Snedecker. They started at the sight of our hero.
”There he is now!” exclaimed Sam, as if he and the red-haired bully had been speaking of the young inventor.
”Let's lick him!” proposed Andy. ”Now's our chance to get even for throwing that paint and soot on us.”
Tom heard their words. He was not afraid of both the lads, for, though each one matched him in size and strength, Tom knew they were cowards.
”If you're looking for anything I guess I can accommodate you,” he said, coolly.
”Come on, Andy,” urged Sam. But, somehow Andy hung back. Perhaps he didn't like the way Tom squared off. The young inventor had let down the rear brace of his motor-cycle, and was not obliged to hold it, so he had both hands free.
”We ought to lick him good and proper,” growled the squint-eyed lad.
”Well, why don't you?” invited Tom.
He moved to one side, so as not to be hampered by his wheel. As he did so he knocked from the handle bars the valise of tools. They fell with a clatter and a thud to the pavement, and the satchel came open. It was under a gas lamp, and the glitter of the long-handled wrenches and other implements caught the eyes of Andy and his crony.
”Huh! If we fought you, maybe you'd use some of them on us,” sneered Andy, glad of an excuse not to fight.
Tom quickly picked up his valise, shutting it, but he was aware of the close scrutiny of the two vindictive lads.
”I don't fight with such things,” he said, somewhat annoyed, and he hung the tools back on the handle bars.
”What you doing around the bank at this hour?” asked Sam, as if to change the subject. ”First thing you know the watchman will order you to move on. He might think you were a suspicious character.”
”The same to you,” retorted Tom, ”but I'm going to ride on now, unless you want to have a further argument with me.”
”You'd better be careful how you hang around a bank,” added Andy. ”The police are on the lookout here. There's been some mysterious men seen about.”
Tom did not care to go into that, and, seeing that the two bullies had lost all desire to attack him, he put up the brace and mounted his wheel.
”Good-by,” he called to Andy and Sam, as he rode off, the tools rattling and jingling in the valise, but it was a sarcastic farewell, and the two cronies did not reply.
”I hope I didn't damage any of the tools when I let them fall that time,” mused the young inventor. ”My, the way Sam and Andy stared at them it would make it seem as if I had a lot of weapons in the bag!
They certainly took good note of them.”
The time was to come, and very shortly, when Andy's and Sam's observation of the tools was to prove disastrous for our hero. As Tom turned the corner he looked back, and saw, still standing in front of the bank, the two cronies.
Chapter 11
The Red Cloud Departs
”Well, dad, I wish you were going along with us,” said Tom to his father next morning. ”You don't know what you're going to miss. A fine trip of several hundred miles through the air, seeing strange sights, and experiencing new sensations.”
”Yes, I wish you would reconsider your determination, and accompany us,” added Mr. Damon. ”I would enjoy your company.”
”There's plenty of room. We can carry six persons with ease,” said Mr.