"We"ll be warm in the airship, 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 airship 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 airship 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 airship 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 airship, 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.
"He"s off," the man murmured. "I thought he"d never get to sleep!
Now to get in and dose those two lads! Then I"ll have the place to myself!"
There was a clicking noise about the lock on the shed door. It was not a very secure lock at best, and, under the skilful fingers of the midnight visitor, it quickly gave way. The man entered. He gave one look at the slumbering watchman, listened to his heavy breathing, and then went softly toward the airship, which looked to be immense in the comparatively small shed--taking up nearly all the s.p.a.ce.
The intruder peered in through the cabin windows where Ned and Tom were asleep. Once more there was in the atmosphere a sickish odor.
The man again worked the instrument which was like a small air pump, taking care not to get his own face too near it. Presently he stopped and listened.
"They"re doped," he murmured. He arose, and took from his mouth and nose a handkerchief saturated with some chemical that had rendered him immune to the effects of the sleep-producing that he had generated. "Sound asleep," he added. Then, taking out a long, keen knife, the vandal stole toward where the great wings of the RED CLOUD stretched out in the dim light like the pinions of a bird.
There was a ripping, tearing, rending sound, as the vandal cut and slashed, but Tom, Ned and the watchman slumbered on.
CHAPTER X
TOM IS HELD UP
Tom Swift stirred uneasily in his heavy sleep. He dreamed that he was again in his berth in the railroad car, and that the thief was feeling under his pillow for the map. Only, this time, there seemed to be hands feeling about his clothing, trying to locate his inner pockets.
The lad murmured something unintelligible, but he did not awaken.
The fumes prevented that. However, his movements showed that the effect of the drug was wearing off. It was intended only for temporary use, and it lasted less time than it would otherwise have done in a warmer, moister climate, for the cold, crisp air that penetrated the shed from outside dispelled the fumes.
"Guess I"d better not chance it," murmured the intruder. "He may not have it on him, and if I go through all his pockets I"ll wake him up. Anyhow, I"ve done what they paid me for. I don"t believe they"ll sail in this airship."
The vandal gave one glance at the sleeping lads, and stole from the cabin of the craft. He looked at his work of ruin, and then tiptoed past the slumbering watchman. A moment later and he was outside the shed, hurrying away through the night.
Several hours after this Mr. Damon and the old miner were pounding on the door of the shed. Mr. Parker, the scientist, had remained at the hotel, for he said he wanted to work out a few calculations regarding some of his theories.
"I thought we"d find them up by this time," spoke the eccentric man, as he again knocked on the door. "Tom said he had lots to do to-day."
"Maybe they are working inside, and can"t hear our knocks,"
suggested Abe. "Try th" door."
"Bless my heart! I never thought of that," exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I believe I will."
The door swung open as he pushed it, for it had not been locked when the intruder left. The first thing Mr. Damon saw was the watchman, still asleep in his chair.
"Bless my soul!" the old man shouted. "Look at this, Abe!"
"Something"s wrong!" cried the miner, sniffing the air. "There"s been crooked work here! Where are the boys?"
Mr. Damon was close to the airship. He looked in the cabin window.
"Here they are, and they"re both asleep, too!" he called. "And--bless my eyegla.s.ses! Look at the airship! The planes and wings are all cut and slashed! Something has happened! The RED CLOUD is all but ruined!"
Abe hastened to his side. He looked at the damage done, and a fierce look came over his face.