Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon | Page 5

an' dere he be, in dat
air-contraption ob his'n he calls de Hummin' Burd. He's ketched up fast
on de balloon shed roof, an' dere he's hangin' wif sparks an' flames
a-shootin' outer de airship suffin' scandalous! It's jest spittin' fire, dat's
what it's a-doin', an' ef somebody don't do suffin' fo' Massa Tom
mighty quick, dere ain't gwin t' be any Massa Tom; now dat's what I'se
aÄtellin' you!"
"Bless my shoe buttons!" gasped Mr. Damon. "Come on out,
everybody! We've got to help Tom!"
"Yes!" assented Mr. Swift. "Call someone on the telephone! Get a
doctor! Maybe he's shocked! Where's Koku, the giant? Maybe he can
help!"
"Now doan't yo' go t' gittin' all excited-laik," objected Eradicate
Sampson, the aged colored man. "Remember yo' all has got a weak
heart, Massa Swift!"

"I know it; but I must save my son. Hurry!"
Mr. Swift ran from the room, followed by Mr. Damon and Mr. Peterson,
while Eradicate trailed after them as fast as his tottering limbs would
carry him, murmuring to himself.
"There he is!" cried Mr. Damon, as he caught sight of the young
inventor in his airship, in a position of peril. Truly it was as Eradicate
had said. Caught on the slope of the roof of his big balloon shed, Tom
Swift was in great danger.
From his airship there shot dazzling sparks, and streamers of green and
violet fire. There was a snapping, cracking sound that could be heard
above the whir of the craft's propellers, for the motor was still running.
"Oh, Tom! Tom! What is it? What has happened?" cried his father.
"Keep back! Don't come too close!" yelled the young inventor, as he
clung to the seat of the aeroplane, that was tilted at a dangerous angle.
"Keep away!"
"What's the matter?" demanded Mr. Damon. "Bless my pocket comb
--what is it?"
"A live wire!" answered Tom. "I'm caught in a live wire! The trailer
attached to the wireless outfit on my airship is crossed with the wire
from the power plant. There's a short circuit somewhere. Don't come
too close, for it may burn through any second and drop down. Then it
will twist about like a snake!"
"Land ob massy!" cried Eradicate.
"What can we do to help you?" called Mr. Swift. "Shall I run and shut
off the power?" for in the shop where Tom did most of his inventive
work there was a powerful dynamo, and it was on one of the wires
extending from it, that brought current into the house, that the craft had
caught.

"Yes, shut it off if you can!" Tom shouted back. "But be careful. Don't
get shocked! Wow! I got a touch of it myself that time!" and he could
be seen to writhe in his seat.
"Oh, hurry! hurry! Find Koku!" cried Mr. Swift to Mr. Damon, who
had started for the power house on the run.
The sparks and lances of fire seemed to increase around the young
inventor. The airship could be seen to slip slowly down the sloping
roof.
"Land ob massy! He am suah gwine t' fall!" yelled Eradicate.
"Oh, he'll never get that current shut off in time!" murmured Mr. Swift,
as he started after Mr. Damon.
"Wait! I think I have a plan!" called Mr. Peterson. "I think I can save
Tom!"
He did not waste further time in talk, but, running to a nearby shed, he
got a long ladder that he saw standing under it. With this over his
shoulder he retraced his steps to the balloon hangar and placed the
ladder against the side. Then he started to climb up.
"What are you going to do?" yelled Tom, leaning over from his seat to
watch the elderly fortune-hunter.
"I'm going to cut that wire!" was the answer.
"Don't! If you touch it you'll be shocked to death! I may be able to get
out of here. So far I've only had light shocks, but the insulation is
burning out of my magneto, and that will soon stop. When it does I
can't run the motor, and--"
"I'm going to cut that wire!" again shouted Mr. Peterson.
"But you can't, without pliers and rubber gloves!" yelled Tom. "Keep
away, I tell you!"

The man on the ladder hesitated. Evidently he had not thought of the
necessity of protecting his hands by rubber covering, in order that the
electricity might be made harmless. He backed down to the ground.
"I saw a pair of old gloves in the shed!" he cried. "I'll get them--they
look like rubber."
"They are!" cried Tom, remembering now that he had been putting up a
new wire that day, and had left his rubber gloves there. "But you
haven't any pliers!" the lad went. "How can you cut wire without them?