Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle | Page 2

narrow escape, leaped from his
bicycle, and stood regarding the automobile. As for the occupants of
that machine, from Andy Foger, the owner, to the three cronies who
were riding with him, they all looked very much astonished.
"Are we--is it damaged any, Andy?" asked Sam Snedecker.
"I hope not," growled Andy. "If my car's hurt it's Tom Swift's fault!"
He leaped from his seat and made a hurried inspection of the machine.
He found nothing the matter, though it was more from good luck than
good management. Then Andy turned and looked savagely at Tom
Swift. The latter, standing his wheel up against the fence, walked
forward.
"What do you mean by getting in the way like that?" demanded Andy
with a scowl. "Don't you see that you nearly upset me?"
"Well, I like your nerve, Andy Foger!" cried Tom. "What do you mean
by nearly running me down? Why didn't you sound your horn? You

automobilists take too much for granted! You were going faster than
the legal rate, anyhow!"
"I was, eh?" sneered Andy.
"Yes, you were, and you know it. I'm the one to make a kick, not you.
You came pretty near hitting me. Me getting in your way! I guess I've
got some rights on the road!"
"Aw, go on!" growled Andy, for he could think of nothing else to say.
"Bicycles are a back number, anyhow."
"It isn't so very long ago that you had one," retorted Tom. "First you
fellows know, you'll be pulled in for speeding."
"I guess we had better go slower, Andy," advised Sam in a low voice.
"I don't want to be arrested."
"Leave this to me," retorted Andy. "I'm running this tour. The next time
you get in my way I'll run you down!" he threatened Tom. "Come on,
fellows, we're late now, and can't make a record run, all on account of
him," and Andy got back into the car, followed by his cronies, who had
hurriedly alighted after their thrilling stop.
"If you try anything like this again you'll wish you hadn't," declared
Tom, and he watched the automobile party ride off.
"Oh, forget it!" snapped back Andy, and he laughed, his companions
joining.
Tom Swift said nothing in reply. Slowly he remounted his wheel and
rode off, but his thoughts toward Andy Foger were not very pleasant
ones. Andy was the son of a wealthy man of the town, and his good
fortune in the matter of money seemed to have spoiled him, for he was
a bully and a coward. Several times he and Tom Swift had clashed, for
Andy was overbearing. But this was the first time Andy had shown
such a vindictive spirit.

"He thinks he can run over everything since he got his new auto,"
commented Tom aloud as he rode on. "He'll have a smash-up some day,
if he isn't careful. He's too fond of speeding. I wonder where he and his
crowd are going?"
Musing over his narrow escape Tom rode on, and was soon at his home,
where he lived with his widowed father, Barton Swift, a wealthy
inventor, and the latter's housekeeper, Mrs. Baggert. Approaching a
machine shop, one of several built near his house by Mr. Swift, in
which he conducted experiments and constructed apparatus. Tom was
met by his parent.
"What's the matter, Tom?" asked Mr. Swift. "You look as if something
had happened."
"Something very nearly did," answered the youth, and related his
experience on the road.
"Humph," remarked the inventor; "your little pleasure-jaunt might have
ended disastrously. I suppose Andy and his chums are off on their trip.
I remember Mr. Foger speaking to me about it the other day. He said
Andy and some companions were going on a tour, to be gone a week or
more. Well, I'm glad it was no worse. But have you anything special to
do, Tom?"
"No; I was just riding for pleasure, and if you want me to do anything,
I'm ready."
"Then I wish you'd take this letter to Mansburg for me. I want it
registered, and I don't wish to mail it in the Shopton post-office. It's too
important, for it's about a valuable invention."
"The new turbine motor, dad?"
"That's it. And on your way I wish you'd stop in Merton's machine shop
and get some bolts he's making for me."
"I will. Is that the letter?" and Tom extended his hand for a missive his

father held.
"Yes. Please be careful of it. It's to my lawyers in Washington
regarding the final steps in getting a patent for the turbine. That's why
I'm so particular about not wanting it mailed here. Several times before
I have posted letters here, only to have the information contained in
them leak out before my attorneys received