Tom Swift and His Airship | Page 9

or wonderful in that," commented Tom. "I've often
run into people."
"Wait," advised Ned. "To save myself from falling I grabbed the man's
arm. He did the same to me, and there we stood, for a moment, right
under a gas lamp. I looked down at his hands, and I saw that on the
little finger of the left one there was tattooed a blue ring, and-"
"Happy Harry-the tramp!" exclaimed Tom, now much excited. "That's
where he wears a tattooed ring!"
"That's what I thought you had told me," resumed Ned, "but I didn't pay
any attention to it at the time, as I had no idea that the men were out of
jail."
"Well, what else happened?" inquired Tom
"Not much more. I apologized to the man, and he to me, and we let go
of each other."
"Are you sure about the ring on his finger?"
"Positive. His hand was right in the light. But wait, that isn't all. I
hurried on, not thinking much about it, when, I saw another man step

out of the dark shadows of Peterby's grocery, just beyond the bank. The
man must have mistaken me for some one else, for he spoke to me."
"What did he say?"
"He asked me a question. It was: `Is there any chance to-night?' "
"What did you tell him?"
"Well, I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say, and, before I
could get my wits together the man had seen his mistake and hurried on.
He joined the man I had collided with, and the two skipped off in the
darkness. But not before a third man had come across the street, from in
front of the bank, and hurried off with them."
"Well?" asked Tom, as his chum paused.
"I don't know what to think," resumed Ned. "These men were certainly
acting suspiciously, and, now that you tell me the Anson Morse gang is
not locked up-well, it makes me feel that these must be some of their
crowd."
"Of course they are!" declared Tom positively. "That blue ring proves
it!"
"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," declared Ned. "The man certainly
had a blue ring tattooed on his finger-the same finger where you say
Happy Harry had his. But what would the men be doing in this
neighborhood? They certainly have had a lesson not to meddle with
any of your things."
"No, I don't believe they are after any of dad's inventions this time. But
I tell you what I do believe."
"What?"
"Those men are planning to rob the Shopton Bank, Ned! And I advise
you to notify the officers. That Morse gang is one of the worst in the
country," and Tom, much excited, began to pace the room, while Ned,

who had not dreamed of such an outcome to his narrative, looked
startled.
Chapter 3
- Whitewashed

"Let's tell your father, Tom," suggested Ned, after a pause. "He'll know
what to do."
"No, I'd rather not," answered the young inventor quickly. "Dad has
had trouble enough with these fellows, and I don't want him to worry
any more. Besides, he is working on a new invention, and if I tell him
about the Happy Harry gang it will take his attention from it."
"What invention is he planning now?"
"I don't know, but it's something important by the way he keeps at it.
He hardly spares time to help Mr. Sharp and me on the airship. No,
we'll keep this news from dad."
"Then I'll inform the bank officials, as you suggest. If the place was
robbed they might blame me; if they found out I had seen the men a
failed to tell them."
"Well, that gang would only be too glad to have the blame fall on some
one else."
Tom little knew how near the truth he had come in his chance
expression, or how soon he himself was to fall under suspicion in
connection with this same band of bad men.
"I'll telephone to the president on my way home," decided Ned, "and he
can notify the watchman at the bank. But do you really expect to have
your airship in shape to fly soon?"
"Oh, yes. Now that we have found out our mistake about the gas, the

rest will be easy."
"I think I'd like to take a trip in one myself, if it didn't go too high,"
ventured Ned.
"I'll remember that, when we have ours completed," promised his chum,
"and I'll take you for a spin."
The boys talked for perhaps an hour longer, mostly about the airship,
for it was the latest mechanical affair in which Tom was interested, and,
naturally, foremost in his thoughts. Then Ned went home first, however,
telephoning from Tom's house