Part 15 (1/2)

”Mr. Swift,” went on the chief, solemnly, ”I said we came upon a very painful errand. It is painful, as I have known Tom since he was a little lad. But I must do my duty, no matter how painful it is. I have a warrant for the arrest of your son, Thomas Swift, and I have come to serve it. I need not tell you that it is your duty to give him up to us--the representatives of the law. I call upon you to produce your son.”

Mr. Swift staggered to his feet.

”My son! You have come to arrest my son?” he stammered.

The chief nodded grimly.

”Upon what charge?” faltered the father.

”On a charge of breaking into the Shopton National Bank last night, and stealing from the vault seventy-five thousand dollars in currency!”

”Seventy-five thousand dollars! Tom accused of robbing the bank!”

faltered Mr. Swift.

”That is the charge, and we've come to arrest him,” broke in Constable Higby.

”Where is he?” added the chief.

”This charge is false! Absolutely false!” shouted the aged inventor.

”That may be,” admitted the chief shaking his head. ”But the charge has been made, and we hold the warrant. The courts will settle it. We must now arrest Tom. Where is he?”

”He isn't here!” cried Mr. Swift, and small blame to him if there was a note of triumph in his voice. ”Tom sailed away not half an hour ago in the airs.h.i.+p Red Cloud! You can't arrest him!”

”He's escaped!” shouted the constable. ”I told you, chief, that he was a slippery customer, and that we'd better come before breakfast!”

”Dry up!” commanded the chief testily. ”So he's foiled us, eh? Run away when he knew we were coming? I think that looks like guilt, Mr. Swift.”

”Never!” cried the inventor. ”Tom would never think of robbing the bank. Besides, he has all the money he wants. The charge is preposterous! I demand to be confronted with the proof.”

”You shall be,” answered Chief Simonson vindictively. ”If you will come to the bank you can see the rifled vault, and hear the testimony of a witness who saw your son with burglar tools in his possession last night. We also have a warrant for Mr. Wakefield Damon. Do you know anything of him?”

”He has gone with my son in the airs.h.i.+p.”

”Ha! The two criminals with their booty have escaped together!” cried the chief. ”But we'll nab them if we have to scour the whole country.

Come on, Higby! Mr. Swift, if you'll accompany me to the bank, I think I can give you all the proof you want,” and the officials, followed by the amazed and grief-stricken inventor, left the house.

Chapter 13

Mr. Damon In Danger

The sensations of the voyagers in the airs.h.i.+p, who meanwhile, were flying along over the country surrounding Shopton, were not very different than when they had undertaken some trial flights. In fact Mr.

Damon was a little disappointed after they had waved their farewells to Mr. Swift and Mrs. Baggert.

”I declare I'm not at all nervous,” he remarked, as he sat in an easy chair in the enclosed car or cabin, and looked down at the earth through the plate-gla.s.s windows in the floor.

”I thought you'd be all right once we got started,” commented Mr.

Sharp. ”Do you think you can stand going a trifle higher?”