Tom Swift and His Sky Racer | Page 7

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, Massa 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, Massa 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
beard 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