Tom Swift lived with his father, Barton Swift, in the town of Shopton, New York State. The young man had followed in the footsteps of his parent, and was already an inventor of note.
Their home was presided over by Mrs. Baggert, as housekeeper, since Mrs. Swift had been dead several years. In addition, there was Garret Jackson, an engineer, who aided Tom and his father, and Eradicate Sampson, an odd colored man, who, with his mule, Boomerang, worked about the place.
In the first volume of this series, ent.i.tled "Tom Swift and his Motor-Cycle," here was related how he came to possess that machine. A certain Mr. Wakefield Damon, an eccentric gentleman, who was always blessing himself, or something about him, owned the cycle, but he came to grief on it, and sold it to Tom very cheaply.
Tom had a number of adventures on the wheel, and, after having used the motor to save a valuable patent model from a gang of unscrupulous men, the lad acquired possession of a power boat, in which he made several trips, and took part in many exciting happenings.
Some time later, in company with John Sharp, an aeronaut, whom Tom had rescued from Lake Carlopa, after the airman had nearly lost his life in a burning balloon, the young inventor made a big airship, called the Red Cloud. With Mr. Damon, Tom made several trips in this craft, as set forth in the book, "Tom Swift and His Airship."
It was after this that Tom and his father built a submarine boat, and went under the ocean for sunken treasure, and, following that trip Tom built a speedy electric runabout, and by a remarkable run in that, with Mr. Damon, saved a bank from ruin, bringing gold in time to stave off a panic.
"Tom Swift and His Wireless Message" told of the young inventor"s plan to save the castaways of Earthquake Island, and how he accomplished it by constructing a wireless plant from the remains of the wrecked airship Whizzer. After Tom got back from Earthquake Island he went with Mr. Barcoe Jenks, whom he met on the ill-fated bit of land, to discover the secret of the diamond makers. They found the mysterious men, but the trip was not entirely successful, for the mountain containing the cave where the diamonds were made was destroyed by a lightning shock, just as Mr. Parker, a celebrated scientist, who accompanied the party, said it would be.
But his adventure in seeking to discover the secret of making precious stones did not satisfy Tom Swift, and when he and his friends got back from the mountains they prepared to go to Alaska to search for gold in the caves of ice. They were almost defeated in their purpose by the actions of Andy Foger and his father, who in an under-hand manner, got possession of a valuable map, showing the location of the gold, and made a copy of the drawing.
Then, when Tom and his friends set off in the Red Cloud, as related in "Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice," the Fogers, in another airship, did likewise. But Tom and his party were first on the scene, and accomplished their purpose, though they had to fight the savage Indians. The airship was wrecked in a cave of ice, that collapsed on it, and the survivors had desperate work getting away from the frozen North.
Tom had been home all the following winter and spring, and he had done little more than work on some small inventions, when a new turn was given his thoughts and energies by a visit from Mr. Gunmore, as narrated in the first chapter of the present volume.
"Well, I guess no one is here," remarked the young inventor as he completed the circuit of the grounds and walked slowly back toward the house. "I think I scared Andy so that he won"t come back right away. He had the laugh on me, though, when I stumbled and fell."
As Tom proceeded he heard some one approaching, around the path at the side of the house.
"Who"s there?" he called quickly, taking a firmer grasp of his stick.
"It"s me, Ma.s.sa Swift," was the response. "I jest come back from town.
I got some peppermint fo" mah mule, Boomerang, dat"s what I got."
"Oh! It"s you, is it, Rad?" asked the youth in easier tones.
"Dat"s who it am. Did yo" t"ink it were some un else?"
"I did," replied Tom. "Andy Foger has been sneaking around. Keep your eyes open the rest of the night, Rad."
"I will, Ma.s.sa Tom."
The youth went into the house, having left word with the engineer, Mr.
Jackson, to be on the alert for anything suspicious.
"And now I guess I"ll go to bed, and make an early start to-morrow morning, planning my new aeroplane," mused Tom. "I"m going to make the speediest craft of the air ever seen!"
As he started toward his room Tom Swift heard the voice of the housekeeper calling to him:
"Tom! Oh, Tom! Come here, quickly!"
"What"s the matter?" he asked, in vague alarm.
"Something has happened to your father!" was the startling reply. "He"s fallen down, and is unconscious! Come quickly! Send for the doctor!"
Tom fairly ran toward his father"s room.
Chapter Three
The Plans Disappear
Mr. Swift was lying on the floor, where he had fallen, in front of his bed, as he was preparing to retire. There was no mark of injury upon him, and at first, as he knelt down at his father"s side, Tom was at a loss to account for what had taken place.
"How did it happen? When was it?" he asked of Mrs. Baggert, as he held up his father"s head, and noted that the aged man was breathing slightly.
"I don"t know what happened, Tom," answered the housekeeper, "but I heard him fall, and ran upstairs, only to find him lying there, just like that. Then I called you. Hadn"t you better have a doctor?"
"Yes; we"ll need one at once. Send Eradicate. Tell him to run--not to wait for his mule--Boomerang is too slow. Oh, no! The telephone, of course! Why didn"t I think of that at first? Please telephone for Dr.
Gladby, Mrs. Baggert. Ask him to come as soon as possible, and then tell Garret Jackson to step here. I"ll have him help me get father into bed."
The housekeeper hastened to the instrument, and was soon in communication with the physician, who promised to call at once. The engineer was summoned from another part of the house, and then Eradicate was aroused.
Mrs. Baggert had the colored man help her get some kettles of hot water in readiness for possible use by the doctor. Mr. Jackson aided Tom to lift Mr. Swift up on the bed, and they got off some of his clothes.
"I"ll try to see if I can revive him with a little aromatic spirits of ammonia," decided Tom, as he noticed that his father was still unconscious. He hastened to prepare the strong spirits, while he was conscious of a feeling of fear and alarm, mingled with sadness.
Suppose his father should die? Tom could not bear to think of that. He would be left all alone, and how much he would miss the companionship and comradeship of his father none but himself knew.
"Oh! but I mustn"t think he"s going to die!" exclaimed the youth, as he mixed the medicine.
Mr. Swift feebly opened his eyes after Tom and Mr. Jackson had succeeded in forcing some of the ammonia between his lips.
"Where am I? What happened?" asked the aged inventor faintly.
"We don"t know, exactly," spoke Tom softly. "You are ill, father. I"ve sent for the doctor. He"ll fix you up. He"ll be here soon."
"Yes, I"m--I"m ill," murmured the aged man. "Something hurts me--here,"
and he put his hand over his heart.
Tom felt a nameless sense of fear. He wished now that he had insisted on his parent consulting a physician some time before, when Mr. Swift first complained of a minor ailment. Perhaps now it was too late.
"Oh! when will that doctor come?" murmured Tom impatiently.
Mrs. Baggert, who was nervously going in and out of the room, again went to the telephone.
"He"s on his way," the housekeeper reported. "His wife said he just started out in his auto."
Dr. Gladby hurried into the room a little later, and cast a quick look at Mr. Swift, who had again lapsed into unconsciousness.
"Do you think he--think he"s going to die?" faltered Tom. He was no longer the self-reliant young inventor. He could meet danger bravely when it threatened himself alone, but when his father was stricken he seemed to lose all courage.