TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGEORTHE CASTAWAYS OF EARTHQUAKE ISLAND

BY VICTOR APPLETON

AUTHOR OF "TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-CYCLE, " "TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORBOAT, " "TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP, " "TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINEBOAT, " "TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT, " ETC. 

ILLUSTRATED

BOOKS BY VICTOR APPLETON

THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-CYCLE Or Fun and Adventures on the Road

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT Or the Rivals of Lake Carlopa

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP Or the Stirring Cruise of the Red Cloud

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT Or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT Or the Speediest Car on the Road

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE Or the Castaways of Earthquake Island

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS Or the Secret of Phantom Mountain

TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE Or the Wreck of the Airship

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER Or the Quickest Flight on Record

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE Or Daring Adventures in Elephant Land

(Other Volumes in Preparation)

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE

CONTENTS

 I. AN APPEAL FOR AID II. MISS NESTOR'S NEWS III. TOM KNOCKS OUT ANDY IV. MR. DAMON WILL GO ALONG V. VOL-PLANING TO EARTH VI. THE NEW AIRSHIP VII. MAKING SOME CHANGES VIII. ANDY FOGER'S REVENGE IX. THE WHIZZER FLIES X. OVER THE OCEAN XI. A NIGHT OF TERROR XII. A DOWNWARD GLIDE XIII. ON EARTHQUAKE ISLAND XIV. A NIGHT IN CAMP XV. THE OTHER CASTAWAY XVI. AN ALARMING THEORY XVII. A MIGHTY SHOCK XVIII. MR. JENKS HAS DIAMONDS XIX. SECRET OPERATIONS XX. THE WIRELESS PLANT XXI. MESSAGES INTO SPACE XXII. ANXIOUS DAYS XXIII. A REPLY IN THE DARK XXIV. "WE ARE LOST!" XXV. THE RESCUE-CONCLUSION

CHAPTER I

AN APPEAL FOR AID

Tom Swift stepped from the door of the machine shop, where he was atwork making some adjustments to the motor of his airship, andglanced down the road. He saw a cloud of dust, which effectuallyconcealed whatever was causing it. 

"Some one must be in a hurry this morning, " the lad remarked, "Lookslike a motor speeding along. MY! but we certainly do need rain, " headded, as he looked up toward the sky. "It's very dusty. Well, I mayas well get back to work. I'll take the airship out for a flightthis afternoon, if the wind dies down a bit. "

The young inventor, for Tom Swift himself had built the airship, aswell as several other crafts for swift locomotion, turned tore-enter the shop. 

Something about the approaching cloud of dust, however, held hisattention. He glanced more intently at it. 

"If it's an automobile coming along, " he murmured, "it's moving veryslowly, to make so much fuss. And I never saw a motor-cycle thatwould kick up as much sand, and not speed along more. It ought to behere by now. I wonder what it can be?"

The cloud of highway dirt rolled along, making some progress towardTom's house and the group of shops and other buildings surroundingit. But, as the lad had said, the dust did not move at all quicklyin comparison to any of the speedy machines that might be causingit. And the cloud seemed momentarily to grow thicker and thicker. 

"I wonder if it could be a miniature tornado, or a cyclone orwhirlwind?" and Tom spoke aloud, a habit of his when he wasthinking, and had no one to talk to. "Yet it can hardly be that. " hewent on. "Guess I'll watch and see what it is. "

Nearer and nearer came the dust cloud. Tom peered anxiously ahead, apuzzled look on his face. A few seconds later there came from themidst of the obscuring cloud a voice, exclaiming:

"G'lang there now, Boomerang! Keep to' feet a-movin' an' we sho'will make a record. 'Tain't laik we was a autermobiler, er aelectricity car, but we sho' hab been goin' sence we started. Yo'sho' done yo'se'f proud t'day, Boomerang, an' I'se gwine t' keep mahpromise an' gib yo' de bestest oats I kin find. Ah reckon Massa TomSwift will done say we brought dis yeah message t' him as quick asanybody could. "

Then there followed the sound of hoofbeats on the dusty road, andthe rattle of some many-jointed vehicle, with loose springs andlooser wheels. 

"Eradicate Sampson!" exclaimed Tom. "But who would ever think thatthe colored man's mule could get up such speed as that cloud of dustindicates. His mule's feet must be working overtime, but he goesbackward about as often as he moves forward. That accounts for it. There's lots of dust, but not much motion. "

Once more, from the midst of the ball-like cloud of dirt came thevoice of the colored man:

"Now behave yo'se'f, Boomerang. We'm almost dere an' den yo' kin sitdown an' rest if yo' laik. Jest keep it up a little longer, an'we'll gib Massa Tom his telephone. G'lang now, Boomerang. "

The tattoo of hoofbeats was slowing up now, and the cloud of dustwas not so heavy. It was gradually blowing away. Tom Swift walkeddown to the fence that separated the house, grounds and shops fromthe road. As he got there the sounds of the mule's progress, and therattle of the wagon, suddenly ceased. 

"G'lang! G'lang! Don't yo' dare t' stop now, when we am most dere!"cried Eradicate Sampson. "Keep a-movin', Boomerang!"

"It's all right, Eradicate. I'm here, " called Tom, and when the lastof the dust had blown away, the lad waved his hand to an agedcolored man, who sat upon the seat of perhaps the most dilapidatedwagon that was ever dignified by such a name. It was held togetherwith bits of wire, rope and strings, and each of the four wheelsleaned out at a different angle. It was drawn by a big mule, whosebones seemed protruding through his skin, but that fact evidentlyworried him but little, for now the animal was placidly sleeping, while standing up, his long ears moving slowly to and fro. 

"Am dat yo', Massa Tom?" asked Eradicate, ceasing his task ofjerking on the lines, to which operation the mule paid not the leastattention. 

"Yes, I'm here, Rad, " replied Tom, smiling. "I came out of my shopto see what all the excitement was about. How did you ever get yourmule to make so much dust?"

"I done promise him an extra helpin' ob oats ef he make good time, "said the colored man. "An' he done it, too. Did yo' see de dust wemade?"

"I sure did, but you didn't do much else. And you didn't make verygood time. I watched you, and you came along like an ice wagon aftera day's work on the Fourth of July. You were going fast, but movingslow. "

"I 'spects we was, Massa Tom, " was the colored man's answer. "ButBoomerang done better dan I 'spected he would. I done tole him yo'dbe in a hurry t' git yo' telephone, an' he sho' did trot along. "

"My telephone?" repeated Tom, wonderingly. "What have you and yourmule Boomerang to do with my telephone? That's up in the house. "

"No, it ain't! it's right yeah in mah pocket, " chuckled Eradicate, opening a ragged coat, and reaching for something. "I got yo'telephone right yeah. " he went on. "De agent at de station see medribin' ober dis way, an' he done ast he t' deliber it. He said ashow he ain't got no messenger boy now, 'cause de one he done habwent on a strike fo' five cents mo' a day. So I done took detelephone, " and with that the colored man pulled out a crumpledyellow envelope. 

"Oh, you mean a telegram, " said Tom, with a laugh, as he took themessage from the odd colored man. 

"Well, maybe it's telegraf, but I done understood de agent t' saytelephone. Anyhow, dere it is. An' I s'pects we'd better git along, Boomerang. "

The mule never moved, though Eradicate yanked on the reins, and useda splintered whip with energy. 

"I said as how we'd better git along, Boomerang, " went on thedarkey, raising his voice, "Dinnah am mos' ready, an' I'm goin' t'giv yo' an extra helpin' ob oats. "

The effect of these words seemed magical. The mule suddenly came tolife, and was about to start off. 

"I done thought dat would cotch yo', Boomerang, " chuckled Eradicate. 

"Wait a minute, Rad, " called Tom, who was tearing open the envelopeof the telegram. "I might want to send an answer back by you. Iwonder who is wiring me now?"

He read the message slowly, and Eradicate remarked:

"'Taint no kind ob use, Massa Tom, fo' t' send a message back wifme. "

"Why not?" asked the young inventor, looking up from the sheet ofyellow paper. 

"'Case as how I done promised Boomerang his airman, an' he won't donothin' till he has it. Ef I started him back t' town now he wouldjest lay down in de road. I'll take de answer back fo' you disarternoon. "

"All right, perhaps that will do, " assented Tom. "I haven't quitegot the hang of this yet. Drop around this afternoon, Rad, " and asthe colored man, who, with his mule Boomerang, did odd jobs aroundthe village, started off down the highway, in another cloud of dust, Tom Swift resumed the reading of the message. 

"Hum, this is rather queer, " he mused, when having read it once, hebegan at it again. "It must have cost him something to send all thisover the wire. He could just as well have written it. So he wants myhelp, eh? Well, I never heard of him, and he may be all right, but Ihad other plans, and I don't know whether I can spare the time to goto Philadelphia or not. I'll have to think it over. An electricairship, eh? He's sort of following along the lines of myinventions. Wants my aid--hum--well, I don't know--"

Tom's musings were suddenly cut short by the approach of an elderlygentleman, who was walking slowly down the path that led from thehouse to the country highway which ran in front of it. 

"A telegram, Tom?" asked the newcomer. 

"Yes, dad, " was the reply. "I was just coming in to ask your adviceabout it. Eradicate brought it to me. "

"What, with his mule, Boomerang?" and the gentleman seemed muchamused. "How did he ever get up speed enough to deliver a telegram?"

"Oh, Eradicate has some special means he uses on his mule when he'sin a hurry. But listen to this message, dad. It's from a Mr. HosmerFenwick, of Philadelphia. He says:"

"'Tom Swift--Can you come on to Philadelphia at once and aid me inperfecting my new electric airship? I want to get it ready for aflight before some government experts who have promised to purchaseseveral if it works well. I am in trouble, and I can't get it torise off the ground. I need help. I have heard about your airship, and the other inventions you and your father have perfected, and Iam sure you can aid me. I am stuck. Can you hurry to the QuakerCity? I will pay you well. Answer at once!'"

"Well?" remarked Mr. Swift, questioningly, as his son finishedreading the telegram. "What are you going to do about it, Tom?"

"I don't exactly know, dad. I was going to ask your advice. Whatwould you do? Who is this Mr. Fenwick?"

"Well, he is an inventor of some note, but he has had many failures. I have not heard of him in some years until now. He is a gentlemanof wealth, and can be relied upon to do just as he says. We areslightly acquainted. Perhaps it would be well to aid him, if you canspare the time. Not that you need the money, but inventors should bemutually helpful. If you feel like going to Philadelphia, and aidinghim in getting his electric airship in shape, you have mypermission. "

"I don't know, " answered Tom, doubtfully. "I was just getting mymonoplane in shape for a little flight. It was nothing particular, though. Dad, I think I WILL take a run to Philadelphia, and see if Ican help Mr. Fenwick. I'll wire him that I am coming, to-morrow ornext day. "

"Very well, " assented Mr. Swift, and then he and his son went intoone of the shops, talking of a new invention which they were aboutto patent. 

Tom little knew what a strange series of adventures were to followhis decision to go to the Quaker City, nor the danger involved inaiding Mr. Fenwick to operate his electric airship. 

CHAPTER II

MISS NESTOR'S NEWS

"When do you think you will go to Philadelphia, Tom?" asked Mr. Swift, a little later, as the aged inventor and his son were lookingover some blueprints which Garret Jackson, an engineer employed bythem, had spread out on a table. 

"I don't exactly know, " was the answer. "It's quite a little runfrom Shopton, because I can't get a through train. But I think I'llstart tomorrow. "

"Why do you go by train?" asked Mr. Jackson. 

"Why--er--because--" was Tom's rather hesitating reply. "How elsewould I go?"

"Your monoplane would be a good deal quicker, and you wouldn't haveto change cars, " said the engineer. "That is if you don't want totake out the big airship. Why don't you go in the monoplane?"

"By Jove! I believe I will!" exclaimed Tom. "I never thought ofthat, though it's a wonder I didn't. I'll not take the RED CLOUD, asshe's too hard to handle alone. But the BUTTERFLY will be just thething, " and Tom looked over to where a new monoplane rested on thethree bicycle wheels which formed part of its landing frame. "Ihaven't had it out since I mended the left wing tip, " he went on, "and it will also be a good chance to test my new rudder. I believeI WILL go to Philadelphia by the BUTTERFLY. "

"Well, as long as that's settled, suppose you give us your views onthis new form of storage battery, " suggested Mr. Swift, with a fondglance at his son, for Tom's opinion was considered valuable inmatters electrical, as those of you, who have read the previousbooks in this series, well know. 

The little group in the machine shop was soon deep in the discussionof ohms, amperes, volts and currents, and, for a time, Tom almostforgot the message calling him to Philadelphia. 

Taking advantage of the momentary lull in the activities of theyoung inventor, I will tell my readers something about him, so thatthose who have no previous introduction to him may feel that he is afriend. 

Tom Swift lived with his father, Barton Swift, a widower, in thevillage of Shopton, New York. There was also in the household Mrs. Baggert, the aged housekeeper, who looked after Tom almost like amother. Garret Jackson, an engineer and general helper, also livedwith the Swifts. 

Eradicate Sampson might also be called a retainer of the family, forthough the aged colored man and his mule Boomerang did odd workabout the village, they were more often employed by Tom and hisfather than by any one else. Eradicate was so called because, as hesaid, he "eradicated" the dirt. He did whitewashing, made gardens, and did anything else that was needed. Boomerang was thus named byhis owner, because, as Eradicate said, "yo' nebber know jest whatdat mule am goin' t' do next. He may go forward or he may gobackward, jest laik them Australian boomerangs. "

There was another valued friend of the family, Wakefield Damon byname, to whom the reader will be introduced in due course. And thenthere was Mary Nestor, about whom I prefer to let Tom tell youhimself, for he might be jealous if I talked too much about her. 

In the first book of this series, called "Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle, "there was told how he became possessed of the machine, afterit had nearly killed Mr. Damon, who was learning to ride it. Mr. Damon, who had a habit of "blessing" everything from his collarbutton to his shoe laces, did not "bless" the motor-cycle after ittried to climb a tree with him; and he sold it to Tom very cheaply. Tom repaired it, invented some new attachments for it, and had anumber of adventures on it. Not the least of these was trailingafter a gang of scoundrels who tried to get possession of a valuablepatent model belonging to Mr. Swift. 

Our second book, called "Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat, " related someexciting times following the acquisition by the young inventor of aspeedy craft which the thieves of the patent model had stolen. Inthe boat Tom raced with Andy Foger, a town bully, and beat him. Tomalso took out on pleasure trips his chum, Ned Newton, who worked ina Shopton bank, and the two had fine times together. Need I also saythat Mary Nestor also had trips in the motor-boat? Besides some otherstirring adventures in his speedy craft Tom rescued, from a burningballoon that fell into the lake, the aeronaut, John Sharp. Later Mr. Sharp and Tom built an airship, called the RED CLOUD, in which theyhad some strenuous times. 

Their adventures in this craft of the air form the basis for thethird book of the series, entitled "Tom Swift and His Airship. " Inthe RED CLOUD, Tom and his friends, including Mr. Damon, started tomake a record flight. They left Shopton the night when the bankvault was blown open, and seventy-five thousand dollars stolen. 

Because of evidence given by Andy Foger, and his father, suspicionpointed to Tom and his friends as the robbers, and they werepursued. But they turned the tables by capturing the real burglars, and defeating the mean plans of the Fogers. 

Not satisfied with having mastered the air Tom and his father turnedtheir attention to the water. Mr. Swift perfected a new type ofcraft, and in the fourth book of the series, called "Tom Swift andHis Submarine, " you may read how he went after a sunken treasure. The party had many adventures, and were in no little danger fromtheir enemies before they reached the wreck with its store of gold. 

The fifth book of the series, named "Tom Swift and His ElectricalRunabout, " told how Tom built the speediest car on the road, and wona prize with it, and also saved a bank from ruin. 

Tom had to struggle against odds, not only in his inventive work, but because of the meanness of jealous enemies, including AndyFoger, who seemed to bear our hero a grudge of long standing. Eventhough Tom had, more than once, thrashed Andy well, the bully wasalways seeking a chance to play some mean trick on the younginventor. Sometimes he succeeded, but more often the tables wereeffectually turned. 

It was now some time since Tom had won the prize in his electric carand, in the meanwhile he had built himself a smaller airship, or, rather, monoplane, named the BUTTERFLY. In it he made severalsuccessful trips about the country, and gave exhibitions at numerousaviation meets; once winning a valuable prize for an altitudeflight. In one trip he had met with a slight accident, and themonoplane had only just been repaired after this when he receivedthe message summoning him to Philadelphia. 

"Well, Tom, " remarked his father that afternoon, "if you are goingto the Quaker City, to see Mr. Fenwick to-morrow, you'd, better begetting ready. Have you wired him that you will come?"

"No, I haven't, dad, " was the reply. "I'll get a message ready atonce, and when Eradicate comes back I'll have him take it to thetelegraph office. "

"I wouldn't do that, Tom. "

"Do what?"

"Trust it to Eradicate. He means all right, but there's no tellingwhen that mule of his may lie down in the road, and go to sleep. Then your message won't get off, and Mr. Fenwick may be anxiouslywaiting for it. I wouldn't like to offend him, for, though he and Ihave not met in some years, yet I would be glad if you could do hima favor. Why not take the message yourself?"

"Guess I will, dad. I'll run over to Mansburg in my electric car, and send the message from there. It will go quicker, and, besides, Iwant to get some piano wire to strengthen the wings of mymonoplane. "

"All right, Tom, and when you telegraph to Mr. Fenwick, give him myregards, and say that I hope his airship will be a success. So it'san electric one, eh? I wonder how it works? But you can tell me whenyou come back. "

"I will, dad. Mr. Jackson, will you help me charge the batteries ofmy car? I think they need replenishing. Then I'll get right along toMansburg. "

Mansburg was a good-sized city some miles from the village ofShopton, and Tom and his father had frequent business there. 

The young inventor and the engineer soon had the electric car inreadiness for a swift run, for the charging of the batteries couldbe done in much less than the time usual for such an operation, owing to a new system perfected by Tom. The latter was soon speedingalong the road, wondering what sort of an airship Mr. Fenwick wouldprove to have, and whether or not it could be made to fly. 

"It's easy enough to build an airship, " mused Tom, "but thedifficulty is to get them off the ground, and keep them there. " Heknew, for there had been several failures with his monoplane beforeit rose like a bird and sailed over the tree-tops. 

The lad was just entering the town, and had turned around a corner, twisting about to pass a milk wagon, when he suddenly saw, dartingout directly in the path of his car, a young lady. 

"Look out!" yelled Tom, ringing his electric gong, at the same timeshutting off the current, and jamming on the powerful brakes. 

There was a momentary scream of terror from the girl, and then, asshe looked at Tom, she exclaimed:

"Why, Tom Swift! What are you trying to do? Run me down?"

"Mary--Miss Nestor!" ejaculated our hero, in some confusion. 

He had brought his car to a stop, and had thrown open the door, alighting on the crossing, while a little knot of curious peoplegathered about. 

"I didn't see you, " went on the lad. "I came from behind the milkwagon, and--"

"It was my fault, " Miss Nestor hastened to add. "I, too, was waitingfor the milk wagon to pass, and when it got out of my way, I dartedaround the end of it, without looking to see if anything else wascoming. I should have been more careful, but I'm so excited that Ihardly know what I'm doing. "

"Excited? What's the matter?" asked Tom, for he saw that his friendwas not her usual calm self. "Has anything happened, Mary?"

"Oh, I've such news to tell you!" she exclaimed. 

"Then get in here, and we'll go on. " advised Tom. "We are collectinga crowd. Come and take a ride; that is if you have time. "

"Of course I have, " the girl said, with a little blush, which Tomthought made her look all the prettier. "Then we can talk. But whereare you going?"

"To send a message to a gentleman in Philadelphia, saying that Iwill help him out of some difficulties with his new electricairship. I'm going to take a run down there in my monoplane, BUTTERFLY, to-morrow, and--"

"My! to hear you tell it, one would think it wasn't any more to makean airship flight than it was to go shopping, " interrupted Mary, asshe entered the electric car, followed by Tom, who quickly sent thevehicle down the street. 

"Oh, I'm getting used to the upper air, " he said. "But what is thenews you were to tell me?"

"Did you know mamma and papa had gone to the West Indies?" asked thegirl. 

"No! I should say that WAS news. When did they go? I didn't knowthey intended to make a trip. "

"Neither did they; nor I, either. It was very sudden. They sailedfrom New York yesterday. Mr. George Hosbrook, a business friend ofpapa's, offered to take them on his steam yacht, RESOLUTE. He ismaking a little pleasure trip, with a party of friends, and hethought papa and mamma might like to go. "

"He wired to them, they got ready in a rush, caught the express toNew York, and went off in such a hurry that I can hardly realize ityet. I'm left all alone, and I'm in such trouble!"

"Well, I should say that was news, " spoke Tom. 

"Oh, you haven't heard the worst yet, " went on Mary. "I don't callthe fact that papa and mamma went off so suddenly much news. But thecook just left unexpectedly, and I have invited a lot of girlfriends to come and stay with me, while mamma and papa are away; andnow what shall I do without a cook? I was on my way down to anintelligence office, to get another servant, when you nearly ran medown! Now, isn't that news?"

"I should say it was--two kinds, " admitted Tom, with a smile. "Well, I'll help you all I can. I'll take you to the intelligence office, and if you can get a cook, by hook or by crook, I'll bundle her intothis car, and get her to your house before she can change her mind. And so your people have gone to the West Indies?"

"Yes, and I wish I had the chance to go. "

"So do I, " spoke Tom, little realizing how soon his wish might begranted. "But is there any particular intelligence office you wishto visit?"

"There's not much choice, " replied Mary Nestor, with a smile, "asthere's only one in town. Oh. I do hope I can get a cook! It wouldbe dreadful to have nothing to eat, after I'd asked the girls tospend a month with me; wouldn't it?"

Tom agreed that it certainly would, and they soon after arrived atthe intelligence office. 

CHAPTER III

TOM KNOCKS OUT ANDY

"Do you want me to come in and help you?" asked the young inventor, of Miss Nestor. 

"Do you know anything about hiring a cook?" she inquired, with anarch smile. 

"I'm afraid I don't, " the lad was obliged to confess. 

"Then I'm a little doubtful of your ability to help me. But I'm everso much obliged to you. I'll see if I can engage one. The cook whojust left went away because I asked her to make some appleturnovers. Some of the girls who are coming are very fond of them. "

"So am I, " spoke Tom, with a smile. 

"Are you, indeed? Then, if the cook I hope to get now will makethem, I'll invite you over to have some, and--also meet my friends. "

"I'd rather come when just you, and the turnovers and the cook arethere, " declared Tom, boldly, and Mary, with a blush, made ready toleave the electric car. 

"Thank you, " she said, in a low voice. 

"If I can't help you select a cook, " went on Tom, "at least let mecall and take you home when you have engaged one. "

"Oh, it will be too much trouble, " protested Miss Nestor. 

"Not at all. I have only to send a message, and get some piano wire, and then I'll call back here for you. I'll take you and the new cookback home flying. "

"All right, but don't fly so fast. The cook may get frightened, andleave before she has a chance to make an apple turnover. "

"I'll go slower. I'll be back in fifteen minutes, " called Tom, as heswung the car out away from the curb, while Mary Nestor went intothe intelligence office. 

Tom wrote and sent this message to Mr. Hostner Fenwick, ofPhiladelphia:

"Will come on to-morrow in my aeroplane, and aid you all I can. Willnot promise to make your electric airship fly, though. Father sendsregards. "

"Just rush that, please, " he said to the telegraph agent, and thelatter, after reading it over, remarked:

"It'll rush itself, I reckon, being all about airships, and thingslike that, " and he laughed as Tom paid him. 

Selecting several sizes of piano wire of great strength, to use asextra guy-braces on the Butterfly, Tom re-entered his electric car, and hastened back to the intelligence office, where he had left hisfriend. He saw her standing at the front door, and before he couldalight, and go to her, Miss Nestor came cut to meet him. 

"Oh, Tom!" she exclaimed, with a little tragic gesture, "what do youthink?"

"I don't know, " he answered good-naturedly. "Does the new cookrefuse to come unless you do away with apple turnovers?"

"No, it isn't that. I have engaged a real treasure, I'm sure, but assoon as I mentioned that you would take us home in the electricautomobile, she flatly refused to come. She said walking was theonly way she would go. She hasn't been in this country long. But theworst of it is that a rich woman has just telephoned in for a cook, and if I don't get this one away, the rich lady may induce her tocome to her house, and I'll be without one! Oh, what shall I do?"and poor Mary looked quite distressed. 

"Humph! So she's afraid of electric autos; eh?" mused Tom. "That'squeer. Leave it to me, Mary, and perhaps I can fix it. You want toget her away from here in a hurry; don't you?"

"Yes, because servants are so scarce, that they are engaged almostas soon as they register at the intelligence office. I know the oneI have hired is suspicious of me, since I have mentioned your car, and she'll surely go with Mrs. Duy Puyster when she comes. I'm sorryI spoke of the automobile. "

"Well, don't worry. It's partly my fault, and perhaps I can makeamends. I'll talk to the new cook, " decided the young inventor. 

"Oh, Tom, I don't believe it will do any good. She won't come, andall my girl friends will arrive shortly. " Miss Nestor was quitedistressed. 

"Leave it to me, " suggested the lad, with an assumed confidence hedid not feel. He left the car, and walked toward the office. Entering it, with Miss Nestor in his wake, he saw a pleasant-facedIrish girl, sitting on a bench, with a bundle beside her. 

"And so you don't want to ride in an auto?" began Tom. 

"No, an' it's no use of the likes of you askin' me, either, "answered the girl, but not impudently. "I am afeered of thim things, an' I won't work in a family that owns one. "

"But we don't own one, " said Mary. 

The girl only sniffed. 

"It is the very latest means of traveling, " Tom went on, "and thereis absolutely no danger. I will drive slowly. "

"No!" snapped the new cook. 

Tom was rather at his wits' ends. At that moment the telephone rang, and Tom and Mary, listening, could hear the proprietress of theintelligence office talking to Mrs. Duy Puyster over the wire. 

"We must get her away soon, " whispered Mary, with a nod at the Irishgirl, "or we'll lose her. "

Tom was thinking rapidly, but no plan seemed to come to him. Amoment later one of the assistants of the office led out from a rearroom another Irish girl, --who, it seems, had just engaged herself towork in the country. 

"Good-by, Bridget, " said this girl, to the one Mary Nestor hadhired. "I'm off now. The carriage has just come for me. I'm goin'away in style. "

"Good luck, Sarah, " wished Bridget. 

Tom looked out of the window. A dilapidated farm wagon, drawn by tworusty-looking horses, just drawing up at the curb. 

"There is your employer, Sarah, " said the proprietress of theoffice. "You will have a nice ride to the country and I hope youwill like the place. "

A typical country farmer alighted from the wagon, leaving a woman, evidently his wife, or the seat. He called out:

"I'll git th' servant-gal, 'Mandy, an' we'll drive right out hum. Then you won't have such hard work any more. "

"An' so that's the style you was tellin' me of; eh, Sarah?" askedthe cook whom Miss Nestor had engaged. "That's queer style, Sarah. "

Sarah was blushing from shame and mortification. Tom was quick toseize the advantage thus offered. 

"Bridget, if YOU appreciate style, " he said, "you will come in theautomobile. I have one of the very latest models, and it is verysafe. But perhaps you prefer a farm wagon. "

"Indade an' I don't!" was the ready response. "I'll go wid you nowif only to show Sarah Malloy thot I have more style than her! Shewas boastin' of the fine place she had, an' th' illigant carriagethat was comin' t' take her to the counthry. If that's it I wantnone of it! I'll go wid you an' th' young gintleman. Style indade!"and, gathering up her bundle she followed Tom and Mary to thewaiting auto. 

They entered it and started off, just as Mrs. Duy Puyster drove upin her elegantly appointed carriage, while Sarah, with tears ofmortification in her eyes, climbed up beside the farmer and hiswife. 

"You saved the day for me, Tom, " whispered Miss Nestor, as the younginventor increased the speed of his car. "It was only just in time. "

"Don't forget the apple turnovers, " he whispered back. 

Once she had made the plunge, the new cook seemed to lose her fearsof the auto, and enjoyed the ride. In a short time she had beensafely delivered at Miss Nestor's home, while that young ladyrepeated her thanks to Tom, and renewed her invitation for him tocome and sample the apple turnovers, which Tom promised faithfullyto do, saying he would call on his return from Philadelphia. 

Musing on the amusing feature of his trip, Tom was urging his autoalong at moderate speed, when, as he turned down a country road, leading to his home, he saw, coming toward him, a carriage, drawn bya slow-moving, white horse, and containing a solitary figure. 

"Why, that looks like Andy Foger, " spoke Tom, half aloud. "I wonderwhat he's doing out driving? His auto must be out of commission. Butthat's not strange, considering the way he abuses the machine. It'sin the repair shop half the time. "

He slowed down still more, for he did not know but that Andy's horsemight be skittish. He need have no fears, however, for the animaldid not seem to have much more life than did Eradicate's mule, Boomerang. 

As Tom came nearer the carriage, he was surprised to see Andydeliberately swing his horse across the road, blocking the highwayby means of the carriage and steed. 

"Well, Andy Foger, what does that mean?" cried Tom, indignantly, ashe brought his car to a sudden stop. "Why do you block the road?"

"Because I want to, " snarled the bully, taking out a notebook andpencil, and pretending to make some notes about the property infront of which he had halted. "I'm in the real estate business now, "went on Andy, "and I'm getting descriptions of the property I'mgoing to sell. Guess I've got a right to stop in the road if I wantto!"

"But not to block it up, " retorted Tom. "That's against the law. Pull over and let me pass!"

"Suppose I don't do it?"

"Then I'll make you!"

"Huh! I'd like to see you try it!" snapped Andy. "If you maketrouble for me, it will be the worse for you. "

"If you pull to one side, so I can pass, there'll be no trouble, "said Tom, seeing that Andy wished to pick a quarrel. 

"Well, I'm not going to pull aside until I finish putting down thisdescription, " and the bully continued to write with tantalizingslowness. 

"Look here!" exclaimed Tom Swift, with sudden energy. "I'm not goingto stand for this! Either you pull to one side and let me pass, or--"

"Well, what will you do?" demanded the bully. 

"I'll shove you to one side, and you can take the consequences!"

"You won't dare to!"

"I won't, eh? Just you watch. "

Tom threw forward the lever of his car. There was a hum of themotor, and the electric moved ahead. Andy had continued to write inthe book, but at this sound he glanced up. 

"Don't you dare to bunk into me!" yelled Andy. "If you do I'll sueyou for damages!"

"Get out of the way, or I'll shove you off the road!" threatenedTom, calmly. 

"I'll not go until I get ready. "

"Oh, yes you will, " responded our hero quietly. He sent his carahead slowly but surely. It was within a few feet of the carriagecontaining Andy. The bully had dropped his notebook, and was shakinghis fist at Tom. 

As for the young inventor he had his plans made. He saw that thehorse was a quiet, sleepy one, that would not run away, no matterwhat happened, and Tom only intended to gently push the carriage toone side, and pass on. 

The front of his auto came up against the other vehicle. 

"Here, you stop!" cried Andy, savagely. 

"It's too late now, " answered Tom, grimly. 

Andy reached for the horsewhip. Tom put on a little more power, andthe carriage began to slide across the road, but the old horse neveropened his eyes. 

"Take that!" cried Andy, raising his whip, with the intention ofslashing Tom across the face, for the front of the auto was open. But the blow never fell, for, the next instant, the carriage gave alurch as one of the wheels slid against a stone, and, as Andy wasstanding up, and leaning forward, he was pitched head first out intothe road. 

"By Jove! I hope I haven't hurt him!" gasped Tom, as he leaped fromhis auto, which he had brought to a stop. 

The young inventor bent over the bully. There was a little cut onAndy's forehead, and his face was white. He had been mosteffectually knocked out entirely by his own meanness and fault, but, none the less, Tom was frightened. He raised up Andy's head on hisarm, and brushed back his hair. Andy was unconscious. 

CHAPTER IV

MR. DAMON WILL GO ALONG

At first Tom was greatly frightened at the sight of Andy's paleface. He feared lest the bully might be seriously hurt. But when herealized that the fall from the carriage, which was a low one, wasnot hard, and that Andy had landed on his outstretched hands beforehis head came in contact with the earth, our hero was somewhatreassured. 

"I wish I had some water, with which to bathe his head, " Tommurmured, and he looked about in vain for some. But it was notneeded, for, a moment later, Andy opened his eyes, and, when he sawTom bending over, and holding him, the bully exclaimed:

"Here! You let me go! Don't you hit me again, Tom Swift, or I'llpunch you!"

"I didn't hit you, " declared Tom, while Andy tore himself away, andstruggled to his feet. 

"Yes, you did, too, hit me!"

"I did not! You tried to strike me with your whip, as I was shovingyour carriage out of the way, which I had a perfect right to do, asyou were blockading the highway. You lost your balance and fell. Itwas your own fault. "

"Well, you'll suffer for it, just the same, snarled Andy, and then, putting his hand to his head, and bringing it away, with some dropsof blood on it, he cried out:"

"Oh, I'm hurt! I'm injured! Get a doctor, or maybe I'll bleed todeath!" He began blubbering, for Andy, like all bullies, was acoward. 

"You're not hurt, " asserted Tom, trying not to laugh. "It's only ascratch. Next time don't try to blockade the whole street, and youwon't get into trouble. Are you able to drive home; or shall I takeyou in my car?"

"I wouldn't ride in your car!" snapped the ugly lad. "You go on, andmind your business now, and I'll pay you back for this, some day. Icould have you arrested!"

"And so could I have you locked up for obstructing traffic. But I'llnot. Your rig isn't damaged, and you'd better drive home. "

The old white horse had not moved, and was evidently glad of therest. A glance satisfied Tom that the carriage had not been damaged, and, getting into his car, while Andy was brushing the dust from hisclothes, our hero started the motor. 

There was now room enough to pass around the obstructing carriage, and soon Tom was humming down the road, leaving a much discomfitedbully behind him. 

"Tom Swift is too smart--thinking he can run everybody, andeverything, to suit himself, " growled Andy, as he finished dustingoff his clothes, and wiping the blood from his face. As Tom hadsaid, the wound was but a scratch, though the bully's head ached, and he felt a little dizzy. "I wish I'd hit him with the horsewhip, "he went on, vindictively. "I'll get square with him some day. "

Andy had said this many times, but he had never yet succeeded inpermanently getting the best of Tom. Pondering on some scheme ofrevenge the rich lad--for Mr. Foger, his father, was quitewealthy--drove on. 

Meanwhile Tom, rather wishing the little encounter had not takenplace, but refusing to blame himself for what had occurred, wasspeeding toward home. 

"Let's see, " he murmured, as he drove along in his powerful car. "I've got quite a lot to do if I make an early start forPhiladelphia, in my airship, to-morrow. I want to tighten thepropeller on the shaft a trifle, and give the engine a good try-out. Then, too, I think I'd better make the landing springs a littlestiffer. The last time I made a descent the frame was pretty welljarred up. Yes, if I make that air trip to-morrow I'll have to dosome tall hustling when I get home. "

The electric runabout swung into the yard of the Swift house, andTom brought it to a stop opposite the side door. He looked about fora sight of his father, Mrs. Baggert or Garret Jackson. The onlyperson visible was Eradicate Sampson, working in the garden. 

"Hello, Rad, " called Tom. "Anybody home?"

"Yais, Massa Tom, " answered the colored man. "Yo' dad an' anoddergen'mans hab jest gone in de house. "

"Who's the other gentleman, Rad?" asked Tom, and the negro, glad ofan excuse to cease the weeding of the onion bed, came shufflingforward. 

"It's de gen'mans what is allers saying his prayers, " he answered. 

"Saying his prayers?" repeated Tom. 

"Yep. Yo' knows what I means, Massa Tom. He's allers askin' ablessin' on his shoes, or his rubbers, or his necktie. "

"Oh, you mean Mr. Wakefield Damon. "

"Yais, sah, dat's who I done means. Mr. Wakefull Lemon--dat's sho'him. "

At that moment there sounded, within the house, the voices of Mr. Swift, and some one else in conversation. 

"And so Tom has decided to make a run to the Quaker City in theBUTTERFLY, to-morrow, " Mr. Swift was saying, "and he's going to seeif he can be of any service to this Mr. Fenwick. "

"Bless my watch chain!" exclaimed the other voice. "You don't sayso! Why I know Mr. Fenwick very well--he and I used to go to schooltogether, but bless my multiplication tables--I never thought he'damount to anything! And so he's built an airship; and Tom is goingto help him with it? Why, bless my collar button, I've a good notionto go along and see what happens. Bless my very existence, but Ithink I will!"

"That's Mr. Damon all right, " observed Tom, with a smile, as headvanced toward the dining-room, whence the voices proceeded. 

"Dat's what I done tole you!" said Eradicate, and, with slow andlagging steps he went back to weed the onion bed. 

"How are you, Mr. Damon, " called our hero, as he mounted the stepsof the porch. 

"Why, it's Tom--he's back!" exclaimed the eccentric man. "Why, blessmy shoe laces, Tom! how are you? I'm real glad to see you. Bless myeyeglasses, but I am! I just returned from a little western trip, and I thought I'd ran over and see how you are. I came in my car--hadtwo blowouts on the way, too. Bless my spark plug, but the kindof tires one gets now-a-days are a disgrace! However, I'm here, andyour father has just told me about you going to Philadelphia in yourmonoplane, to help a fellow-inventor with his airship. It's realkind of you. Bless my topknot if it isn't! Do you know what I wasjust saying?"

"I heard you mention that you knew Mr. Fenwick, " replied Tom, with asmile, as he shook hands with Mr. Damon. 

"So I do, and, what's more, I'd like to see his airship. Will yourBUTTERFLY carry two passengers?"

"Easily. Mr. Damon. "

"Then I'll tell you what I'm going to do. If you'll let me I'll takethat run to Philadelphia with you!"

"Glad to have you come along, " responded Tom, heartily. 

"Then I'll go, and, what's more, if Fenwick's ship will rise, I'llgo with you in that--bless my deflection rudder if I don't, Tom!"and puffing top his cheeks, as he exploded these words, Mr. Damonfairly raised himself on his tiptoes, and shook Tom's hand again. 

CHAPTER V

VOL-PLANING TO EARTH

For a moment after Mr. Damon's announcement Tom did not reply. Mr. Swift, too, seemed a little at a loss for something to say. They didnot quite know how to take their eccentric friend at times. 

"Of course I'll be glad of your company, Mr. Damon, " said Tom: "butyou must remember that my BUTTERFLY is not like the RED CLOUD. Thereis more danger riding in the monoplane than there is in the airship. In the latter, if the engine happens to stop, the sustaining gaswill prevent us from falling. But it isn't so in an aeroplane. Whenyour engine stops there--"

"Well, what happens?" asked Mr. Damon, impatiently, for Tomhesitated. 

"You have to vol-plane back to earth. "

"Vol-plane?" and there was a questioning note in Mr. Damon's voice. 

"Yes, glide down from whatever height you are at when the enginestalls. Come down in a series of dips from the upper currents. Vol-planing, the French call it, and I guess it's as good a word asany. "

"Have you ever done it?" asked the odd character. 

"Oh, yes, several times. "

"Then, bless my fur overcoat! I can do it, too, Tom. When will yoube ready to start?"

"To-morrow morning. Now you are sure you won't get nervous and wantto jump, if the engine happens to break down?"

"Not a bit of it. I'll vol-plane whenever you are ready, " and Mr. Damon laughed. 

"Well, we'll hope we won't have to, " went on Tom. "And I'll be veryglad of your company. Mr. Fenwick will, no doubt, be pleased to seeyou. I've never met him, and it will be nice to have some one tointroduce me. Suppose you come out and see what sort of a craft youare doomed to travel in to-morrow, Mr. Damon. I believe you neversaw my new monoplane. "

"That's right, I haven't, but I'd be glad to. I declare, I'm gettingto be quite an aviator, " and Mr. Damon chuckled. A little later, Tom, having informed his father of the sending of the message, tookhis eccentric friend out to the shop, and exhibited the BUTTERFLY. 

As many of you have seen the ordinary monoplane, either onexhibition or in flight, I will not take much space to describeTom's. Sufficient to say it was modeled after the one in whichBleriot made his first flight across the English channel. 

The body was not unlike that of a butterfly or dragon fly, long andslender, consisting of a rectangular frame with canvas stretchedover it, and a seat for two just aft of the engine and controllinglevers. Back of the seat stretched out a long framework, and at theend was a curved plane, set at right angles to it. The ends of theplane terminated in flexible wings, to permit of their being bent upor down, so as to preserve the horizontal equilibrium of the craft. 

At the extreme end was the vertical rudder, which sent the monoplaneto left or right. 

Forward, almost exactly like the front set of wings of the dragonfly, was the large, main plane, with the concave turn toward theground. There was the usual propeller in front, operated by a fourcylinder motor, the cylinders being air cooled, and set like thespokes of a wheel around the motor box. The big gasolene tank, andother mechanism was in front of the right-hand operator's seat, where Tom always rode. He had seldom taken a passenger up with him, though the machine would easily carry two, and he was a littlenervous about the outcome of the trip with Mr. Damon. 

"How do you like the looks of it?" asked the young inventor, as hewheeled the BUTTERFLY out of the shed, and began pumping up thetires of the bicycle wheels on which it ran over the ground, to getimpetus enough with which to rise. 

"It looks a little frail, compared to the big RED CLOUD, Tom, "answered the eccentric man, "but I'm going up in her just the same;bless my buttons if I'm not. "

Tom could not but admire the grit of his friend. 

The rest of the day was busily spent making various adjustments tothe monoplane, putting on new wire stays, changing the ruddercables, and tuning up the motor. The propeller was tightened on theshaft, and toward evening Tom announced that all was in readinessfor a trial flight. 

"Want to come, Mr. Damon?" he asked. 

"I'll wait, and see how it acts with you aboard, " was the answer. "Not that I'm afraid, for I'm going to make the trip in the morning, but perhaps it won't work just right now. "

"Oh, I guess it will, " ventured Tom, and in order to be able to knowjust how his BUTTERFLY was going to behave, with a passenger of Mr. Damon's weight, the young inventor placed a bag of sand on the extraseat. 

The monoplane was then wheeled to the end of the starting ground. Tom took his place in the seat, and Mr. Jackson started thepropeller. At first the engine failed to respond, but suddenly witha burst of smoke, and a spluttering of fire the cylinders beganexploding. The hat of Mr. Damon, who was standing back of themachine, was blown off by the wind created by the propeller. 

"Bless my gaiters!" he exclaimed, "I never thought it was as strongas that!"

"Let go!" cried Tom to Mr. Jackson and Eradicate, who were holdingback the monoplane from gliding over the ground. 

"All right, " answered the engineer. 

An instant later the explosions almost doubled, for Tom turned onmore gasolene. Then, like some live thing, the BUTTERFLY rushedacross the starting ground. Faster and faster it went, until theyoung inventor, knowing that he had motion enough, tilted his planesto catch the wind. 

Up he went from earth, like some graceful bird, higher and higher, and then, in a big spiral, he began ascending until he was fivehundred feet in the air. Up there he traveled back and forth, incircles, and in figure eights, desiring to test the machine invarious capacities. 

Suddenly the engine stopped, and to those below, anxiously watching, the silence became almost oppressive, for Tom had somewhatdescended, and the explosions had been plainly heard by thoseobserving him. But now they ceased!

"His engine's stalled!" cried Garret Jackson. 

Mr. Swift heard the words, and looked anxiously up at his son. 

"Is he in any danger?" gasped Mr. Damon. 

No one answered him. Like some great bird, disabled in mid flight, the monoplane swooped downward. A moment later a hearty shout fromTom reassured them. 

"He shut off the engine on purpose, " said Mr. Jackson. "He isvol-planing back to earth!"

Nearer and nearer came the BUTTERFLY. It would shoot downward, andthen, as Tom tilted the planes, would rise a bit, losing some of thegreat momentum. In a series of maneuvers like this, the younginventor reached the earth, not far from where his father and theothers stood. Down came the BUTTERFLY, the springs of the wheelframe taking the shock wonderfully well. 

"She's all right--regular bird!" cried Tom, in enthusiasm, when themachine had come to a stop after rolling over the ground, and he hadleaped out. "We'll make a good flight to-morrow, Mr. Damon, if theweather holds out this way. "

"Good!" cried the eccentric man. "I shall be delighted. "

They made the start early the next morning, there being hardly abreath of wind. There was not a trace of nervousness noticeableabout Mr. Damon, as he took his place in the seat beside Tom. Thelad had gone carefully over the entire apparatus, and had seen to itthat, as far as he could tell, it was in perfect running order. 

"When will you be back, Tom?" asked his father. 

"To-night, perhaps, or to-morrow morning. I don't know just what Mr. Fenwick wants me to do. But if it is anything that requires a longstay, I'll come back, and let you know, and then run down toPhiladelphia again. I may need some of my special tools to workwith. I'll be back to-night perhaps. "

"Shall I keep supper for you?" asked Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper. 

"I don't know, " answered Tom, with a laugh. "Perhaps I'll drop downat Miss Nestor's, and have some apple turnovers, " for he had toldthem or the incident of hiring the new cook. "Well, " he went on toMr. Damon, "are you all ready?"

"As ready as I ever shall be. Do you think we'll have to do anyvol-planing, Tom?"

"Hard to say, but it's not dangerous when there's no wind. Allright, Garret. Start her off. "

The engineer whirled the big wooden, built-up propeller, and with arattle and roar of the motor, effectually drowning any but theloudest shouts, the BUTTERFLY was ready for her flight. Tom let theengine warm up a bit before calling to his friends to let go, andthen, when he had thrown the gasolene lever forward, he shouted agood-by and cried:

"All right! Let go!"

Forward, like a hound from the leash, sprang the little monoplane. It ran perhaps for five hundred feet, and then, with a tilting ofthe wings, to set the air currents against them, it sprang into theair. 

"We're off!" cried Mr. Damon, waving his hand to those on the groundbelow. 

"Yes, we're off, " murmured Tom. "Now for the Quaker City!"

He had mapped out a route for himself the night before, and now, picking out the land-marks, he laid as straight a course as possiblefor Philadelphia. 

The sensation of flying along, two thousand feet high, in a machinealmost as frail as a canoe, was not new to Tom. It was, in a degree, to Mr. Damon, for, though the latter had made frequent trips in thelarge airship, this mode of locomotion, as if he was on the back ofsome bird, was much different. Still, after the first surprise, hegot used to it. 

"Bless my finger ring!" he exclaimed, "I like it!"

"I thought you would, " said Tom, in a shout, and he adjusted the oilfeed to send more lubricant into the cylinders. 

The earth stretched out below them, like some vari-colored reliefmap, but they could not stop to admire any particular spot long, forthey were flying fast, and were beyond a scene almost as quickly asthey had a glimpse of it. 

"How long will it take us?" yelled Mr. Damon into Tom's ear. 

"I hope to do it in three hours, " shouted back the young inventor. 

"What! Why it takes the train over five hours. "

"Yes, I know, but we're going direct, and it's only about twohundred and fifty miles. That's only about eighty an hour. We'redoing seventy-five now, and I haven't let her out yet. "

"She goes faster than the RED CLOUD, " cried Mr. Damon. 

Tom nodded. It was hard work to talk in that rush of air. For anhour they shot along, their speed gradually increasing. Tom calledout the names of the larger places they passed over. He was nowdoing better than eighty an hour as the gage showed. The trip was aglorious one, and the eyes of the young inventor and his friendsparkled in delight as they rushed forward. Two hours passed. 

"Going to make it?" fairly howled Mr. Damon. 

Tom nodded again. 

"Be there in time for dinner, " he announced in a shout. 

It lacked forty minutes of the three hours when Tom, pointing withone hand down below, while with the other he gripped the lever ofthe rudder, called:

"North Philadelphia!"

"So soon?" gasped Mr. Damon. "Well, we certainly made speed! Whereare you going to land?"

"I don't know, " answered the young inventor, "I'll have to pick outthe best place I see. It's no fun landing in a city. No room to runalong, after you're down. "

"What's the matter with Franklin Field?" cried Mr. Damon. "Out wherethey play football. "

"Good! The very thing!" shouted Tom. 

"Mr. Fenwick lives near there, " went on Mr. Damon, and Tom noddedcomprehendingly. 

They were now over North Philadelphia, and, in a few minutes morewere above the Quaker City itself. They were flying rather low, andas the people in the streets became aware of their presence therewas intense excitement. Tom steered for the big athletic field, andsoon saw it in the distance. 

With a suddenness that was startling the motor ceased its terrificracket. The monoplane gave a sickening dip, and Tom had to adjustthe wing tips and rudder quickly to prevent it slewing around at adangerous angle. 

"What's the matter?" cried Mr. Damon, "Did you shut it off onpurpose?"

"No!" shouted Tom, "Something's gone wrong!"

"Gone wrong! Bless my overshoes! Is there any danger?"

"We'll have to vol-plane to earth, " answered Tom, and there was agrim look on his face. He had never executed this feat with apassenger aboard He was wondering how the BUTTERFLY would behave. But he would know very soon, for already the tiny monoplane wasshooting rapidly toward the big field, which was now swarming with acurious crowd. 

CHAPTER VI

THE NEW AIRSHIP

For a brief instant after the stopping of the motor, and theconsequent sudden dropping toward the earth of the monoplane, Tomglanced at Mr. Damon. The latter's face was rather pale, but heseemed calm and collected. His lips moved slightly, and Tom, even inthose tense moments, wondered if the odd gentleman was blessinganything in particular, or everything in general. 

Tom threw up the tilting plane, to catch more air beneath it, andbring the BUTTERFLY in a more parallel position to the earth. This, in a manner, checked the downward flight, and they glided alonghorizontally for a hundred feet or more. 

"Is--is there any great danger, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"I think not, " answered the young inventor, confidently. "I havedone this same thing before, and from greater heights. The onlything that bothers me is that there are several cross-currents ofair up here, which make it difficult to manage the planes and wingtips. But I think we'll make a good landing. "

"Bless my overcoat!" exclaimed Mr. Damon "I certainly hope so. "

Conversation was more easily carried on now, as the motor was notspitting fire and throbbing like a battery of Gatling guns. Tomthought perhaps it might start on the spark, as the propeller wasslowly swinging from the force of air against it. He tried, butthere was no explosion. He had scarcely hoped for it, as he realizedthat some part of the mechanism must have broken. 

Down they glided, coming nearer and nearer to the earth. The crowdin the big athletic field grew larger. Shouts of wonder and fearcould be heard, and people could be seen running excitedly about. ToTom and Mr. Damon they looked like dolls. 

Reaching the limit of the parallel glide the monoplane once moreshot down on an incline toward the earth with terrible speed. Theground seemed to rush up to meet Mr. Damon. 

"Look out!" he cried to Tom. "We're going to hit something!"

"Not yet, " was the calm answer "I'm going to try a new stunt. Holdfast!"

"What are you going to do?"

"Some spirals. I think that will let us down easier, but the craftis likely to tilt a bit, so hold on. "

The young inventor shifted the movable planes and rudder, and, amoment later, the BUTTERFLY swung violently around, like a polo ponytaking a sudden turn after the ball. Mr. Damon slid to one side ofhis seat, and made a frantic grab for one of the upright supports. 

"I made too short a turn!" cried Tom, easing off the craft, whichrighted itself in an instant. "The air currents fooled me. "

Under his skillful guidance, the monoplane was soon slowlyapproaching the earth in a series of graceful curves. It was underperfect control, and a smile of relief came on the face of the younginventor. Seeing it Mr. Damon took courage, and his hands, which hadgrasped the uprights with such firmness that his knuckles showedwhite with the strain, were now removed. He sat easily in his seat. 

"We're all right now, " declared Tom. "I'll take a couple of forwardglides now, and we'll land. "

He sent the machine straight ahead. It gathered speed in an instant. Then, with an upward tilt it was slackened, almost as if brakes hadbeen applied. Once more it shot toward the earth, and once more itwas checked by an up-tilted plane. 

Then with a thud which shook up the occupants of the two seats, theBUTTERFLY came to the ground, and ran along on the three bicyclewheels. Swiftly it slid over the level ground. A more ideal landingplace would have been hard to find. Scores of willing hands reachedout, and checked the momentum of the little monoplane, and Tom andMr. Damon climbed from their seats. 

The crowd set up a cheer, and hundreds pressed around the aviators. Several sought to reach, and touch the machine, for they hadprobably never been so close to one before, though airship flightsare getting more and more common. 

"Where did you come from?"

"Are you trying for a record?"

"How high did you get?"

"Did you fall, or come down on purpose?"

"Can't you start your motor in mid-air?"

These, and scores of other questions were fairly volleyed at Tom andMr. Damon. The young inventor good-naturedly answered them as besthe could. 

"We were coming down anyhow, " he explained, "but we did notcalculate on vol-planing. The motor was stalled, and I had to glide. Please keep away from the machine. You might damage it. "

The arrival of several policemen, who were attracted by the crowd, served to keep the curious ones back away from the BUTTERFLY, or themen, boys and women (for there were a number of the latter in thethrong) might have caused serious trouble. 

Tom made a hasty examination of the motor, and, having satisfiedhimself that only a minor difficulty had caused it to stop, hedecided to put the monoplane in some safe place, and proceed to Mr. Fenwick's house. 

The lad was just asking one of the officers if the air craft couldnot be put in one of the grandstands which surrounded the field, when a voice on the outskirts of the crowd excitedly exclaimed:

"Let me pass, please. I want to see that airship. I'm building onemyself, and I need all the experience I can get. Let me in, please. "

A man pushed his way into the crowd, and wormed his way to where Tomand Mr. Damon stood. At the sight of him, the eccentric individualcried out:

"Why bless my pocket-knife! If it isn't Mr. Fenwick!"

"Mr. Fenwick?" gasped Tom. 

"Yes. The inventor we came to see!"

At the same moment the newcomer cried out:

"Wakefield Damon!"

"That's who I am, " answered Tom's friend, "and let me introduce youto Mr. Swift, the inventor of more machines than I can count. He andI were coming to see you, when we had a slight accident, and welanded here. But that didn't matter, for we intended to land hereanyhow, as I knew it was near your house. Only we had to vol-planeback to earth, and I can't say that I'd care for that, as a steadydiet. Bless my radiator, but I'm glad we've arrived safely. "

"Did you come all the way from your home in that?" asked Mr. Fenwickof Tom, as he shook hands with him, and nodded at the monoplane. 

"Oh, yes. It's not much of a trip. "

"Well, I hope my airship will do as well. But something seems to bewrong with it, and I have hopes that you can help me discover whatit is, I know your father, and I have heard much of your ability. That is why I requested your aid. "

"I'm afraid I've been much overrated, " spoke Tom, modestly, "butI'll do all I can for you. I must now leave my monoplane in a safeplace, however. "

"I'll attend to that, " Mr. Fenwick hastened to assure him. "Leave itto me. "

By this time a lieutenant of police, in charge of several reserveofficers, had arrived on the scene, for the crowd was now verylarge, and, as Mr. Fenwick knew this official, he requested thatTom's machine be protected from damage. It was arranged that itcould be stored in a large, empty shed, and a policeman would beleft on guard. Then, seeing that it was all right, Tom, Mr. Damonand Mr. Fenwick started for the latter's house. 

"I am very anxious to show you the WHIZZER, " said Mr. Fenwick, asthey walked along. 

"The WHIZZER?" repeated Tom, wonderingly. 

"Yes, that's what I call my electric airship. It hasn't 'whizzed'any to speak of yet, but I have hopes that it will, now that you arehere to help me. We will take one of these taxicabs, and soon be atmy house. I was out for a stroll, when I saw your monoplane comingdown, and I hastened to Franklin Field to see it. "

The three entered an automobile, and were soon being driven to theinventor's home. A little later he led them out to a big shed whichoccupied nearly all of a large lot, in back of Mr. Fenwick's house. 

"Does it take up all that room?" asked Tom. 

"Oh, yes, the WHIZZER is pretty good size. There she is!" cried Mr. Fenwick proudly, as he threw open the doors of the shed, and Tom andMr. Damon, locking in, saw a large triplane, with a good-sized gasbag hovering over it, and a strange collection of rudders, wings andplanes sticking out from either side. Amidships was an enclosed car, or cabin, and a glimpse into it served to disclose to the younginventor a mass of machinery. 

"There she is! That's the WHIZZER!" cried Mr. Fenwick, with pride inhis voice. "What do you think of her, Tom Swift?"

Tom did not immediately answer. He looked dubiously at the electricairship and shrugged his shoulders. It seemed to him, at firstglance, that, it would never sail. 

CHAPTER VII

MAKING SOME CHANGES

"Well, what do you think of it?" asked Mr. Fenwick again, as Tomwalked all about the electric airship, still without speaking. 

"It's big, certainly, " remarked the lad. 

"Bless my shoe horn! I should say it was!" burst out Mr. Damon. "It's larger than your RED CLOUD, Tom. "

"But will it go? That's what I want to know, " insisted the inventor. "Do you think it will fly, Tom? I haven't dared to try it yet, though a small model which I made floated in the air for some time. But it wouldn't move, except as the wind blew it. "

"It would be hard to say, without a careful examination, whetherthis large one will fly or not, " answered Tom. 

"Then give it a careful examination, " suggested Mr. Fenwick. "I'llpay you well for your time and trouble. "

"Oh if I can help a fellow inventor, and assist in making a newmodel of airship fly, I'm only too glad to do it without pay, "retorted Tom, quickly. "I didn't come here for that. Suppose we goin the cabin, and look at the motor. That's the most importantpoint, if your airship is to navigate. "

There was certainly plenty of machinery in the cabin of the WHIZZER. Most of it was electrical, for on that power Mr. Fenwick intended todepend to sail through space. There was a new type of gasoleneengine, small but very powerful, and this served to operate adynamo. In turn, the dynamo operated an electrical motor, as Mr. Fenwick had an idea that better, and more uniform, power could beobtained in this way, than from a gasolene motor direct. Oneadvantage which Tom noticed at once, was that the WHIZZER had alarge electric storage battery. 

This was intended to operate the electric motor in case of a breakto the main machinery, and it seemed a good idea. There were variousother apparatuses, machines, and appliances, the nature of which Tomcould not readily gather from a mere casual view. 

"Well, what's your opinion, now that you have seen the motor?" askedMr. Fenwick, anxiously. 

"I'd have to see it in operation, " said Tom. 

"And you shall, right after dinner, " declared the inventor. "I'dlike to start it now, and hear what you have to say, but I'm not soselfish as that. I know you must be hungry after your trip fromShopton, as they say aeroplaning gives one an appetite. "

"I don't know whether it's that or not, " answered Tom with a laugh, "but I am certainly hungry. "

"Then we'll postpone the trial until after dinner. It must be readyby this time, I think, " said Mr. Fenwick, as he led the way back tothe house. It was magnificently furnished, for the inventor was aman of wealth, and only took up aeroplaning as a "fad. " An excellentdinner was served, and then the three returned once more to the shedwhere the WHIZZER was kept. 

"Shall I start the motor in here?" asked Mr. Fenwick, when he hadsummoned several of the machinists whom he employed, to aid himselfand the young inventor. 

"It would be better if we could take it outside, " suggested Tom, "yet a crowd is sure to gather, and I don't like to work in a mob ofpeople. "

"Oh, we can easily get around that, " said Mr. Fenwick. "I have twoopenings to my aeroplane shed. We can take the WHIZZER out of therear door, into a field enclosed by a high fence. That is where Imade all my trials, and the crowd couldn't get in, though some boysdid find knot-holes and use them. But I don't mind that. The onlything that bothers me is that I can't make the WHIZZER go up, and ifit won't go up, it certainly won't sail. That's my difficulty, and Ihope you can remedy it, Tom Swift. "

"I'll do the best I can. But let's get the airship outside. "

This was soon accomplished, and in the open lot Tom made a thoroughand careful examination of the mechanism. The motor was started, andthe propellers, for there were two, whirled around at rapid speed. 

Tom made some tests and calculations, at which he was an expert, andapplied the brake test, to see how much horse power the motor woulddeliver. 

"I think there is one trouble that we will have to get over, " hefinally said to Mr. Fenwick. 

"What is that?"

"The motor is not quite powerful enough because of the way in whichyou have it geared up. I think by changing some of the cogs, andgetting rid of the off-set shaft, also by increasing the number ofrevolutions, and perhaps by using a new style of carburetor, we canget more speed and power. "

"Then we'll do it!" cried Mr. Fenwick, with enthusiasm. "I knew Ihadn't got everything just right. Do you think it will work afterthat?"

"Well, " remarked Tom, hesitatingly, "I think the arrangement of theplanes will also have to be changed. It will take quite some work, but perhaps, after a bit, we can get the WHIZZER up in the air. "

"Can you begin work at once?" asked the inventor, eagerly. 

Tom shook his head. 

"I can't stay long enough on this trip, " he said. "I promised fatherI would be back by to-morrow at the latest, but I will come overhere again, and arrange to stay until I have done all I can. I needto get some of my special tools, and then, too, you will requiresome other supplies, of which I will give you a list. I hope youdon't mind me speaking in this way, Mr. Fenwick, as though I knewmore about it than you do, " added Tom, modestly. 

"Not a bit of it!" cried the inventor heartily. "I want the benefitof your advice and experience, and I'll do just as you say. I hopeyou can come back soon. "

"I'll return the first of the week, " promised Tom, "and then we'llsee what can be done. Now I'll go over the whole ship once more, andsee what I need. I also want to test the lifting capacity of yourgas bag. "

The rest of the day was a busy one for our hero. With the aid of Mr. Damon and the owner of the WHIZZER, he went over every pointcarefully. Then, as it was too late to attempt the return flight toShopton, he telegraphed his father, and he and Mr. Damon remainedover night with Mr. Fenwick. 

In the morning, having written out a list of the things that wouldbe needed, Tom went out to Franklin Field, and repaired his ownmonoplane. It was found that one of the electric wires connectedwith the motor had broken, thus cutting off the spark. It was soonrepaired, and, in the presence of a large crowd, Tom and Mr. Damonstarted on their return flight. 

"Do you think you can make the WHIZZER work, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon, as they were flying high over Philadelphia. 

"I'm a little dubious about it, " was the reply. "But after I make somechanges I may have a different opinion. The whole affair is too bigand clumsy, that's the trouble; though the electrical part of it isvery good. "

Shopton was reached without incident, in about three hours, andthere was no necessity, this time, of vol-planing back to earth. After a short rest, Tom began getting together a number of specialtools and appliances, which he proposed taking back to Philadelphiawith him. 

The young inventor made another trip to Mr. Fenwick's house thefirst of the following week. He went by train this time, as he hadto ship his tools, and Mr. Damon did not accompany him. Then, withthe assistance of the inventor of the WHIZZER, and several of hismechanics, Tom began making the changes on the airship. 

"Do you think you can make it fly?" asked Mr. Fenwick, anxiously, after several days of labor. 

"I hope so, " replied our hero, and there was more confidence in histone than there had been before. As the work progressed, he began tobe more hopeful. "I'll make a trial flight, anyhow, in a few days, "he added. 

"Then I must send word to Mr. Damon, " decided Mr. Fenwick. "He wantsto be on hand to see it, and, if possible, go up; so he told me. "

"All right, " assented Tom. "I only hope it does go up, " heconcluded, in a low tone. 

CHAPTER VIII

ANDY FOGER'S REVENGE

During the following week, Tom was kept busy over the airship. Hemade many important changes, and one of these was to use a new kindof gas in the balloon bag. He wanted a gas with a greater liftingpower than that of the ordinary illuminating vapor which Mr. Fenwickhad used. 

"Well, " remarked Tom, as he came from the airship shed oneafternoon, "I think we can give it a try-out, Mr. Fenwick, in a fewdays more. I shall have to go back to Shopton to get some articles Ineed, and when I come back I will bring Mr. Damon with me, and wewill see what the WHIZZER can do. "

"Do you mean we will make a trial flight?"

"Yes. "

"For how long a distance?"

"It all depends on how she behaves, " answered Tom, with a smile. "Ifpossible, we'll make a long flight. "

"Then I'll tell you what I'm going to do, " went on the inventor, "I'm going to put aboard a stock of provisions, and some othersupplies and stores, in case we are two or three days in the air. "

"It might not be a bad plan, " agreed Tom, "though I hardly think wewill be gone as long as that. "

"Well, being out in the air always makes me hungry, " proceeded Mr. Fenwick, "so I'm going to take plenty of food along. "

The time was to come, and that very soon, when this decision of theinventor of the WHIZZER stood the adventurers in good stead. 

Tom returned to Shopton the next day, and sent word to have Mr. Damon join him in time to go back to the Quaker City two days later. 

"But why don't you start right back to Philadelphia to-morrow, "asked Mr. Swift of his son. 

"Because, " answered Tom, and that was all the reason he would give, though had any one seen him reading a certain note a few minutesbefore that, which note was awaiting him on his arrival from theQuaker City, they would not have wondered at his decision. 

The note was brief. It merely said:

"Won't you come, and have some apple turnovers? The new cook is atreasure, and the girls are anxious to meet you. "

It was signed: Mary Nestor. 

"I think I could enjoy some apple turnovers, " remarked Tom, with asmile. 

Having gotten ready the few special appliances he wished to takeback to Philadelphia with him, Tom went, that evening, to call onMiss Nestor. True to her promise, the girl had a big plate full ofapple turnovers, which she gaily offered our hero on his arrival, and, on his laughing declination to partake of so many, she usheredhim into a room full of pretty girls, saying:

"They'll help you eat them, Tom. Girls, here is Mr. Swift, whodoesn't mind going up in the air or under the ocean, or evencatching runaway horses, " by which last she referred to the time Tomsaved her life, and first made her acquaintance. 

As for the young inventor, he gave a gasp, almost as if he hadplunged into a bath of icy water, at the sight of so many prettyfaces staring at him. He said afterward that he would rather havevol-planed back to earth from a seven-mile height, than again facesuch a battery of sparkling eyes. 

But our hero soon recovered himself, and entered into the merrimentof the evening, and, before he knew it he was telling Miss Nestorand her attractive guests something of his exploits. 

"But I'm talking altogether too much about myself. " he said, finally. "How is the new cook Miss Nestor; and have you heard fromyour father and mother since they sailed on the RESOLUTE for theWest Indies?"

"As to the new cook, she is a jewel of the first water, " answeredMiss Nestor. "We all like her, and she is anxious for another ridein a taxicab, as she calls your auto. "

"She shall have it, " declared Tom, "for those are the best appleturnovers I ever ate. "

"I'll tell her so, " declared Mary. "She'll appreciate it coming froman inventor of your ability. "

"Have you heard from your parents?" asked Tom, anxious to change thesubject. 

"Oh, yes. I had a wire to-day. They stopped at St. Augustine to letme know they were having a glorious time aboard the yacht. Mr. Hosbrook, the owner, is an ideal host, mamma said. They areproceeding directly to the West Indies, now. I do hope they willarrive safely. They say there are bad storms down there at this timeof year. "

"Perhaps, if they are shipwrecked, Mr. Swift will go to their rescuein one of his airships, or a submarine, " suggested Mabel Jackson, one of the several pretty girls. 

"Oh, I hope he doesn't have to!" exclaimed Mary. "Don't speak ofshipwrecks! It makes me shudder, " and she seemed unduly alarmed. 

"Of course they won't have any trouble, " asserted Tom, confidently, more to reassure Miss Nestor, than from any knowledge he possessed;"but if they do get cast away on a desert island, I'll certainly goto their rescue, " he added. 

It was late when Tom started for home that night, for the society ofMiss Nestor and her friends made the time pass quickly. He promisedto call again, and try some more samples of the new cook's culinaryart, as soon as he had gotten Mr. Fenwick's airship in shape forflying. 

As, later that night, the young inventor came in sight of his home, and the various buildings and shops surrounding it, his first glancewas toward the shed which contained his monoplane, BUTTERFLY. Thatlittle craft was Tom's pet. It had not cost him anything like asmuch as had his other inventions, either in time or money, but hecared more for it than for his big airship, RED CLOUD. This wasprincipally because the BUTTERFLY was so light and airy, and couldbe gotten ready so quickly for a flight across country. It wascapable of long endurance, too, for an extra large supply ofgasolene and oil was carried aboard. 

So it was with rather a start of surprise that Tom saw a light inthe structure where the BUTTERFLY was housed. 

"I wonder if dad or Mr. Jackson can be out there?" he mused. "Yet, Idon't see why they should be. They wouldn't be going for a flight atnight. Or perhaps Mr. Damon arrived, and is out looking it over. "

A moment's reflection, however, told Tom that this last surmisecould not be true, since the eccentric man had telegraphed, sayinghe would not arrive until the next day. 

"Somebody's out there, however, " went on Tom, "and I'm going to seewho it is. I hope it isn't Eradicate monkeying with the monoplane. He's very curious, and he might get it out of order. "

Tom increased his pace, and moved swiftly but softly toward theshed. If there was an intruder inside he wanted to surprise him. There were large windows to the place, and they would give a goodview of the interior. As Tom approached, the light within flickered, and moved to and fro. 

Tom reached one of the casements, and peered in. He caught a glimpseof a moving figure, and he heard a peculiar ripping sound. Then, ashe sprang toward the front door, the light suddenly went out, andthe young inventor could hear some one running from the shop. 

"They've seen me, and are trying to get away, " thought the lad. "Imust catch them!"

He fairly leaped toward the portal, and, just as he reached it, afigure sprang out. So close was Tom that the unknown collided withhim, and our hero went over on his back. The other person was tossedback by the force of the impact, but quickly recovered himself, anddashed away. 

Not before, however, Tom had had a chance to glance at his face, and, to the chagrin of the young inventor, he recognized, by the dimlight of a crescent moon, the countenance of Andy Foger! Ifadditional evidence was needed Tom fully recognized the form as thatof the town bully. 

"Hold on there, Andy Foger!" shouted the young inventor. "What areyou doing in my shed? What right have you in there? What did youdo?"

Back came the answer through the night:

"I told you I'd get square with you, and I've done it, " and thenAndy's footsteps died away, while a mocking laugh floated back toTom. What was Andy's revenge?

CHAPTER IX

THE WHIZZER FLIES

For a moment, Tom gazed after the fleeting figure of the cowardlybully. He was half-minded to give pursuit, and then, realizing thathe could find Andy later if he wanted him, the young inventordecided his best plan would be to see what damage had been done. Forthat damage would follow Andy's secret visit to the shop, Tom wascertain. 

Nor was his surmise wrong. Stepping into the building, the ladswitched on the lights, and he could not repress an exclamation ofchagrin as he looked toward his trim little monoplane, theBUTTERFLY. 

Now it was a BUTTERFLY with broken wings, for Andy had slashed thecanvas of the planes in a score of places. 

"The scoundrel!" growled Tom. "I'll make him suffer for this! He'sall but ruined my aeroplane. "

Tom walked around his pet machine. As he came in front, and saw thepropeller, he gave another exclamation. The fine wooden blades ofseveral layers, gracefully curved, which had cost him so much intime and labor to build up, and then fashion to the right shape, hadbeen hacked, and cut with an axe. The propeller was useless!

"More of Andy's work, " murmured Tom. "This is about the worst yet!"

There came over him a feeling of great despondency, which wassucceeded by a justifiable rage. He wanted to take after the bully, and give him a merciless beating. Then a calmer mood came over Tom. 

"After all, what's the use?" he reasoned. "Whipping Andy wouldn'tmend the BUTTERFLY. She's in bad shape, but I can repair her, when Iget time. Luckily, he didn't meddle with the engine. That's allright. " A hasty examination had shown this. "I guess I won't doanything now, " went on Tom. "I'll have my hands full getting Mr. Fenwick's airship to run. After that I can come back here and fix upmy own. It's a good thing I don't have to depend on her for makingthe trip to Philadelphia. Poor BUTTERFLY! you sure are in a badway, " and Tom felt almost as if he was talking to some livingcreature, so wrapped up was he in his trim little monoplane. 

After another disheartening look at his air craft, the younginventor started to leave the shop. He looked at a door, thefastening of which Andy had broken to gain admittance. 

"I should have had the burglar alarm working, and this would neverhave happened, " reasoned Tom. All the buildings were arranged sothat if any one entered them after a certain hour, an alarm wouldring in the house. But of late, the alarm had not been set, as Tomand his father were not working on any special inventions thatneeded guarding. It was due to this oversight that Andy was able toget in undetected. 

"But it won't happen again, " declared Tom, and he at once beganconnecting the burglar-apparatus. He went into the house, and toldhis father and the engineer what had occurred. They were bothindignant, and the engineer declared that he would sleep with oneeye open all night, ready to respond to the first alarm. 

"Oh, there's no danger of Andy coming back right away, " said Tom. "He's too frightened. I wouldn't be surprised if he disappeared fora time. He'll be thinking that I'm after him. "

This proved true, as Andy had left town next morning, and to allinquiries his mother said he had gone to visit relatives. She wasnot aware of her son's meanness, and Tom did not tell her. 

Mr. Damon arrived from his home in Waterfield that day, and, withmany "blessings, " wanted to know if Tom was ready for the trial ofthe electrical airship. 

"Yes, we'll leave for Philadelphia to-morrow, " was the answer. 

"Are we going in the BUTTERFLY? Bless my watch chain, but I likethat little machine!"

"It will be some time before you again have a flight in her, " saidTom, sorrowfully, as he told of Andy's act of vandalism. 

"Why, bless my individuality!" cried Mr. Damon, indignantly. "Inever heard of such a thing! Never!"

It did little good to talk of it, however, and Tom wanted to forgetabout it. He wished he had time to repair the monoplane before heleft home, but there was much to do to get ready for the trial ofthe WHIZZER. 

"When will you be back, Tom?" asked Mr. Swift, as his son and Mr. Damon departed for the Quaker City the following morning. 

"Hard to say, dad. If I can make a long flight in the WHIZZER I'lldo so. I may even drop down here and pay you a visit. But if I findthere are many more changes to make in her construction, which ismore than likely, I can't say when I'll return. I'll keep youposted, however, by writing. "

"Can't you arrange to send me some wireless messages?" asked theolder inventor, with a smile. 

"I could, if I had thought to rig up the apparatus on Mr. Fenwick'sairship, " was the reply. "I'll hardly have time to do it now, though. "

"Send wireless messages from an aeroplane?" gasped Mr. Damon. "Blessmy gizzard! I never heard of such a thing!"

"Oh, it can be done, " Tom assured him. And this was a fact. Tom hadinstalled a wireless apparatus on his RED CLOUD recently, and it iswell known that several of the modern biplanes can send wirelessmessages. The crossing and bracing wires of the frame are used forsending wires, and in place of ground conductors there are trailerswhich hang below the aeroplane. The current is derived directly fromthe engine, and the remaining things needed are a small step-uptransformer, a key and a few other small parts. Tom had gone a stepfarther than this, and had also arranged to receive wirelessmessages, though few modern aeroplanes are thus equipped as yet. 

But, of course, there was no time now to install a wirelessapparatus on Mr. Fenwick's craft. Tom thought he would be lucky ifhe got the WHIZZER to make even a short flight. 

"Well, let me hear from you when you can, " requested Mr. Swift, andTom promised. It was some time after that, and many strange thingshappened before Tom Swift again communicated with his father, at anylength. 

The young inventor had bidden farewell to Miss Nestor the nightprevious. She stated that she had a message that day from herparents aboard the RESOLUTE, which spoke a passing steamer. Mr. AndMrs. Nestor, and the other guests of Mr. Hosbrook were well, andanticipated a fine time on reaching the West Indies. 

Tom now said good-by to his father, the housekeeper and Mr. Jackson, not forgetting, of course, Eradicate Sampson. 

"Don't let Andy Foger come sneaking around here, Rad, " cautioned theyoung inventor. 

"'Deed an' I won't!" exclaimed the colored man. "Ef he do, I'll habBoomerang kick him t' pieces, an' den I'll whitewash him so his ownfolks won't know him! Oh, don't you worry, Massa Tom. Dat Andy won'tdo no funny business when I'm around!"

Tom laughed, and started for the station with Mr. Damon. Theyarrived in Philadelphia that afternoon, the trip being very slow, ascompared with the one made by the monoplane. They found Mr. Fenwickanxiously awaiting them, and Tom at once started work on theairship. 

He kept at it until late that night, and resumed early the nextmorning. Many more changes and adjustments were made, and thatafternoon, the young inventor said:

"I think we'll give it a try-out, Mr. Fenwick. "

"Do you mean make a flight?"

"Yes, if she'll take it; but only a short one. I want to get her upin the air, and see how she behaves. "

"Well, if you find out, after you're up, that she does well, you maywant to take a long flight, " suggested Mr. Fenwick. "If you do, whyI have everything aboard necessary for a long voyage. The WHIZZER iswell stocked with provisions. "

An hour later, the big electric machine was wheeled out into theyard, for, in spite of her size, four men could easily move thecraft about, so well was she balanced. Aside from a few personalfriends of the inventor, himself, his machinists, Tom and Mr. Damon, no one was present at the try-out. 

Tom, Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick climbed into the car which wassuspended below the gas bag, and between the wing-like planes oneither side. The young inventor had decided to make the WHIZZER riseby scudding her across the ground on the bicycle wheels, with whichshe was equipped, and then by using the tilting planes to endeavorto lift her off the earth. He wanted to see if she would go up thatway, without the use of the gas bag. 

All was in readiness. The motor was started and the machinery beganto hum and throb. The propellers gained speed with every revolution. The airship had been made fast by a rope, to which was attached astrong spring balance, as it was desired to see how much pull theengine would give. 

"Eight hundred pounds, " announced one of the machinists. 

"A thousand would be better, but we'll try it, " Murmured Tom. "Castoff!"

The rope was loosened, and, increasing the speed of the engine, Tomsignalled to the men to give a little momentum to the craft. Shebegan running over the smooth ground. There was a cheer from the fewspectators. Certainly the WHIZZER made good time on the earth. 

Tom was anxiously watching the gages and other instruments. Hewanted a little more speed, but could not seem to get it. He ran themotor to the utmost, and then, seeing the necessity of making anattempt to get up into the air, before the end of the speedingground was reached, he pulled the elevating plane lever. 

The front of the WHIZZER rose, and then settled down. Tom quicklyshut off the power, and jammed on the brake, an arrangement ofspikes that dug into the earth, for the high board fence loomed upbefore him. 

"What's the matter?" cried Mr. Fenwick, anxiously. 

"Couldn't get up speed enough, " answered the young inventor. "Wemust have more momentum to make her rise. "

"Can it be gotten?"

"I think so. I'll gear the motor higher. "

It took an hour to do this. Once more the scale test was applied. Itregistered a pull of fifteen hundred pounds now. 

"We'll go up, " said Tom, grimly. 

Once more the motors spit out fire, and the propellers whirled sothat they looked like mere circles of light. Once more the WHIZZERshot over the ground, but this time, as she neared the fence, sherose up like a bird, cleared it like a trick horse, and soared offinto the air!

The WHIZZER was flying!

CHAPTER X

OVER THE OCEAN

"Hurrah!" cried Mr. Fenwick in delight. "My machine is really flyingat last!"

"Yes, " answered Tom, as he adjusted various levers and gears, "sheis going. It's not as high as I'd like, but it is doing very well, considering the weight of the craft, and the fact that we have notused the gas bag. I'm going to let that fill now, and we'll go up. Don't you want to steer, Mr. Fenwick?"

"No, you manage it, Tom, until it's in good running shape. I don'twant to 'hoodoo' it. I worked as hard as I could, and never got morethan two feet off the ground. Now I'm really sailing. It's great!"

He was very enthusiastic, and Tom himself was not a little pleasedat his own success, for certainly the airship had looked to be avery dubious proposition at first. 

"Bless my gaiters! But we are doing pretty well, " remarked Mr. Damon, looking down on the field where Mr. Fenwick's friends and themachinists were gathered, cheering and waving their hands. 

"We'll do better, " declared Tom. 

He had already set the gas machine in operation, and was now lookingover the electric apparatus, to see that it was working well. Itneeded some adjustments, which he made. 

All this while the WHIZZER was moving about in a big circle, for therudder had been automatically set to so swing the craft. It wasabout two hundred feet high, but soon after the gas began to enterthe bag it rose until it was nearly five thousand feet high. Thissatisfied Tom that the airship could do better than he expected, andhe decided to return nearer earth. 

In going down, he put the craft through a number of evolutionsdesigned to test her ability to answer the rudders promptly. The ladsaw opportunity for making a number of changes, and suggested themto Mr. Fenwick. 

"Are you going any farther?" asked the owner of the WHIZZER, as hesaw that his craft was slowly settling. 

"No, I think we've done enough for the first day, " said Tom, "ButI'd like you to handle her now, Mr. Fenwick. You can make thelanding, while I watch the motor and other machines. "

"Yes. I guess I can make a landing all right, " assented theinventor. "I'm better at coming down than going up. "

He did make a good descent, and received the congratulation of hisfriends as he stepped from the airship. Tom was also given muchpraise for his success in making the craft go at all, for Mr. Fenwick and his acquaintances had about given up hope that she everwould rise. 

"Well, what do you think of her?" Mr. Fenwick wanted to know of theyoung inventor, who replied that, as soon as some further changeshad been made, they would attempt a long flight. 

This promise was kept two days later. They were busy days for Tom, Mr. Fenwick and the latter's assistants. Tom sent a short note tohis father telling of the proposed long flight, and intimated thathe might make a call in Shopton if all went well. He also sent awire to Miss Nestor, hinting that she might have some appleturnovers ready for him. 

But Tom never called for that particular pastry, though it wasgotten ready for him when the girl received his message. 

All was in readiness for the long flight, and a preliminary test haddemonstrated that the WHIZZER had been wonderfully improved by thechanges Tom made. The young inventor looked over the supply of foodMr. Fenwick had placed aboard, glanced at the other stores, andasked:

"How long do you expect to be gone, Mr. Fenwick?"

"Why, don't you think we can stay out a week?"

"That's quite a while, " responded Tom. "We may be glad to return intwo days, or less. But I think we're all ready to start. Are any ofyour friends going?"

"I've tried to pursuade some of them to accompany me, but they are abit timid, " said the inventor. "I guess we three will make up theparty this time, though if our trip is a successful one I'll beoverwhelmed with requests for rides, I suppose. "

As before, a little crowd gathered to see the start. The day waswarm, but there was a slight haziness which Tom did not like. Hehoped, though, that it would pass over before they had gone far. 

"Do you wish to head for any particular spot, Mr. Fenwick?" askedTom, as they were entering the cabin. 

"Yes, I would like to go down and circle Cape May, New Jersey, if wecould. I have a friend who has a summer cottage there, and he wasalways laughing at my airship. I'd just like to drop down in frontof his place now, and pay him a call. "

"We'll try it, " assented Tom, with a smile. 

An auspicious start was made, the WHIZZER taking the air after ashort flight across the ground, and then, with the lifting gasaiding in pulling the craft upward, the airship started to sail highover the city of Philadelphia. 

So swiftly did it rise that the cheers of the little crowd of Mr. Fenwick's friends were scarcely heard. Up and up it went, and then alittle later, to the astonishment of the crowds in the streets, Tomput the airship twice in a circle around the statue of William Penn, on the top of the City Hall. 

"Now you steer, " the lad invited Mr. Fenwick. "Take her straightacross the Delaware River, and over Camden, New Jersey, and thenhead south, for Cape May. We ought to make it in an hour, for we aregetting up good speed. "

Leaving the owner in charge of his craft, to that gentleman's nosmall delight, Tom and Mr. Damon began an inspection of theelectrical and other machinery. There was much that neededattention, but Tom soon had the automatic apparatus in workingorder, and then less attention need be given to it. 

Several times the young investor looked out of the windows withwhich the cabin was fitted. Mr. Damon noticed this. 

"Bless my shoe laces, Tom, " he said. "What's the matter?"

"I don't like the looks of the weather, " was the answer. "I thinkwe're in for a storm. "

"Then let's put back. "

"No, it would be too bad to disappoint Mr. Fenwick, now that we havemade such a good start. He wants to make a long flight, and I can'tblame him, " spoke Tom, in a low voice. 

"But if there's danger--"

"Oh, well, we can soon be at Cape May, and start back. The wind isfreshening rather suddenly, though, " and Tom looked at theanemometer, which showed a speed of twenty miles an hour. However, it was in their favor, aiding them to make faster time. 

The speed of the WHIZZER was now about forty miles an hour, not fastfor an air craft, but sufficiently speedy in trying out a newmachine. Tom looked at the barograph, and noted that they hadattained an altitude of seven thousand five hundred feet. 

"That's better than millionaire Daxtel's distance of seven thousandone hundred and five feet, " remarked the lad, with a smile, "and itbreaks Jackson's climb of seven thousand three hundred and threefeet, which is pretty good for your machine, Mr. Fenwick. "

"Do you really think so?" asked the pleased inventor. 

"Yes. And we'll do better than that in time, but it's best to goslow at first, until we see how she is standing the strain. This ishigh and fast enough for the present. "

They kept on, and as Tom saw that the machinery was working well, helet it out a little, The WHIZZER at once leaped forward, and, alittle later they came within sight of Cape May, the Jersey coastresort. 

"Now to drop down and visit my friend, " said Mr. Fenwick, with asmile. "Won't he be surprised!"

"I don't think we'd better do it, " said Tom. 

"Why not?"

"Well, the wind is getting stronger every minute and it will beagainst us on the way back. If we descend, and try to make anotherascension we may fail. We're up in the air now, and it may be easyto turn around and go back. Then, again, it may not, but itcertainly will be easier to shift around up here than down on theground. So I'd rather not descend--that is, not entirely to theground. "

"Well, just as you say, though I wanted my friend to know I couldbuild a successful airship. "

"Oh, we can get around that. I'll take her down as low as is safe, and fly over his house, if you'll point it out, and you can drop hima message in one of the pasteboard tubes we carry for that purpose. "

"That's a good idea, " assented Mr. Fenwick. "I'll do it. "

Tom sent the WHIZZER down until the hotels and cottages could bemade out quite plainly. After looking with a pair of opera glasses, Mr. Fenwick picked out the residence of his friend, and Tom preparedto circle about the roof. 

By this time the presence of the airship had become known tohundreds, and crowds were eagerly watching it. 

"There he is! There's my friend who didn't believe I would eversucceed!" exclaimed Mr. Fenwick, pointing to a man who stood in thestreet in front of a large, white house. "I'll drop him a message!"

One was in readiness in a weighted pasteboard cylinder, and soon itwas falling downward. The airship was moving slowly, as it wasbeating against the wind. 

Leaning out of the cabin window, Mr. Fenwick shouted to his friend:

"Hey, Will! I thought you said my airship would never go! I'll comeand give you a ride, some day!"

Whether the gentleman understood what Mr. Fenwick shouted at him isdoubtful, but he saw the inventor waving his hand, and he saw thefalling cylinder, and a look of astonishment spread over his face, as he ran to pick up the message. 

"We're going up now, and will try to head for home, " said Tom, amoment later, as he shifted the rudder. 

"Bless my storage battery!" cried Mr. Damon. "But we have had a finetrip. "

"A much better one than we'll have going back, " observed Tom, in alow voice. 

"Why; what's the matter?" asked the eccentric man. 

"The wind has increased to a gale, and will be dead against us, "answered Tom. 

Mr. Fenwick was busy writing another message to drop, and he paidlittle attention to the young inventor. Tom sent the craft well upinto the air, and then tried to turn it about, and head back forPhiladelphia. No sooner had he done so than the airship was met bythe full force of the wind, which was now almost a hurricane. It hadsteadily increased, but, as long as they were moving with it, theydid not notice it so much. Once they attempted to stem its fury theyfound themselves almost helpless. 

Tom quickly realized this, and, giving up his intention of beatingup against the wind, he turned the craft around, and let it flybefore the gale, the propellers aiding to get up a speed of seventymiles an hour. 

Mr. Fenwick, who had dropped the last of his messages, came from hissmall private cabin, to where Mr. Damon and Tom were in a low-voicedconversation near the engines. The owner of the WHIZZER, happened tolook down through a plate-glass window in the floor of car. What hesaw caused him to give a gasp of astonishment. 

"Why--why!" he exclaimed. "We--we're over the ocean. "

"Yes, " answered Tom, quietly, as he gazed down on the tumblingbillows below them. They had quickly passed over Cape May, acrossthe sandy beach, and were now well out over the Atlantic. 

"Why--why are we out here?" asked Mr. Fenwick. "Isn't it dangerous--inan airship that hasn't been thoroughly tried yet?"

"Dangerous? Yes, somewhat, " replied Tom, slowly. "But we can't helpourselves, Mr. Fenwick. We can't turn around and go back in thisgale, and we can't descend. "

"Then what's to be done?"

"Nothing, except to keep on until the gale blows itself out. "

"And how long will that be?"

"I don't know--a week, maybe. "

"Bless my coffee pot, I'm glad we've got plenty on board to eat!"exclaimed Mr. Damon. 

CHAPTER XI

A NIGHT OF TERROR

After the first shock of Tom's announcement, the two men, who weretraveling with him in the airship, showed no signs of fear. Yet itwas alarming to know that one was speeding over the mighty ocean, before a terrific gale, with nothing more substantial under one thata comparatively frail airship. 

Still Mr. Damon knew Tom of old, and had confidence in his ability, and, while Mr. Fenwick was not so well acquainted with our hero, hehad heard much about him, and put faith in his skill to carry themout of their present difficulty. 

"Are you sure you can't turn around and go back?" asked Mr. Fenwick. His knowledge of air-currents was rather limited. 

"It is out of the question, " replied Tom, simply. "We would surelyrip this craft to pieces if we attempted to buffet this storm. "

"Is it so bad, then?" asked Mr. Damon, forgetting to bless anythingin the tense excitement of the moment. 

"It might be worse, " was the reply of the young inventor. "The windis blowing about eighty miles an hour at times, and to try to turnnow would mean that we would tear the planes loose from the ship. True, we could still keep up by means of the gas bag, but even thatmight be injured. Going as we are, in the same direction as that inwhich the wind is blowing, we do not feel the full effect of it. "

"But, perhaps, if we went lower down, or higher up, we could get ina different current of air, " suggested Mr. Fenwick, who had madesome study of aeronautics. 

"I'll try, " assented Tom, simply. He shifted the elevating rudder, and the WHIZZER began to go up, slowly, for there was great lateralpressure on her large surface. But Tom knew his business, and urgedthe craft steadily. The powerful electric engines, which were theinvention of Mr. Fenwick, stood them in good stead, and thebarograph soon showed that they were steadily mounting. 

"Is the wind pressure any less?" inquired Mr. Damon, anxiously. 

"On the contrary, it seems to be increasing, " replied Tom, with aglance at the anemometer. "It's nearly ninety miles an hour now. "

"Then, aided by the propellers, we must be making over a hundredmiles an hour. " said the inventor. 

"We are, --a hundred and thirty, " assented Tom. 

"We'll be blown across the ocean at this rate, " exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my soul! I didn't count on that. "

"Perhaps we had better go down, " suggested Mr. Fenwick. "I don'tbelieve we can get above the gale. "

"I'm afraid not, " came from Tom. "It may be a bit better downbelow. "

Accordingly, the rudder was changed, and the WHIZZER pointed hernose downward. None of the lifting gas was let out, as it wasdesired to save that for emergencies. 

Down, down, down, went the great airship, until the adventurerswithin, by gazing through the plate glass window in the floor of thecabin, could see the heaving, white-capped billows, tossing andtumbling below them. 

"Look out, or we'll be into them!" shouted Mr. Damon. 

"I guess we may as well go back to the level where we were, "declared Tom. "The wind, both above and below that particular stratais stronger, and we will be safer up above. Our only chance is toscud before it, until it has blown itself out. And I hope it will besoon. "

"Why?" asked Mr. Damon, in a low voice. 

"Because we may be blown so far that we can not get back while ourpower holds out, and then--" Tom did not finish, but Mr. Damon knewwhat he meant--death in the tossing ocean, far from land, when theWHIZZER, unable to float in the air any longer, should drop into thestorm-enraged Atlantic. 

They were again on a level, where the gale blew less furiously thaneither above or below, but this was not much relief. It seemed as ifthe airship would go to pieces, so much was it swayed and tossedabout. But Mr. Fenwick, if he had done nothing else, had made astaunch craft, which stood the travelers in good stead. 

All the rest of that day they swept on, at about the same speed. There was nothing for them to do, save watch the machinery, occasionally replenishing the oil tanks, or making minoradjustments. 

"Well, " finally remarked Mr. Damon, when the afternoon was waningaway, "if there's nothing else to do, suppose we eat. Bless myappetite, but I'm hungry! and I believe you said, Mr. Fenwick, thatyou had plenty of food aboard. "

"So we have, but the excitement of being blown out to sea on ourfirst real trip, made me forget all about it. I'll get dinner atonce, if you can put up with an amateur's cooking. "

"And I'll help, " offered Mr. Damon. "Tom can attend to the airship, and we'll serve the meals. It will take our minds off our troubles. "

There was a well equipped kitchen aboard the WHIZZER and soon savoryodors were coming from it. In spite of the terror of theirsituation, and it was not to be denied that they were in peril, theyall made a good meal, though it was difficult to drink coffee andother liquids, owing to the sudden lurches which the airship gavefrom time to time as the gale tossed her to and fro. 

Night came, and, as the blackness settled down, the gale seemed toincrease in fury. It howled through the slender wire rigging of theWHIZZER, and sent the craft careening from side to side, andsometimes thrust her down into a cavern of the air, only to lift herhigh again, almost like a ship on the heaving ocean below them. 

As darkness settled in blacker and blacker, Tom had a glimpse belowhim, of tossing lights on the water. 

"We just passed over some vessel, " he announced. "I hope they are inno worse plight than we are. " Then, there suddenly came to him athought of the parents of Mary Nestor, who were somewhere on theocean, in the yacht RESOLUTE bound for the West Indies. 

"I wonder if they're out in this storm, too?" mused Tom. "If theyare, unless the vessel is a staunch one, they may be in danger. "

The thought of the parents of the girl he cared so much for being inperil, was not reassuring to Tom, and he began to busy himself aboutthe machinery of the airship, to take his mind from the presentimentthat something might happen to the RESOLUTE. 

"We'll have our own troubles before morning, " the lad mused, "ifthis wind doesn't die down. "

There was no indication that this was going to be the case, for thegale increased rather than diminished. Tom looked at their speedgage. They were making a good ninety miles an hour, for it had beendecided that it was best to keep the engine and propellers going, asthey steadied the ship. 

"Ninety miles an hour, " murmured Tom. "And we've been going at thatrate for ten hours now. That's nearly a thousand miles. We are quitea distance out to sea. "

He looked at a compass, and noted that, instead of being headeddirectly across the Atlantic they were bearing in a southerlydirection. 

"At this rate, we won't come far from getting to the West Indiesourselves, " reasoned the young inventor. "But I think the gale willdie away before morning. "

The storm did not, however. More fiercely it blew through the hoursof darkness. It was a night of terror, for they dared not go tosleep, not knowing at what moment the ship might turn turtle, oreven rend apart, and plunge with them into the depths of the sea. 

So they sat up, occasionally attending to the machinery, and notingthe various gages. Mr. Damon made hot coffee, which they drank fromtime to time, and it served to refresh them. 

There came a sudden burst of fury from the storm, and the airshiprocked as if she was going over. 

"Bless my heart!" cried Mr. Damon, springing up. "That was a closecall!"

Tom said nothing. Mr. Fenwick looked pale and alarmed. 

The hours passed. They were swept ever onward, at about the samespeed, sometimes being whirled downward, and again tossed upward atthe will of the wind. The airship was well-nigh helpless, and Tom, as he realized their position, could not repress a fear in his heartas he thought of the parents of the girl he loved being tossed abouton the swirling ocean, in a frail pleasure yacht. 

CHAPTER XII

A DOWNWARD GLIDE

They sat in the cabin of the airship, staring helplessly at eachother. Occasionally Tom rose to attend to one of the machines, orMr. Fenwick did the same. Occasionally, Mr. Damon uttered a remark. Then there was silence, broken only by the howl of the gale. 

It seemed impossible for the WHIZZER to travel any faster, yet whenTom glanced at the speed gage he noted, with a feeling of surprise, akin to horror, that they were making close to one hundred and fiftymiles an hour. Only an aeroplane could have done it, and then onlywhen urged on by a terrific wind which added to the speed producedby the propellers. 

The whole craft swayed and trembled, partly from the vibration ofthe electrical machinery, and partly from the awful wind. Mr. Fenwick came close to Tom, and exclaimed:

"Do you think it would be any use to try once more to go above orbelow the path of the storm?"

Tom's first impulse was to say that it would be useless, but herecollected that the craft belonged to Fenwick, and surely thatgentleman had a right to make a suggestion. The young inventornodded. 

"We'll try to go up, " he said. "If that doesn't work, I'll see if Ican force her down. It will be hard work, though. The wind is toostiff. "

Tom shifted the levers and rudders. His eyes were on the barograph--thatdelicate instrument, the trembling hand of which registeredtheir height. Tom had tilted the deflection rudder to send them up, but as he watched the needle he saw it stationary. They were notascending, though the great airship was straining to mount to anupper current where there might be calm. 

It was useless, however, and Tom, seeing the futility of it, shiftedthe rudder to send them downward. This was more easily accomplished, but it was a change for the worse, since, the nearer to the oceanthey went, the fiercer blew the wind. 

"Back! Go back up higher!" cried Mr. Damon, "We can't!" yelled Tom. "We've got to stay here now!"

"Oh, but this is awful!" exclaimed Mr. Fenwick. "We can never standthis!"

The airship swaged more than ever, and the occupants were tossedabout in the cabin, from side to side. Indeed, it did seem thathuman beings never could come alive cut of that fearful ordeal. 

As Tom looked from one of the windows of the cabin, he noted a pale, grayish sort of light outside. At first he could not understand whatit was, then, as he observed the sickly gleams of the incandescentelectric lamps, he knew that the hour of dawn was at hand. 

"See!" he exclaimed to his companions, pointing to the window. "Morning is coming. "

"Morning!" gasped Mr. Damon. "Is the night over? Now, perhaps weshall get rid of the storm. "

"I'm afraid not, " answered Tom, as he noted the anemometer and feltthe shudderings of the WHIZZER as she careened on through the gale. "It hasn't blown out yet!"

The pale light increased. The electrics seemed to dim and fade. Tomlooked to the engines. Some of the apparatus was in need of oil, andhe supplied it. When he came back to the main cabin, where stood Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick, it was much lighter outside. 

"Less than a day since we left Philadelphia, " murmured the owner ofthe WHIZZER, as he glanced at a distance indicator, "yet we havecome nearly sixteen hundred miles. We certainly did travel topspeed. I wonder where we are?"

"Still over the ocean, " replied Mr. Damon, as he looked down at theheaving billows rolling amid crests of foam far below them. "Thoughwhat part of it would be hard to say. We'll have to reckon out ourposition when it gets calmer. "

Tom came from the engine room. His face wore a troubled look, and hesaid, addressing the older inventor:

"Mr. Fenwick, I wish you'd come and look at the gas generatingapparatus. It doesn't seem to be working properly. "

"Anything wrong?" asked Mr. Damon, suspiciously. 

"I hope not, " replied Tom, with all the confidence he could muster. "It may need adjusting. I am not so familiar with it as I am withthe one on the RED CLOUD. The gas seems to be escaping from the bag, and we may have to descend, for some distance. "

"But the aeroplanes will keep us up, " said Mr. Daman. 

"Yes--they will, " and Tom hesitated. "That is, unless somethinghappens to them. They are rather frail to stand alone the brunt ofthe gale, and I wish--"

Tom did not complete the sentence. Instead, he paused suddenly andseemed to be intently listening. 

From without there came a rending, tearing, crashing sound. Theairship quivered from end to end, and seemed to make a sudden divedownward. Then it appeared to recover, and once more glided forward. 

Tom, followed by Mr. Fenwick, made a rush for the compartment wherethe machine was installed. They had no sooner reached it than theresounded an explosion, and the airship recoiled as if it had hit astone wall. 

"Bless my shaving brush! What's that?" cried Mr. Damon. "Hasanything happened?"

"I'm rather afraid there has, " answered Tom, solemnly. "It soundedas though the gas bag went up. And I'm worried over the strength ofthe planes. We must make an investigation!"

"We're falling!" almost screamed Mr. Fenwick, as he glanced at thebarograph, the delicate needle of which was swinging to and fro, registering different altitudes. 

"Bless my feather bed! So we are!" shouted Mr. Damon. "Let's jump, and avoid being caught under the airship!"

He darted for a large window, opening from the main cabin, and wasendeavoring to raise it when Tom caught his hand. 

"What are you trying to do, " asked the lad, hoarsely. 

"Save my life! I want to get out of this as soon as I can. I'm goingto jump!"

"Don't think of it! You'd be instantly killed. We're too high for ajump, even into the ocean. "

"The ocean! Oh, is that still below us? Is there any chance of beingsaved? What can be done?" Mr. Damon hesitated. 

"We must first find out how badly we are damaged, " said Tom, quietly. "We must keep our heads, and be calm, no matter whathappens. I need your help, Mr. Damon. "

This served to recall the rather excited man to his senses. He cameback to the centre of the cabin, which was no easy task, for thefloor of it was tilted at first one angle, and then another. Hestood at Tom's side. 

"What can I do to help you?" he asked. Mr. Fenwick was darting hereand there, examining the different machines. None of them seemed tobe damaged. 

"If you will look and see what has happened to our main wing planes, I will see how much gas we have left in the bag, " suggested Tom. "Then we can decide what is best to be done. We are still quitehigh, and it will take some time to complete our fall, as, even ifeverything is gone, the material of the bag will act as a sort ofparachute. "

Mr. Damon darted to a window in the rear of the cabin, where hecould obtain a glimpse of the main wing planes. He gave a cry ofterror and astonishment. 

"Two of the planes are gone!" he reported. "They are torn and arehanging loose. "

"I feared as much, " retorted Tom, quietly, "The gale was too muchfor them. "

"What of the lifting gas?" asked Mr. Fenwick, quickly. 

"It has nearly all flowed out of the retaining bag. "

"Then we must make more at once. I will start the generatingmachine. "

He darted toward it. 

"It will be useless, " spoke Tom, quietly. 

"Why?"

"Because there is no bag left to hold it. The silk and rubberenvelope has been torn to pieces by the gale. The wind is evenstronger than it was last night. "

"Then what's to be done?" demanded Mr. Damon, with a return of hisalarmed and nervous manner. "Bless my fingernails! What's to bedone?"

For an instant Tom did not answer. It was constantly gettinglighter, though there was no sun, for it was obscured by scuddingclouds. The young inventor looked critically at the various gagesand indicators. 

"Is--is there any chance for us?" asked Mr. Fenwick, quietly. 

"I think so, " answered Tom, with a hopeful smile. "We have about twothousand feet to descend, for we have fallen nearly that distancesince the accident. "

"Two thousand feet to fall!" gasped Mr. Damon. "We can never do itand live!"

"I think so, " spoke Tom. 

"Bless my gizzard! How?" fairly exploded Mr. Damon. 

"By vol-planing down!"

"But, even if we do, we will fall into the ocean!" cried Mr. Fenwick. "We will be drowned!"

"No, " and Tom spoke more quietly than before. "We are over a largeisland. " he went on, "and I propose to let the disabled airshipvol-plane down to it. That is our only chance. "

"Over an island!" cried Mr. Damon. He looked down through the floorobservation window. Tom had spoken truly. At that moment they wereover a large island, which had suddenly loomed up in the wild anddesolate waste of the ocean. They had reached its vicinity just intime. 

Tom stepped to the steering and rudder levers, and took charge. Hewas going to attempt a most difficult feat--that of guiding adisabled airship back to earth in the midst of a hurricane, andlanding her on an unknown island. Could he do it?

There was but one answer. He must try. It was the only chance ofsaving their lives, and a slim one at best. 

Down shot the damaged WHIZZER like some giant bird with brokenwings, but Tom Swift was in charge, and it seemed as if the craftknew it, as she began that earthward glide. 

CHAPTER XIII

ON EARTHQUAKE ISLAND

Mingled feelings possessed the three adventurers within the airship. Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick had crowded to the window, as Tom spoke, to get a glimpse of the unknown island toward which they wereshooting. They could see it more plainly now, from the forwardcasement, as well as from the one in the bottom of the craft. Along, narrow, rugged piece of land it was, in the midst of theheaving ocean, for the storm still raged and lashed the waves tofoam. 

"Can you make it?" asked Mr. Damon, in a low voice. 

"I think so, " answered Tom, more cheerfully. 

"Shall I shut down the motor?" inquired the older inventor. 

"Yes, you might as well. We don't need the propellers now, and I maybe better able to make the glide without them. "

The buzzing and purring electrical apparatus was shut down. Silencereigned in the airship, but the wind still howled outside. As Tomhad hoped, the ship became a little more steady with the stopping ofthe big curved blades, though had the craft been undamaged theywould have served to keep her on an even keel. 

With skillful hand he so tilted the elevating planes that, after aswift downward glide, the head of the WHIZZER would be thrown up, soto speak, and she would sail along in a plane parallel to theisland. This had the effect of checking her momentum, just as theaviator checks the downward rush of his monoplane or biplane when heis making a landing. 

Tom repeated this maneuver several times, until a glance at hisbarograph showed that they had but a scant sixty feet to go. Therewas time but for one more upward throwing of the WHIZZER's nose, andTom held to that position as long as possible. They could now makeout the topography of the island plainly, for it was much lighter. Tom saw a stretch of sandy beach, and steered for that. 

Downward shot the airship, inert and lifeless. It was not likegliding his little BUTTERFLY to earth after a flight, but Tom hopedhe could make it. They were now within ten feet of the earth, skimming forward. Tom tried another upward tilt, but the forwardplanes would not respond. They could get no grip on the air. 

With a crash that could have been heard some distance the WHIZZERsettled to the sand. It ran along a slight distance, and then, asthe bicycle wheels collapsed under the pressure, the airship seemedto go together in a shapeless mass. 

At the first impact with the earth, Tom had leaped away from thesteering wheel and levers, for he did not want to be crushed againstthem. Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick, in pursuance of a plan adopted whenthey found that they were falling, had piled a lot of seat cushionsaround them. They had also provided some as buffers for Tom, and ourhero, at the instant of the crash, had thrown himself behind andupon them. 

It seemed as if the whole ship went to pieces. The top of the maincabin crashed down, as the side supports gave way, but, fortunately, there were strong main braces, and the roof did not fall completelyupon our friends. 

The whole bottom of the craft was forced upward and had it not beenfor the protecting cushions, there might have been serious injuriesfor all concerned. As it was they were badly bruised and shaken up. 

After the first crash, and succeeding it an instant later, therecame a second smash, followed by a slight explosion, and a shower ofsparks could be seen in the engine room. 

"That's the electrical apparatus smashing through the floor!" calledTom. "Come, let's get out of here before the gasolene sets anythingon fire. Are you all right, Mr. Damon, and you, Mr. Fenwick?"

"Yes, I guess so, " answered the inventor. "Oh, what a terriblecrash! My airship is ruined!"

"You may be glad we are alive, " said Mr. Damon. "Bless my top knot, I feel--"

He did not finish the sentence. At that moment a piece of wood, broken from the ceiling, where it had hung by a strip of canvas camecrashing down, and hit Mr. Damon on the head. 

The eccentric man toppled over on his pile of cushions, from whichhe was arising when he was struck. 

"Oh, is he killed?" gasped Mr. Fenwick. 

"I hope not!" cried Tom. "We must get him out of here, at allevents. There may be a fire. "

They both sprang to Mr. Damon's aid, and succeeded in lifting himout. There was no difficulty in emerging from the airship as therewere big, broken gaps, on all sides of what was left of the cabin. Once in the outer air Mr. Damon revived, and opened his eyes. 

"Much hurt?" asked Tom, feeling of his friend's head. 

"No--no, I--I guess not, " was the slow answer. "I was stunned for amoment. I'm all right now. Nothing broken, I guess, " and his handwent to his head. 

"No, nothing broken, " added Tom, cheerfully, "but you've got a lumpthere as big as an ostrich egg. Can you walk?"

"Oh, I'm all right. Bless my stars, what a wreck!"

Mr. Damon looked at the remains of the airship. It certainly was awreck! The bent and twisted planes were wrapped about the afterpart, the gas bag was but a shred, the frame was splintered and twisted, and the under part, where the starting wheels were placed, resembleda lot of broken bicycles. The cabin looked like a shack that hadsustained an explosion of dynamite. 

"It's a wonder we came out alive, " said Mr. Fenwick, in a low voice. 

"Indeed it is, " agreed Tom, as he came back with a tin can full ofsea water, with which to bathe Mr. Damon's head. The lad had pickedup the can from where it had rolled from the wreck, and they hadlanded right on the beach. 

"It doesn't seem to blow so hard, " observed Mr. Damon, as he wastenderly sopping his head with a handkerchief wet in the salt water. 

"No, the wind is dying out, but it happened too late to do us anygood, " remarked Tom, sorrowfully. "Though if it hadn't blown us thisfar, we might have come to grief over the ocean, and be flounderingin that, instead of on dry land. "

"That's so, " agreed Mr. Fenwick, who was carefully feeling of somebruises on his legs. "I wonder where we are, anyhow?"

"I haven't the least idea, " responded Tom. "It's an island, butwhich one, or where it is I don't know. We were blown nearly twothousand miles, I judge. "

He walked over and surveyed the wreck. Now that the excitement wasover he was beginning to be aware of numerous bruises andcontusions, His legs felt rather queer, and on rolling up histrousers he found there was a deep cut in the right shin, just belowhis knee. It was bleeding, but he bandaged it with a sparehandkerchief, and walked on. 

Peering about, he saw that nearly the whole of the machinery in theengine room, including most of the electrical apparatus, had fallenbodily through the floor, and now rested on the sand. 

"That looks to be in pretty good shape. " mused Tom, "but it's aquestion whether it will ever be any good to us. We can't rebuildthe airship here, that's certain. "

He walked about the wreck, and then returned to his friends. Mr. Damon was more like himself, and Mr. Fenwick had discovered that hehad only minor bruises. 

"Bless my coffee cup!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I declare, I feelhungry. I wonder if there's anything left to eat in the wreck?"

"Plenty, " spoke Tom, cheerfully. "I'll get it out. I can eat asandwich or too myself, and perhaps I can set up the gasolene stove, and cook something. "

As the young inventor was returning to the wreck, he was haltedhalfway by a curious trembling feeling. At first he thought it was aweakness of his legs, caused by his cut, but a moment later herealized with a curious, sickening sensation that it was the ground--theisland itself--that was shaking and trembling. 

The lad turned back. Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick were staring afterhim with fear showing on their faces. 

"What was that?" cried the inventor. 

"Bless my gizzard! Did you feel that, Tom?" cried Mr. Damon. "Thewhole place is shaking!"

Indeed, there was a stronger tremor now, and it was accompanied by alow, rumbling sound, like distant thunder. The adventurers wereswaying to and fro. 

Suddenly they were tossed to the ground by a swaying motion, and notfar off a great crack opened in the earth. The roaring, rumblingsound increased in volume. 

"An earthquake! It's an earthquake!" cried Tom. "We're in the midstof an earthquake!"

CHAPTER XIV

A NIGHT IN CAMP

The rumbling and roaring continued for perhaps two minutes, duringwhich time the castaways found it impossible to stand, for theisland was shaking under their feet with a sickening motion. Off toone side there was a great fissure in the earth, and, frightened ashe was, Tom looked to see if it was extending in their direction. 

If it was, or if a crack opened near them, they might beprecipitated into some bottomless abyss, or into the depths of thesea. But the fissure did not increase in length or breadth, and, presently the rumbling, roaring sound subsided. The island grewquiet and the airship travelers rose to their feet. 

"Bless my very existence! What happened?" cried Mr. Damon. 

"It was an earthquake; wasn't it, Tom?" asked Mr. Fenwick. 

"It sure was, " agreed the young inventor. "Rather a hard one, too. Ihope we don't have any more. "

"Do you think there is any likelihood of it?" demanded Mr. Damon. "Bless my pocketbook! If I thought so I'd leave at once. "

"Where would you go?" inquired Tom, looking out across the tumblingocean, which had hardly had a chance to subside from the gale, ereit was again set in a turmoil by the earth-tremor. 

"That's so--there isn't a place to escape to, " went on the eccentricman, with something like a groan. "We are in a bad place--do youthink there'll be more quakes, Tom?"

"It's hard to say. I don't know where we are, and this island may besomething like Japan, subject to quakes, or it may be that this oneis merely a spasmodic tremor. Perhaps the great storm which broughtus here was part of the disturbance of nature which ended up withthe earthquake. We may have no more. "

"And there may be one at any time, " added Mr. Fenwick. 

"Yes, " assented Tom. 

"Then let's get ready for it, " proposed Mr. Damon. "Let's take allthe precautions possible. "

"There aren't any to take, " declared Tom. "All we can do is to waituntil the shocks come--if any more do come, which I hope won'thappen, and then we must do the best we can. "

"Oh, dear me! Bless my fingernails!" cried Mr. Damon, wringing hishands. "This is worse than falling in an airship! There you do haveSOME chance. Here you haven't any. "

"Oh, it may not be so bad, " Tom cried to reassure him. "This mayhave been the first shock in a hundred years, and there may never beanother. "

But, as he looked around on the island, he noted evidences that itwas of volcanic origin, and his heart misgave him, for he knew thatsuch islands, created suddenly by a submarine upheaval, might justas suddenly be destroyed by an earthquake, or by sinking into theocean. It was not a pleasant thought--it was like living over amine, that might explode at any moment. But there was no help forit. 

Tom tried to assume a cheerfulness he did not feel. He realizedthat, in spite of his youth, both Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick ratherdepended on him, for Tom was a lad of no ordinary attainments, andhad a fund of scientific knowledge. He resolved to do his best toavoid making his two companions worry. 

"Let's get it off our minds, " suggested the lad, after a while. "Wewere going to get something to eat. Suppose we carry out thatprogram. My appetite wasn't spoiled by the shock. "

"I declare mine wasn't either, " said Mr. Damon, "but I can't forgetit easily. It's the first earthquake I was ever in. "

He watched Tom as the latter advanced once more toward the wreck ofthe airship, and noticed that the lad limped, for his right leg hadbeen cut when the WHIZZER had fallen to earth. 

"What's the matter, Tom; were you hurt in the quake?" asked theeccentric man. 

"No--no, " Tom hastened to assure him. "I just got a bump in thefall--that's all. It isn't anything. If you and Mr. Fenwick want toget out some food from the wrecked store room I'll see if I can haulout the gasolene stove from the airship. Perhaps we can use it tomake some coffee. "

By delving in about the wreck, Tom was able to get out the gasolenestove. It was broken, but two of the five burners were incommission, and could be used. Water, and gasolene for use in theairship, was carried in steel tanks. Some of these had been splitopen by the crash, but there was one cask of water left, and threeof gasolene, insuring plenty of the liquid fuel. As for the water, Tom hoped to be able to find a spring on the island. 

In the meanwhile, Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick had been investigatingthe contents of the storeroom. There was a large supply of food, much larger than would have been needed, even on a two weeks' tripin the air, and the inventor of the WHIZZER hardly knew why he hadput so much aboard. 

"But if we have to stay here long, it may come in handy, " observedTom, with a grim smile. 

"Why; do you think we WILL be here long?" asked Mr. Damon. 

The young inventor shrugged his shoulders. 

"There is no telling, " he said. "If a passing steamer happens to seeus, we may be taken off to-day or to-morrow. If not we may be here aweek, or--" Tom did not finish. He stood in a listening attitude. 

There was a rumbling sound, and the earth seemed again to tremble. Then there came a great splash in the water at the foot of a tall, rugged cliff about a quarter of a mile away. A great piece of theprecipice had fallen into the ocean. 

"I thought that was another earthquake coming, " said Mr. Damon, withan air of relief. 

"So did I, " admitted Mr. Fenwick. 

"It was probably loosened by the shock, and so fell into the sea, "spoke Tom. 

Their momentary fright over, the castaways proceeded to get theirbreakfast. Tom soon had water boiling on the gasolene stove, for hehad rescued a tea-kettle and a coffee pot from the wreck of thekitchen of the airship. Shortly afterward, the aroma of coffeefilled the air, and a little later there was mingled with it theappetizing odor of sizzling bacon and eggs, for Mr. Fenwick, who wasvery fond of the latter, had brought along a supply, carefullypacked in sawdust carriers, so that the shock had broken only a fewof them. 

"Well, I call this a fine breakfast, " exclaimed Mr. Damon, munchinghis bacon and eggs, and dipping into his coffee the hard pilotbiscuit, which they had instead of bread. "We're mighty lucky to beeating at all, I suppose. "

"Indeed we are, " chimed in Mr. Fenwick. 

"I'm awfully sorry the airship is wrecked, though, " spoke Tom. "Isuppose it's my fault. I should have turned back before we got overthe ocean, and while the storm was not at its height. I saw that thewind was freshening, but I never supposed it would grow to a gale sosuddenly. The poor old WHIZZER--there's not much left of her!"

"Now don't distress yourself in the least, " insisted Mr. Fenwick. "I'm proud to have built a ship that could navigate at all. I seewhere I made lots of mistakes, and as soon as I get back toPhiladelphia, I'm going to build a better one, if you'll help me, Tom Swift. "

"I certainly will, " promised the young inventor. 

"And I'll take a voyage with you!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless myteaspoon, Tom, but will you kindly pass the bacon and eggs again!"

There was a jolly laugh at the eccentric man, in which he himselfjoined, and the little party felt better. They were seated on bitsof broken boxes taken from the wreck, forming a little circle aboutthe gasolene stove, which Tom had set up on the beach. The wind hadalmost entirely died away, though the sea was still heaving in greatbillows, and masses of surf. 

They had no exact idea of the time, for all their watches hadstopped when the shock of the wreck came, but presently the sunpeeped out from the clouds, and, from knowing the time when they hadbegun to fall, they judged it was about ten o'clock, and accordinglyset their timepieces. 

"Well, " observed Tom, as he collected the dishes, which they hadalso secured from the wreck, "we must begin to think about a placeto spend the night. I think we can rig up a shelter from some of thecanvas of the wing-planes, and from what is left of the cabin. Itdoesn't need to be very heavy, for from the warmth of theatmosphere, I should say we were pretty well south. "

It was quite warm, now that the storm was over, and, as they lookedat the vegetation of the island, they saw that it was almost whollytropical. 

"I shouldn't be surprised if we were on one of the smaller of theWest Indian islands, " said Tom. "We certainly came far enough, flying a hundred miles or more an hour, to have reached them. Butthis one doesn't appear to be inhabited. "

"We haven't been all over it yet, " said Mr. Damon. "We may findcannibals on the other side. "

"Cannibals don't live in this part of the world, " Tom assured him. "No, I think this island is practically unknown. The storm broughtus here, and it might have landed us in a worse place. "

As he spoke he thought of the yacht RESOLUTE, and he wondered howher passengers, including the parents of Mary Nestor, had faredduring the terrible blow. 

"I hope they weren't wrecked, as we were, " mused Tom. 

But there was little time for idle thoughts. If they were going tobuild a shelter, they knew that they must speedily get at it. Accordingly, with a feeling of thankfulness that their lives hadbeen spared, they set to work taking apart such of the wreck ascould the more easily be got at. 

Boards, sticks, and planks were scattered about, and, with thepieces of canvas from the wing-planes, and some spare material whichwas carried on board, they soon had a fairly good shack, which wouldbe protection enough in that warm climate. 

Next they got out the food and supplies, their spare clothing andother belongings, few of which had been harmed in the fall from theclouds. These things were piled under another rude shelter whichthey constructed. 

By this time it was three o'clock, and they ate again. Then theyprepared to spend the night in their hastily made camp. Theycollected driftwood, with which to make a fire, and, after supper, which was prepared on the gasolene stove, they sat about thecheerful blaze, discussing their adventures. 

"To-morrow we will explore the island, " said Tom, as he rolledhimself up in his blankets and turned over to sleep. The othersfollowed his example, for it was decided that no watch need be kept. Thus passed several hours in comparative quiet. 

It must have been about midnight that Tom was suddenly awakened by afeeling as if someone was shaking him. He sat up quickly and calledout:

"What's the matter?"

"Eh? What's that? Bless my soul! What's going on?" shouted Mr. Damon. 

"Did you shake me?" inquired Tom. 

"I? No. What--?"

Then they realized that another earth-tremor was making the wholeisland tremble. 

Tom leaped from his blankets, followed by Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick, and rushed outside the shack. They felt the earth shaking, but itwas over in a few seconds. The shock was a slight one, nothing likeas severe as the one in the morning. But it set their nerves onedge. 

"Another earthquake!" groaned Mr. Damon. "How often are we to havethem?"

"I don't know, " answered Tom, soberly. 

They passed the remainder of the night sleeping in blankets on thewarm sands, near the fire, for they feared lest a shock might bringthe shack down about their heads. However, the night passed with nomore terrors. 

CHAPTER XV

THE OTHER CASTAWAYS

"Well, we're all alive, at any rate, " announced Tom, when the brightsun, shining into his eyes, had awakened him. He sat up, tossedaside his blankets, and stood up. The day was a fine one, and theviolence of the sea had greatly subsided during the night, theirshack had suffered not at all from the slight shock in the darkness. 

"Now for a dip in old Briney, " the lad added, as he walked down tothe surf, "I think it will make me feel better. "

"I'm with you, " added Mr. Fenwick, and Mr. Damon also joined thebathers. They came up from the waves, tingling with health, andtheir bruises and bumps, including Tom's cut leg, felt much better. 

"You did get quite a gash; didn't you, " observed Mr. Fenwick, as henoticed Tom's leg. "Better put something on it. I have antisepticdressings and bandages in the airship, if we can find them. "

"I'll look for them, after breakfast, " Tom promised, and following afairly substantial meal, considering the exigencies under which itwas prepared, he got out the medicine chest, of which part remainedin the wreck of the WHIZZER, and dressed his wound. He felt muchbetter after that. 

"Well, what's our program for to-day?" Mr. Damon wanted to know, asthey sat about, after they had washed up what few dishes they used. 

"Let's make a better house to stay in, " proposed Mr. Fenwick. "Wemay have to remain here for some time, and I'd like a moresubstantial residence. "

"I think the one we now have will do, " suggested Tom. "I was goingto propose making it even less substantial. "

"Why so?"

"Because, in the event of an earthquake, while we are sleeping init, we will not be injured. Made of light pieces of wood and canvasit can't harm us very much if it falls on us. "

"That's right, " agreed Mr. Damon. "In earthquake countries all thehouses are low, and built of light materials. "

"Ha! So I recollect now, " spoke Mr. Fenwick. "I used to read that inmy geography, but I never thought it would apply to me. But do youthink we will be subject to the quakes?"

"I'm afraid so, " was Tom's reply. "We've had two, now, within ashort time, and there is no way of telling when the next will come. We will hope there won't be any more, but--"

He did not finish his sentence, but the others knew what he meant. Thereupon they fell to work, and soon had made a shelter that, whilevery light and frail, would afford them all the protection needed inthat mild climate, and, at the same time, there would be no dangershould an earthquake collapse it, and bring it down about theirheads while they were sleeping in it. 

For they decided that they needed some shelter from the night dews, as it was exceedingly uncomfortable to rest on the sands evenwrapped in blankets, and with a driftwood fire burning nearby. 

It was noon when they had their shack rebuilt to their liking, andthey stopped for dinner. There was quite a variety of stores in theairship, enough for a much larger party than that of our threefriends, and they varied their meals as much as possible. Of courseall the stuff they had was canned, though there are some salted andsmoked meats. But canned food can be had in a variety of formsnow-a-days, so the castaways did not lack much. 

"What do you say to an exploring expedition this afternoon?" askedTom, as they sat about after dinner. "We ought to find out what kindof an island we're on. "

"I agree with you, " came from Mr. Fenwick. "Perhaps on the otherside we will stand a much better chance of speaking some passingvessel. I have been watching the horizon for some time, now, but Ihaven't seen the sign of a ship. "

"All right, then we'll explore, and see what sort of an island wehave taken possession of, " went on Tom. 

"And see if it isn't already in possession of natives--orcannibals, " suggested Mr. Damon. "Bless my frying pan! but I shouldhate to be captured by cannibals at my time of life. "

"Don't worry; there are none here, " Tom assured him again. 

They set out on their journey around the island. They agreed that itwould be best to follow the beach around, as it was easier walkingthat way, since the interior of the place consisted of rugged rocksin a sort of miniature mountain chain. 

"We will make a circuit of the place, " proposed Tom, "and then, ifwe can discover nothing, we'll go inland. The centre of the islandis quite high, and we ought to be able to see in any direction for agreat distance from the topmost peak. We may be able to signal avessel. "

"I hope so!" cried Mr. Damon. "I want to send word home that I amall right. My wife will worry when she learns that the airship, inwhich I set out, has disappeared. "

"I fancy we all would like to send word home, " added Mr. Fenwick. "My wife never wanted me to build this airship, and, now that I havesailed in it, and have been wrecked, I know she'll say 'I told youso, ' as soon as I get back to Philadelphia. "

Tom said nothing, but he thought to himself that it might be sometime before Mrs. Fenwick would have a chance to utter thosesignificant words to her husband. 

Following the beach line, they walked for several miles. The islandwas larger than they had supposed, and it soon became evident thatit would take at least a day to get all around it. 

"In which case we will need some lunch with us. " said Tom. "I thinkthe best thing we can do now is to return to camp, and get ready fora longer expedition to-morrow. "

Mr. Fenwick was of the same mind, but Mr. Damon called out:

"Let's go just beyond that cliff, and see what sort of a view is tobe had from there. Then we'll turn back. "

To oblige him they followed. They had not gone more than a hundredyards toward the cliff, than there came the preliminary rumbling androaring that they had come to associate with an earthquake. At thesame time, the ground began to shiver and shake. 

"Here comes another one!" cried Tom, reeling about. He saw Mr. Damonand Mr. Fenwick topple to the beach. The roaring increased, and therumbling was like thunder, close at hand. The island seemed to rockto its very centre. 

Suddenly the whole cliff toward which they had been walking, appeared to shake itself loose. In another instant it was flungoutward and into the sea, a great mass of rock and stone. 

The island ceased trembling, and the roaring stopped. Tom rose tohis feet, followed by his companions. He looked toward the placewhere the cliff had been. Its removal by the earthquake gave them aview of a part of the beach that had hitherto been hidden from them. 

And what Tom saw caused him to cry out in astonishment. For hebeheld, gathered around a little fire on the sand, a party of menand women. Some were standing, clinging to one another in terror. Some were prostrate on the ground. Others were running to and fro inbewilderment. 

"More castaways!" cried Tom. "More castaways, " and, he added underhis breath, "more unfortunates on earthquake island!"

CHAPTER XVI

AN ALARMING THEORY

For a few seconds, following Tom's announcement to his twocompanions, neither Mr. Damon nor Mr. Fenwick spoke. They had arisenfrom the beach, where the shock of the earthquake had thrown them, and were now staring toward the other band of castaways, who, inturn were gazing toward our three friends. There was a violentagitation in the sea, caused by the fall of the great cliff, andimmense waves rushed up on shore, but all the islanders were beyondthe reach of the rollers. 

"Is it--do I really--am I dreaming or not?" at length gasped Mr. Damon. 

"Is this a mirage, or do we really see people, Tom?" inquired Mr. Fenwick. 

"They are real enough people, " replied the lad, himself somewhatdazed by the unexpected appearance of the other castaways. 

"But how--why--how did they get here?" went on the inventor of theWHIZZER. 

"As long as they're not cannibals, we're all right, " murmured Mr. Damon. "They seem to be persons like ourselves, Tom. "

"They are, " agreed the lad, "and they appear to be in the same sortof trouble as ourselves. Let's go forward, and meet them. "

The tremor of the earthquake had now subsided, and the little bandthat was gathered about a big fire of driftwood was calmer. Thosewho had fallen, or who had thrown themselves on the sand, arose, andbegan feeling of their arms and legs to see if they had sustainedany injuries. Others advanced toward our friends. 

"Nine of them, " murmured Tom, as he counted the little band ofcastaways, "and they don't seem to have been able to save much fromthe wreck of their craft, whatever it was. " The beach all about themwas bare, save for a boat drawn up out of reach of high water. 

"Do you suppose they are a party from some disabled airship, Tom, "asked Mr. Fenwick. 

"Not from an airship, " answered the lad. "Probably from some vesselthat was wrecked in the gale. But we will soon find out who theyare. "

Tom led the way for his two friends. The fall of the cliff had madea rugged path around the base of it, over rocks, to where the otherpeople stood. Tom scrambled in and out among the boulders, in spiteof the pain it caused his wounded leg. He was anxious to know whothe other castaways were, and how they had come there. 

Several of the larger party were now advancing to meet the lad andhis friends. Tom could see two women and seven men. 

A moment later, when the lad had a good view of one of the ladiesand a gentleman, he could not repress a cry of astonishment. Then herubbed his eyes to make sure it was not some blur or defect ofvision. No, his first impression had been correct. 

"Mr. Nestor!" cried Tom, recognizing the father of his girl friend. "And Mrs. Nestor!" he added a moment later. 

"Why--of all things--look--Amos--it's--it can't be possible--andyet--why, it's Tom Swift!" cried the lady. 

"Tom--Tom Swift--here?" ejaculated the man at her side. 

"Yes--Tom Swift--the young inventor--of Shopton--don't you know--thelad who saved Mary's life in the runaway--Tom Swift!"

"Tom Swift!" murmured Mr. Nestor. "Is it possible!"

"I'm Tom Swift, all right, " answered the owner of that name, "buthow in the world did you get on this island, Mr. Nestor?"

"I might ask you the same thing, Tom. The yacht RESOLUTE, on whichwe were making a voyage to the West Indies, as guests of Mr. GeorgeHosbrook, was wrecked in the awful gale. We took to the boats andmanaged to reach this island. The yacht sunk, and we only had alittle food. We are almost starved! But how came you here?"

"Mr. Fenwick's airship was wrecked, and we dropped down here. What acoincidence! To think that I should meet you here! But if you'rehungry, it's the best thing in the world that we met you, for, though our airship was wrecked, we have a large supply of food. Comeover to our camp, and we'll give you all you want!"

Tom had rushed forward, and was shaking hands with Mary's parents, so unexpectedly met with, when Mr. Nestor called out:

"Come over here, Mr. Hosbrook. I want you to meet a friend of mine. "

A moment later, the millionaire owner of the ill-fated RESOLUTE wasshaking hands with Tom. 

"I can't understand it, " Mr. Hosbrook said. "To think of meetingother people on this desolate island--this island of earthquakes. "

"Oh, please don't speak of earthquakes!" cried Mrs. Nestor. "We arein mortal terror! There have been several since we landed in themost terrible storm day before yesterday. Isn't it awful! It is aregular earthquake island!"

"That's what I call it, " spoke Tom, grimly. 

The others of the larger party of refugees now came up. Besides Mr. And Mrs. Nestor, and Mr. Hosbrook, there was Mr. And Mrs. FloydAnderson, friends of the millionaire; Mr. Ralph Parker, who wasspoken of as a scientist, Mr. Barcoe Jenks, who seemed an odd sortof individual, always looking about suspiciously, Captain Mentor, who had been in command of the yacht, and Jake Fordam, the mate ofthe vessel. 

"And are these all who were saved?" asked Tom, as he introduced histwo friends, and told briefly of their air voyage. 

"No, " answered Mr. Hosbrook, "two other boatloads, one containingmost of the crew, and the other containing some of my guests, gotaway before our boat left. I trust they have been rescued, but wehave heard nothing about them. However, our own lives may not longbe safe, if these earthquakes continue. "

"But did I understand you to say, Mr. Swift, that you had food?" hewent on. "If you have, I will gladly pay you any price for some, especially for these two ladies, who must be faint. I have lost allmy ready cash, but if we ever reach civilization, I will--"

"Don't speak of such a thing as pay, " interrupted Mr. Fenwick. "Allthat we have we'll gladly share with you. Come over to our camp. Wehave enough for all, and we can cook on our gasolene stove. Don'tspeak of pay, I beg of you. "

"Ah--er, if Mr. Hosbrook has no money, perhaps I can offer anequivalent, " broke in the man who had been introduced as BarcoeJenks. "I have--er--some securities--" He stopped and looked aboutindefinitely, as though he did not know exactly what to say, and hewas fumbling at a belt about his waist; a belt that might containtreasure. 

"Don't speak of reimbursing us, " went on Mr. Fenwick, with rather asuspicious glance at Mr. Jenks. "You are welcome to whatever wehave. "

"Bless my topknot; certainly, yes!" joined in Mr. Damon, eagerly. 

"Well, I--er--I only spoke of it, " said Mr. Jenks, hesitatingly, andthen he turned away. Mr. Hosbrook looked sharply at him, but saidnothing. 

"Suppose we go to our camp, " proposed Tom. "We may be able to getyou up a good meal, before another earthquake comes. "

"I wonder what makes so many of them?" asked Mrs. Nestor, with anervous shiver. 

"Yes, indeed, they are terrifying! One never knows when to expectthem, " added Mrs. Anderson. 

"I have a theory about them, " said Mr. Parker, the scientist, who, up to this time had spoken but little. 

"A theory?" inquired Tom. 

"Yes. This island is one of the smaller of the West Indies group. Itis little known, and has seldom been visited, I believe. But I amsure that what causes the earthquakes is that the whole island hasbeen undermined by the sea, and it is the wash of great submarinewaves and currents which cause the tremors. "

"Undermined by the sea?" repeated Tom. 

"Yes. It is being slowly washed away. "

"Bless my soul! Washed away!" gasped Mr. Damon. 

"And, in the course of a comparatively short time, it will sink, "went on the scientist, as cheerfully as though he was a professorpropounding some problem to his class. 

"Sink!" ejaculated Mrs. Nestor. "The whole island undermined! Oh, what an alarming theory!"

"I wish I could hold to a different one, madam, " was Mr. Parker'sanswer, "but I cannot. I think the island will sink after a few moreshocks. "

"Then what good will my--" began Barcoe Jenks, but he stopped inconfusion, and again his hand went to his belt with a queer gesture. 

CHAPTER XVII

A MIGHTY SHOCK

Tom Swift turned to gaze at Mr. Barcoe Jenks. That individualcertainly had a strange manner. Perhaps it might be caused by theterror of the earthquakes, but the man seemed to be trying to holdback some secret. He was constrained and ill at ease. He saw theyoung inventor looking at him, and his hands, which had gone to hisbelt, with a spasmodic motion, dropped to his side. 

"You don't really mean to say, Parker, that you think the wholeisland is undermined, do you?" asked the owner of the RESOLUTE. 

"That's my theory. It may be a wrong one, but it is borne out by thefacts already presented to us. I greatly fear for our lives!"

"But what can we do?" cried Mrs. Nestor. 

"Nothing, " answered the scientist, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Absolutely nothing, save to wait for it to happen. "

"Don't say that!" begged Mrs. Andersen. 

"Can't you gentlemen do something--build a boat and take us away. Why, the boat we came here in--"

"Struck a rock, and stove a hole in the bottom as big as a barrel, madam, " interrupted Captain Mentor. "It would never do to put to seain that. "

"But can't something else be done?" demanded Mrs. Nestor. "Oh, it isawful to think of perishing on this terrible earthquake island. Oh, Amos! Think of it, and Mary home alone! Have you seen her lately, Mr. Swift?"

Tom told of his visit to the Nestors' home. Our hero was almost indespair, not so much for himself, as for the unfortunate women ofthe party--and one of them was Mary's mother! Yet what could he do?What chance was there of escaping from the earthquake?

"Bless my gizzard!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Don't let's stand hereworrying! If you folks are hungry come up to our camp. We haveplenty. Afterward we can discuss means of saving ourselves. "

"I want to be saved!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "I must be saved! I havea great secret--a secret--"

Once more he paused in confusion, and once more his hands nervouslysought his belt. 

"I would give a big reward to be saved, " he murmured. 

"And so, I fancy, we all would, " added Captain Mentor. "But we arenot likely to. This island is out of the track of the regular lineof vessels. "

"Where are we, anyhow?" inquired Mr. Fenwick. "What island is this?"

"It isn't down on the charts, I believe, " was the captain's reply, "but we won't be far out, if we call it Earthquake Island. That nameseems to fit it exactly. "

They had walked on, while talking, and now had gone past the brokencliff. Tom and his two friends of the airship led the way to thecamp they had made. On the way, Mr. Hosbrook related how his yachthad struggled in vain against the tempest, how she had sprung aleak, how the fires had gone out, and how, helpless in the trough ofthe sea, the gallant vessel began to founder. Then they had taken tothe boats, and had, most unexpectedly come upon the island. 

"And since we landed we have had very little to eat, " said Mrs. Nestor. "We haven't had a place to sleep, and it has been terrible. Then, too, the earthquakes! And my husband and I worried so aboutMary. Oh, Mr. Swift! Do you think there is any chance of us everseeing her again?"

"I don't know, " answered Tom, softly. "I'll do all I can to get usoff this island. Perhaps we can build a raft, and set out. If westay here there is no telling what will happen, if that scientist'stheory is correct. But there is our camp, just ahead. You will bemore comfortable, at least for a little while. "

In a short time they were at the place where Tom and the others hadbuilt the shack. The ruins of the airship were examined withinterest, and the two women took advantage of the seclusion of thelittle hut, to get some much needed rest until a meal should beready. 

One was soon in course of preparation by Tom and Mr. Damon, aided byMate Fordam, of the RESOLUTE. Fortunate it was that Mr. Fenwick hadbrought along such a supply of food, for there were now many mouthsto feed. 

That the supper (which the meal really was, for it was getting late)was much enjoyed, goes without saying. The yacht castaways hadsubsisted on what little food had been hurriedly put into the lifeboat, as they left the vessel. 

At Tom's request, while it was yet light, Captain Mentor and some ofthe men hunted for a spring of fresh water, and found one, for, withthe increase in the party, the young inventor saw the necessity formore water. The spring gave promise of supplying a sufficientquantity. 

There was plenty of material at hand for making other shacks, andthey were soon in course of construction. They were made light, aswas the one Tom and his friends first built, so that, in case ofanother shock, no one would be hurt seriously. The two ladies weregiven the larger shack, and the men divided themselves between twoothers that were hastily erected on the beach. The remainder of thefood and stores was taken from the wreck of the airship, and whendarkness began to fall, the camp was snug and comfortable, a bigfire of driftwood burning brightly. 

"Oh, if only we can sleep without being awakened by an earthquake!"exclaimed Mrs. Nestor, as she prepared to go into the shack withMrs. Anderson. "But I am almost afraid to close my eyes!"

"If it would do any good to stay up and watch, to tell you when onewas coming, I'd do so, " spoke Tom, with a laugh, "but they comewithout warning. "

However, the night did pass peacefully, and there was not the leasttremor of the island. In the morning the castaways took courage and, after breakfast, began discussing their situation more calmly. 

"It seems to me that the only solution is to build some sort of araft, or other craft and leave the island, " said Mr. Fenwick. 

"Bless my hair brush!" cried Mr. Damon. "Why can't we hoist a signalof distress, and wait for some steamer to see it and call for us? Itseems to me that would be more simple than going to sea on a raft. Idon't like the idea. "

"A signal would be all right, if this island was in the path of thesteamers, " said Captain Mentor. "But it isn't. Our flag might flyfor a year, and never be seen. "

His words seemed to strike coldness to every heart. Tom, who waslooking at the wreck of the airship, suddenly uttered anexclamation. He sprang to his feet. 

"What is it?" demanded Mr. Fenwick. "Does your sore leg hurt you?"

"No, but I have just thought of a plan!" fairly shouted the younginventor. "I have it! Wait and see if I can work it!"

"Work what?" cried Mr. Damon. 

Tom did not get a chance to answer, for, at that moment, theresounded, at the far end of the island, whence the yacht castawayshad come, a terrific crash. It was accompanied, rather thanfollowed, by a shaking, trembling and swaying of the ground. 

"Another earthquake!" screamed Mrs. Nestor, rushing toward herhusband. The castaways gazed at each other affrighted. 

Suddenly, before their eyes, they saw the extreme end of that partof the island on which they were camping, slip off, and beneath thefoaming waves of the sea, while the echoes of the mighty crash cameto their ears!

CHAPTER XVIII

MR. JENKS HAS DIAMONDS

Stunned, and well-nigh paralyzed by the suddenness of the awfulcrash, and the recurrence of the earthquake, the castaways gazedspell-bound at one another. 

Succeeding the disappearance of the end of the island there arose agreat wave in the ocean, caused by the immersion of such a quantityof rock and dirt. 

"Look out!" yelled Tom, "there may be a flood here!"

They realized his meaning, and hastened up the beach, out of reachof the water if it should come. And it did. At first the oceanretreated, as though the tide was going out, then, with a rush androar, the waves came leaping back, and, had the castaways remainedwhere they had been standing they would have been swept cut to sea. 

As it was the flood reached part of the wreck of the airship, thatlay on the beach, and washed away some of the broken planks. But, after the first rush of water, the sea grew less troubled, and therewas no more danger from that source. 

True, the whole island was rumbling and trembling in the throes ofan earthquake, but, by this time, the refugees had become somewhatused to this, and only the two ladies exhibited any outward signs ofgreat alarm, though Mr. Barcoe Jenks, Tom observed, was nervouslyfingering the belt which he wore about his waist. 

"I guess the worst is over, " spoke Mr. Fenwick, as they stoodlooking toward where part of the island had vanished. "The shockexpended itself on tearing that mass of rock and earth away. "

"Let us hope so, " added Mr. Hosbrook, solemnly. "Oh, if we couldonly get away from this terrible place! We must hoist a signal ofdistress, even if we are out of the track of regular vessels. Someship, blown out of her course may see it. Captain Mentor, I wish youand Mr. Fordam would attend to that. "

"I will, sir, " answered the commander of the ill-fated RESOLUTE. "The signal shall be hoisted at once. Come on, Mr. Fordam, " headded, turning to the first mate. 

"If you don't mind, " interrupted Tom, "I wish you would first helpme to get what remains of the airship up out of reach of any morepossible high waves. That one nearly covered it, and if there areother big rollers, the wreck may be washed out to sea. "

"I can't see that any great harm would result from that, " put in Mr. Jenks. "There isn't anything about the wreck that we could use tomake a boat or raft from. " Indeed, there was little left of theairship, save the mass of machinery. 

"Well, it may come in handy before we leave here, " said Tom, andthere was a quiet determined air about him, that caused Mr. Damon tolook at him curiously. The odd gentleman started to utter one of hisnumerous blessings, and to ask Tom a question, but he thought betterof it. By this time the earthquake had ceased, and the castawayswere calmer. 

Tom started toward the airship wreck, and began pulling off somebroken boards to get at the electrical machinery. 

"I guess you had better give Mr. Swift a hand, Captain Mentor, "spoke the millionaire yacht owner. "I don't know what good the wreckcan be, but we owe considerable to Mr. Swift and his friends, andthe least we can do is to aid them in anything they ask. So, Captain, if you don't mind, you and the mate bear a hand. In fact, we'll all help, and move the wreck so far up that there will be nodanger, even from tidal waves. "

Tom looked pleased at this order, and soon he and all the men in thelittle party were busy taking out the electrical apparatus, andmoving it farther inland. 

"What are you going to do with it, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon, in a lowvoice, as he assisted the young inventor to carry a small dynamo, that was used for operating the incandescent lights. 

"I hardly know myself. I have a half-formed plan in my mind. I maybe able to carry it out, and I may not. I don't want to say anythinguntil I look over the machinery, and see if all the parts which Ineed are here. Please say nothing about it. "

"Bless my toothpick! Of course, I'll not, " promised Mr. Damon. 

When the removal of most of the machinery of the wrecked airship hadbeen completed, Mrs. Nestor exclaimed:

"Well, since you are moving that out of harm's way, don't you thinkit would be a good idea to change our camp, also? I'm sure I'llnever sleep a wink, thinking that part of the island may fall intothe ocean at any moment in the night, and create a wave that maywash us all out to sea. Can't we move the camp, Mr. Swift?"

"No reason why we can't, " answered the lad, smiling. "I think itwould be a good plan to take it farther back. We are likely to behere some time, and, while we are about it, we might build morecomplete shelters, and have a few more comforts. "

The others agreed with this idea, so the little shacks that had beenerected were taken down, and moved to higher ground, where a betteroutlook could be had of the surrounding ocean. At the same time assafe a place as possible, considering the frequent earthquakes, waspicked out--a place where there were no overhanging rocks or cliffs. 

Three huts were built, one for the two ladies, one for the men, andthird where the cooking could be done. This last also held the foodsupplies and stores, and Tom noted, with satisfaction, that therewas still sufficient to eat to last over a week. Mr. Fenwick had notstinted his kitchen stores. 

This work done, Captain Mentor and Mate Fordam went to the highestpart of the island, where they erected a signal, made from pieces ofcanvas that had been in the life boat. The boat itself was broughtaround to the new camp, and at first it was hoped that it could berepaired, and used. But too large a hole had been stove in thebottom, so it was broken up, and the planks used in making theshacks. 

This work occupied the better part of two days, and during thistime, there were no more earthquakes. The castaways began to hopethat the island would not be quiet for a while. Mrs. Anderson andMrs. Nestor assumed charge of the "housekeeping" arrangements, andalso the cooking, which relieved Tom from those duties. The twoladies even instituted "wash-day, " and when a number of garmentswere hung on lines to dry, the camp looked like some summer colonyof pleasure-seekers, out for a holiday. 

In the meanwhile, Tom had spent most of his time among the machinerywhich had been taken from the airship. He inspected it carefully, tested some of the apparatus, and made some calculations on a bit ofpaper. He seemed greatly pleased over something, and one afternoon, when he was removing some of the guy and stay wires from thecollapsed frame of the WHIZZER, he was approached by Mr. BarcoeJenks. 

"Planning something new?" asked Mr. Jenks, with an attempt atjollity, which, however, failed. The man had a curious air abouthim, as if he was carrying some secret that was too much for him. 

"Well, nothing exactly new, " answered Tom. "At best I am merelygoing to try an experiment. "

"An experiment, eh?" resumed Mr. Jenks, "And might I ask if it hasanything to do with rescuing us from this island?"

"I hope it will have, " answered Tom, gravely. 

"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "Well, now I have a proposition to maketo you. I suppose you are not very wealthy, Mr. Swift?" He gazed atTom, quizzically. 

"I am not poor, " was the young inventor's proud answer, "but I wouldbe glad to make more money--legitimately. "

"I thought so. Most every one would. Look here!"

He approached closer to Tom, and, pulling his hand from his pocket, held it extended, in the palm were a number of irregularly-shapedobjects--stones or crystals the lad took them to be, yet they didnot look like ordinary stones or crystals. 

"Do you know what those are?" asked Mr. Jenks. 

"I might guess, " replied Tom. 

"I'll save you the trouble. They are diamonds! Diamonds of the veryfirst water, but uncut. Now to the point. I have half a milliondollars worth of them. If you get me safely off this island, I willagree to make you a quarter of a million dollars worth of diamonds!"

"Make me a quarter of a million dollars worth of diamonds?" askedTom, struck by the use of the work "make. "

"Yes, 'make, '" answered Mr. Jenks. "That is if I can discover thesecret--the secret of Phantom Mountain. Get me away from the islandand I will share my knowledge with you--I need help--help to learnthe secret and help to make the diamonds--see, there are some of thefirst ones made, but I have been defrauded of my rights--I need theaid of a young fellow like you. Will you help? See, I'll give yousome diamonds now. They are genuine, though they are not likeordinary diamonds. I made them. Will you--"

Before Tom could answer, there came a warning rumble of the earth, and a great fissure opened, almost at the feet of Mr. Jenks, who, with a cry of fear, leaped toward the young inventor. 

CHAPTER XIX

SECRET OPERATIONS

"Help me save this machinery!" yelled Tom, whose first thought wasfor the electrical apparatus. "Don't let it fall into that chasm!"

For the crack had widened, until it was almost to the place wherethe parts of the wrecked airship had been carried. 

"The machinery? What do I care about the machinery?" cried Mr. Jenks. "I want to save my life!"

"And this machinery is our only hope!" retorted Tom. He begantugging at the heavy dynamos and gasolene engine, but he might havesaved himself the trouble, for with the same suddenness with whichit opened, the crack closed again. The shock had done it, and, as ifsatisfied with that phenomena, the earthquake ceased, and the islandno longer trembled. 

"That was a light one, " spoke Tom, with an air of relief. He wasbecoming used to the shocks now, and, when he saw that his preciousmachinery was not damaged he could view the earth tremors calmly. 

"Slight!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "Well, I don't call it so. But I seeCaptain Mentor and Mr. Hosbrook coming. Please don't say anything tothem about the diamonds. I'll see you again, " and with that, thequeer Mr. Jenks walked away. 

"We came to see if you were hurt, " called the captain, as he nearedthe young inventor. 

"No, I'm all right. How about the others?"

"Only frightened, " replied the yacht owner. "This is getting awful. I hoped we were free from the shocks, but they still continue. "

"And I guess they will, " added Tom. "We certainly are on EarthquakeIsland!"

"Mr. Parker, the scientist, says this last shock bears out histheory, " went on the millionaire. "He says it will be only aquestion of a few days when the whole island will disappear. "

"Comforting, to say the least, " commented Tom. 

"I should say so. But what are you doing, Mr. Swift?"

"Trying an experiment, " answered the young inventor, in someconfusion. He was not yet ready to talk about his plans. 

"We must begin to think seriously of building some sort of a boat orraft, and getting away from the island, " went on the millionaire. "It will be perilous to go to sea with anything we can construct, but it is risking our lives to stay here. I don't know what to do. "

"Perhaps Captain Mentor has some plan, " suggested Tom, hoping tochange the subject. 

"No, " answered the commander, "I confess I am at a loss to know whatto do. There is nothing with which to do anything, that is thetrouble! But I did think of hoisting another signal, on this end ofthe island, where it might be seen if our first one wasn't. Ibelieve I'll do that, " and he moved away, to carry out hisintention. 

"Well, I think I'll get back, Tom, and tell the others that you areall right, " spoke Mr. Hosbrook. "I left the camp, after the shock, because Mrs. Nestor was worried about you. " The place to which theairship machinery had been removed was some distance from the camp, and out of sight of the shacks. 

"Oh, yes. I'm all right, " said Tom. Then, with a sudden impulse, heasked:

"Do you know much about this Mr. Barcoe Jenks, Mr. Hosbrook?"

"Not a great deal, " was the reply. "In fact, I may say I do not knowhim at all. Why do you ask?"

"Because I thought he acted rather strangely. "

"Just what the rest of us think, " declared the yacht owner. "He isno friend of mine, though he was my guest on the RESOLUTE. It cameabout in this way. I had invited a Mr. Frank Jackson to make thetrip with me, and he asked if he could bring with him a Mr. Jenks, afriend of his. I assented, and Mr. Jackson came aboard with Mr. Jenks. Just as we were about to sail Mr. Jackson received a messagerequiring his presence in Canada, and he could not make the trip. "

"But Mr. Jenks seemed so cut-up about being deprived of the yachtingtrip, and was so fond of the water, that I invited him to remain onboard, even if his friend did not. So that is how he came to beamong my guests, though he is a comparative stranger to all of us. "

"I see, " spoke Tom. 

"Has he been acting unusually strange?" asked Mr. Hosbrooksuspiciously. 

"No, only he seemed very anxious to get off the island, but Isuppose we all are. He wanted to know what I planned to do. "

"Did you tell him?"

"No, for the reason that I don't know whether I can succeed or not, and I don't want to raise false hopes. "

"Then you would prefer not to tell any of us?"

"No one--that is except Mr. Fenwick and Mr. Damon. I may need themto help me. "

"I see, " responded Mr. Hosbrook. "Well, whatever it is, I wish youluck. It is certainly a fearful place--this island, " and busy withmany thoughts, which crowded upon him, the millionaire moved away, leaving Tom alone. 

A little while after this Tom might have been seen in closeconversation with Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick. The former, on hearingwhat the young inventor had to say, blessed himself and his variouspossessions so often, that he seemed to have gotten out of breath. Mr. Fenwick exclaimed:

"Tom, if you can work that it will be one of the greatest things youhave ever done!"

"I hope I can work it, " was all the young inventor replied. 

For the next three days Tom, and his two friends, spent most oftheir time in the neighborhood of the pile of machinery andapparatus taken from the wrecked WHIZZER. Mr. Jenks hung around thespot, but a word or two from Mr. Hosbrook sent him away, and ourthree friends were left to their work in peace, for they wereinclined to be secretive about their operations, as Tom did not wanthis plans known until he was ready. 

The gasolene motor was overhauled, and put in shape to work. Then itwas attached to the dynamo. When this much had been done, Tom andhis friends built a rude shack around the machinery shutting it fromview. 

"Humph! Are you afraid we will steal it?" asked Mr. Parker, thescientist, who held to his alarming theory regarding the ultimatedisappearance of the island. 

"No, I simply want to protect it from the weather, " answered Tom. "You will soon know all our plans. I think they will work out. "

"You'd better do it before we get another earthquake, and the islandsinks, " was the dismal response. 

But there had been no shocks since the one that nearly engulfed Mr. Jenks. As for that individual he said little to any one, andwandered off alone by himself. Tom wondered what kind of diamondsthey were that the odd man had, and the lad even had his doubts asto the value of the queer stones he had seen. But he was too busywith his work to waste much time in idle speculation. 

CHAPTER XX

THE WIRELESS PLANT

The castaways had been on Earthquake Island a week now, and in thattime had suffered many shocks. Some were mere tremors, and some wereso severe as to throw whole portions of the isle into the sea. Theynever could tell when a shock was coming, and often one awakenedthem in the night. 

But, in spite of this, the refugees were as cheerful as it waspossible to be under the circumstances. Only Mr. Jenks seemednervous and ill at ease, and he kept much by himself. 

As for Tom, Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick, the three were busy in theirshack. The others had ceased to ask questions about what they weredoing, and Mr. Nestor and his wife took it for granted that Tom wasbuilding a boat. 

Captain Mentor and the mate spent much time gazing off to sea, hoping for a sight of the sail of some vessel, or the haze thatwould indicate the smoke of a steamer. But they saw nothing. 

"I haven't much hope of sighting anything, " the captain said. "Iknow we are off the track of the regular liners, and our only chancewould be that some tramp steamer, or some ship blown off her course, would see our signal. I tell you, friends, we're in a bad way. "

"If money was any object--, " began Mr. Jenks. 

"What good would money be?" demanded Mr. Hosbrook. "What we need todo is to get a message to some one--some of my friends--to send outa party to rescue us. "

"That's right, " chimed in Mr. Parker, the scientist. "And themessage needs to go off soon, if we are to be saved. "

"Why so?" asked Mr. Anderson. 

"Because I think this island will sink inside of a week!"

A scream came from the two ladies. 

"Why don't you keep such thoughts to yourself?" demanded themillionaire yacht owner, indignantly. 

"Well, it's true, " stubbornly insisted the scientist. 

"What if it is? It doesn't do any good to remind us of it. "

"Bless my gizzard, no!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Suppose we havedinner. I'm hungry. "

That seemed to be his remedy for a number of ills. 

"If we only could get a message off, summoning help, it WOULD be thevery thing, " sighed Mrs. Nestor. "Oh, how I wish I could send mydaughter, Mary, word of where we are. She may hear of the wreck ofthe RESOLUTE, and worry herself to death. "

"But it is out of the question to send a message for help fromEarthquake Island, " added Mrs. Anderson. "We are totally cut offfrom the rest of the world here. "

"Perhaps not, " spoke Tom Swift, quietly. He had come up silently, and had heard the conversation. 

"What's that you said?" cried Mr. Nestor, springing to his feet, andcrossing the sandy beach toward the lad. 

"I said perhaps we weren't altogether cut off from the rest of theworld, " repeated Tom. 

"Why not, " demanded Captain Mentor. "You don't mean to say that youhave been building a boat up there in your little shack, do you?"

"Not a boat, " replied Tom, "but I think I have a means of sendingout a call for help!"

"Oh, Tom--Mr. Swift--how?" exclaimed Mrs. Nestor. "Do you mean wecan send a message to my Mary?"

"Well, not exactly to her, " answered the young inventor, though hewished that such a thing were possible. "But I think I can summonhelp. "

"How?" demanded Mr. Hosbrook. "Have you managed to discover somecable line running past the island, and have you tapped it?"

"Not exactly. " was Tom's calm answer, "but I have succeeded, withthe help of Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick, in building an apparatus thatwill send out wireless messages!"

"Wireless messages!" gasped the millionaire. "Are you sure?"

"Wireless messages!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "I'll give--" He paused, clasped his hands on his belt, and turned away. 

"Oh, Tom!" cried Mrs. Nestor, and she went up to the lad, threw herarms about his neck, and kissed him; whereat Tom blushed. 

"Perhaps you'd better explain, " suggested Mr. Anderson. 

"I will, " said the lad. "That is the secret we have been engagedupon--Mr. Damon, Mr. Fenwick and myself. We did not want to sayanything about it until we were sure we could succeed. "

"And are you sure now?" asked Captain Mentor. 

"Fairly so. "

"How could you build a wireless station?" inquired Mr. Hosbrook. 

"From the electrical machinery that was in the wrecked WHIZZER, "spoke Tom. "Fortunately, that was not damaged by the shock of thefall, and I have managed to set up the gasolene engine, and attachthe dynamo to it so that we can generate a powerful current. We alsohave a fairly good storage battery, though that was slightly damagedby the fall. "

"I have just tested the machinery, and I think we can send out astrong enough message to carry at least a thousand miles. "

"Then that will reach some station, or some passing ship, " murmuredCaptain Mentor. "There is a chance that we may be saved. "

"If it isn't too late, " gloomily murmured the scientist. "There isno telling when the island will disappear beneath the sea. "

But they were all so interested in Tom's announcement that they paidlittle attention to this dire foreboding. 

"Tell us about it, " suggested Mr. Nestor. And Tom did. 

He related how he had set up the dynamo and gasolene engine, andhow, by means of the proper coils and other electrical apparatus, all of which, fortunately, was aboard the WHIZZER, he could producea powerful spark. 

"I had to make a key out of strips of brass, to produce the Morsecharacters, " the lad said. "This took considerable time, but itworks, though it is rather crude. I can click out a message withit. "

"That may be, " said Mr. Hosbrook, who had been consideringinstalling a wireless plant on his yacht, and who, therefore, knewsomething about it, "you may send a message, but can you receive ananswer?"

"I have also provided for that, " replied Tom. "I have made areceiving instrument, though that is even more crude than thesending plant, for it had to be delicately adjusted, and I did nothave just the magnets, carbons, coherers and needles that I needed. But I think it will work. "

"Did you have a telephone receiver to use?"

"Yes. There was a small interior telephone arrangement on Mr. Fenwick's airship, and part of that came in handy. Oh, I think I canhear any messages that may come in answer to ours. "

"But what about the aerial wires for sending and receivingmessages?" asked Mr. Nestor. 

"Don't you have to have several wires on a tall mast?"

"Yes, and that is the last thing to do, " declared Tom. "I need allyour help in putting up those wires. That tall tree on the crest ofthe island will do, " and he pointed to a dead palm that toweredgaunt and bare like a ship's mast, on a pile of rocks in the centreof Earthquake Island. 

CHAPTER XXI

MESSAGES INTO SPACE

Tom Swift's announcement of the practical completion of his wirelessplant brought hope to the discouraged hearts of the castaways. Theycrowded about him, and asked all manner of questions. 

Mr. Fenwick and Mr. Damon came in for their share of attention, forTom said had it not been for the aid of his friends he never couldhave accomplished what he did. Then they all trooped up to thelittle shack, and inspected the plant. 

As the young inventor had said, it was necessarily crude, but whenhe set the gasolene motor going, and the dynamo whizzed and hummed, sending out great, violet-hued sparks, they were all convinced thatthe young inventor had accomplished wonders, considering thematerials at his disposal. 

"But it's going to be no easy task to rig up the sending andreceiving wires, " declared Tom. "That will take some time. "

"Have you got the wire?" asked Mr. Jenks. 

"I took it from the stays of the airship, " was Tom's reply, and herecalled the day he was at that work, when the odd man had exhibitedthe handful of what he said were diamonds. Tom wondered if theyreally were, and he speculated as to what might be the secret ofPhantom Mountain, to which Mr. Jenks had referred. 

But now followed a busy time for all. Under the direction of theyoung inventor, they began to string the wires from the top of thedead tree, to a smaller one, some distance away, using five wires, set parallel, and attached to a wooden spreader, or stay. The wireswere then run to the dynamo, and the receiving coil, and thenecessary ground wires were installed. 

"But I can't understand how you are going to do it, " said Mrs. Nestor. "I've read about wireless messages, but I can't get itthrough my head. How is it done, Mr. Swift?"

"The theory is very simple, " said the young inventor. "To send amessage by wire, over a telegraph system, a battery or dynamo isused. This establishes a current over wires stretched between twopoints. By means of what is called a 'key' this current isinterrupted, or broken, at certain intervals, making the soundinginstrument send out clicks. A short click is called a dot, and along click a dash. By combinations of dots, dashes, and spacesbetween the dots and dashes, letters are spelled out. For instance, a dot and a space and a dash, represent the letter 'A' and so on. "

"I understand so far, " admitted Mrs. Nestor. 

"In telegraphing without wires, " went on Tom, "the air is used inplace of a metallic conductor, with the help of the earth, which initself is a big magnet, or a battery, as you choose to regard it. The earth helps to establish the connection between places wherethere are no wires, when we 'ground' certain conductors. "

"To send a wireless message a current is generated by a dynamo. Thecurrent flows along until it gets to the ends of the sending wires, which we have just strung. Then it leaps off into space, so tospeak, until it reaches the receiving wires, wherever they may beerected. That is why any wireless receiving station, within acertain radius, can catch any messages that may be flying throughthe air--that is unless certain apparatus is tuned, or adjusted, toprevent this. "

"Well, once the impulses, or electric currents, are sent out intospace, all that is necessary to do is to break, or interrupt them atcertain intervals, to make dots, dashes and spaces. These makecorresponding clicks in the telephone receiver which the operator atthe receiving station wears on his ear. He hears the code of clicks, and translates them into letters, the letters into words and thewords into sentences. That is how wireless messages are sent. "

"And do you propose to send some that way?" asked Mrs. Anderson. 

"I do, " replied Tom, with a smile. 

"Where to?" Mrs. Nestor wanted to know. 

"That's what I can't tell, " was Tom's reply. "I will have to projectthem off into space, and trust to chance that some listeningwireless operator will 'pick them up, ' as they call it, and send usaid. "

"But are wireless operators always listening?" asked Mr. Nestor. 

"Somewhere, some of them are--I hope, " was Tom's quiet answer. "As Isaid, we will have to trust much to chance. But other people havebeen saved by sending messages off into space; and why not we?Sinking steamers have had their passengers taken off when theoperator called for help, merely by sending a message into space. "

"But how can we tell them where to come for us--on this unknownisland?" inquired Mrs. Anderson. 

"I fancy Captain Mentor can supply our longitude and latitude, "answered Tom. "I will give that with every message I send out, andhelp may come--some day. "

"It can't come any too quick for me!" declared Mr. Damon. "Bless mydoor knob, but my wife must be worrying about my absence!"

"What message for help will you send?" Captain Mentor wanted toknow. 

"I am going to use the old call for aid, " was the reply of the younginventor. "I shall flash into space the three letters 'C. Q. D. ' Theystand for 'Come Quick--Danger. ' A new code call has been institutedfor them, but I am going to rely on the old one, as, in this part ofthe world, the new one may not be so well understood. Then I willfollow that by giving our position in the ocean, as nearly asCaptain Mentor can figure it out. I will repeat this call atintervals until we get help--"

"Or until the island sinks, " added the scientist, grimly. 

"Here! Don't mention that any more, " ordered Mr. Hosbrook. "It'sgetting on my nerves! We may be rescued before that awful calamityovertakes us. "

"I don't believe so, " was Mr. Parker's reply, and he actually seemedto derive pleasure from his gloomy prophecy. 

"It's lucky you understand wireless telegraphy, Tom Swift, " said Mr. Nestor admiringly, and the other joined in praising the younginventor, until, blushing, he hurried off to make some adjustmentsto his apparatus. 

"Can you compute our longitude and latitude, Captain Mentor, " askedthe millionaire yacht owner. 

"I think so, " was the reply. "Not very accurately, of course, forall my papers and instruments went down in the RESOLUTE. But nearenough for the purpose, I fancy. I'll get right to work at it, andlet Mr. Swift have it. "

"I wish you would. The sooner we begin calling for help the better. I never expected to be in such a predicament as this, but it iswonderful how that young fellow worked out his plan of rescue. Ihope he succeeds. "

It took some little time for the commander to figure their position, and then it was only approximate. But at length he handed Tom apiece of paper with the latitude and longitude written on it. 

In the meanwhile, the young inventor had been connecting up hisapparatus. The wires were now all strung, and all that was necessarywas to start the motor and dynamo. 

A curious throng gathered about the little shack as Tom announcedthat he was about to flash into space the first message calling forhelp. He took his place at the box, to which had been fastened theapparatus for clicking off the Morse letters. 

"Well, here we go, " he said, with a smile. 

His fingers clasped the rude key he had fashioned from bits of brassand hard rubber. The motor was buzzing away, and the electric dynamowas purring like some big cat. 

Just as Tom opened the circuit, to send the current into theinstrument, there came an ominous rumbling of the earth. 

"Another quake!" screamed Mrs. Anderson. But it was over in asecond, and calmness succeeded the incipient panic. 

Suddenly, overhead, there sounded a queer crackling noise, avicious, snapping, as if from some invisible whips. 

"Mercy! What's that?" cried Mrs. Nestor. 

"The wireless, " replied Tom, quietly. "I am going to send a messagefor help, off into space. I hope some one receives it--and answers, "he added, in a low tone. 

The crackling increased. While they gathered about him, Tom Swiftpressed the key, making and breaking the current until he had sentout from Earthquake Island the three letters--"C. Q. D. " And hefollowed them by giving their latitude and longitude. Over and overagain he flashed out this message. 

Would it be answered? Would help come? If so, from where? And if so, would it be in time? These were questions that the castaways askedthemselves. As for Tom, he sat at the key, clicking away, while, overhead, from the wires fastened to the dead tree, flashed out themessages. 

CHAPTER XXII

ANXIOUS DAYS

After the first few minutes of watching Tom click out the messages, the little throng of castaways that had gathered about the shack, moved away. The matter had lost its novelty for them, though, ofcourse, they were vitally interested in the success of Tom'sundertaking. Only Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick remained with the younginventor, for he needed help, occasionally, in operating the dynamo, or in adjusting the gasolene motor. Mrs. Nestor, who, with Mrs. Anderson, was looking after the primitive housekeeping arrangements, occasionally strolled up the hill to the little shed. 

"Any answer yet, Mr. Swift?" she would ask. 

"No. " was the reply. "We can hardly expect any so soon, " and Mrs. Nestor would depart, with a sigh. 

Knowing that his supply of gasolene was limited, Tom realized thathe could not run the dynamo steadily, and keep flashing the wirelessmessages into space. He consulted with his two friends on thesubject, and Mr. Damon said:

"Well, the best plan, I think, would be only to send out the flashesover the wires at times when other wireless operators will be on thelookout, or, rather, listening. There is no use wasting our fuel. Wecan't get any more here. "

"That's true, " admitted Tom, "but how can we pick out any certaintime, when we can be sure that wireless operators, within a zone ofa thousand miles, will be listening to catch clicks which call forhelp from the unknown?"

"We can't, " decided Mr. Fenwick. "The only thing to do is to trustto chance. If there was only some way so you would not have to be onduty all the while, and could send out messages automatically, itwould be good. "

Tom shook his head. "I have to stay here to adjust the apparatus, "he said. "It works none too easily as it is, for I didn't have justwhat I needed from which to construct this station. Anyhow, even ifI could rig up something to click out 'C. Q. D. ' automatically, Icould hardly arrange to have the answer come that way. And I want tobe here when the answer comes. "

"Have you any plan, then?" asked Mr. Damon. "Bless my shoe laces!there are enough problems to solve on this earthquake island. "

"I thought of this, " said Tom. "I'll send out our call for help fromnine to ten in the morning. Then I'll wait, and send out anothercall from two to three in the afternoon. Around seven in the eveningI'll try again, and then about ten o'clock at night, before going tobed. "

"That ought to be sufficient, " agreed Mr. Fenwick. "Certainly wemust save our gasolene, for there is no telling how long we may haveto stay here, and call for help. "

"It won't be long if that scientist Parker has his way, " spoke Mr. Damon, grimly. "Bless my hat band, but he's a MOST uncomfortable manto have around; always predicting that the island is going to sink!I hope we are rescued before that happens. "

"I guess we all do, " remarked Mr. Fenwick. "But, Tom, here isanother matter. Have you thought about getting an answer from theunknown--from some ship or wireless station, that may reply to yourcalls? How can you tell when that will come in?"

"I can't. "

"Then won't you or some of us, have to be listening all the while?"

"No, for I think an answer will come only directly after I have sentcut a call, and it has been picked up by some operator. Still thereis a possibility that some operator might receive my message, andreport to his chief, or some one in authority over him, beforereplying. In that time I might go away. But to guard against that Iwill sleep with the telephone receiver clamped to my ear. Then I canhear the answer come over the wires, and can jump up and reply. "

"Do you mean you will sleep here?" asked Mr. Damon, indicating theshack where the wireless apparatus was contained. 

"Yes, " answered Tom, simply. 

"Can't we take turns listening for the answer?" inquired Mr. Fenwick, "and so relieve you?"

"I'm afraid not, unless you understand the Morse code, " replied Tom. "You see there may be many clicks, which result from wirelessmessages flying back and forth in space, and my receiver will pickthem up. But they will mean nothing. Only the answer to our call forhelp will be of any service to us. "

"Do you mean to say that you can catch messages flying back andforth between stations now?" asked Mr. Fenwick. 

"Yes, " replied the young inventor, with a smile. "Here, listen foryourself, " and he passed the head-instrument over to the WHIZZER'sformer owner. The latter listened a moment. 

"All I can hear are some faint clicks, " he said. 

"But they are a message, " spoke Tom. "Wait, I'll translate, " and heput the receiver to his ear. "'STEAMSHIP "FALCON" REPORTS A SLIGHTFIRE IN HER FORWARD COMPARTMENT, '" said Tom, slowly. "'IT IS UNDERCONTROL, AND WE WILL PROCEED. '"

"Do you mean to say that was the message you heard?" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my soul, I never can understand it!"

"It was part of a message, " answered Tom. "I did not catch it all, nor to whom it was sent. "

"But why can't you send a message to that steamship then, and begthem to come to our aid?" asked Mr. Fenwick. "Even if they have hada fire, it is out now, and they ought to be glad to save life. "

"They would come to our aid, or send, " spoke Tom, "but I can notmake their wireless operator pick up our message. Either hisapparatus is not in tune, or in accord with ours, or he is beyondour zone. "

"But you heard him, " insisted Mr. Damon. 

"Yes, but sometimes it is easier to pick up messages than it is tosend them. However, I will keep on trying. "

Putting into operation the plan he had decided on for saving theirsupply of gasolene, Tom sent out his messages the remainder of theday, at the intervals agreed upon. Then the apparatus was shut down, but the lad paid frequent visits to the shack, and listened to theclicks of the telephone receiver. He caught several messages, butthey were not in response to his appeals for aid. 

That night there was a slight earthquake shock, but no more of theisland fell into the sea, though the castaways were awakened by thetremors, and were in mortal terror for a while. 

Three days passed, days of anxious waiting, during which time Tomsent out message after message by his wireless, and waited in vainfor an answer. There were three shocks in this interval, two slight, and one very severe, which last cast into the ocean a great cliff onthe far end of the island. There was a flooding rush of water, butno harm resulted. 

"It is coming nearer, " said Mr. Parker. 

"What is?" demanded Mr. Hosbrook. 

"The destruction of our island. My theory will soon be confirmed, "and the scientist actually seemed to take pleasure in it. 

"Oh, you and your theory!" exclaimed the millionaire in disgust. "Don't let me hear you mention it again! Haven't we troublesenough?" whereat Mr. Parker went off by himself, to look at theplace where the cliff had fallen. 

Each night Tom slept with the telephone receiver to his ear, but, though it clicked many times, there was not sounded the call he hadadopted for his station--"E. I. "--Earthquake Island. In each appealhe sent out he had requested that if his message was picked up, thatthe answer be preceded by the letters "E. I. "

It was on the fourth day after the completion of the wirelessstation, that Tom was sending out his morning calls. Mrs. Nestorcame up the little hill to the shack where Tom was clicking away. 

"No replies yet, I suppose?" she inquired, and there was a hopelessnote in her voice. 

"None yet, but they may come any minute, " and Tom tried to speakcheerfully. 

"I certainly hope so, " added Mary's mother, "But I came up moreespecially now, Mr. Swift, to inquire where you had stored the restof the food. "

"The rest of the food?"

"Yes, the supply you took from the wrecked airship. We have used upnearly all that was piled in the improvised kitchen, and we'll haveto draw on the reserve supply. "

"The reserve, " murmured Tom. 

"Yes, there is only enough in the shack where Mrs. Anderson and I dothe cooking, to last for about two days. Isn't there any more?"

Tom did not answer. He saw the drift of the questioning. Their foodwas nearly gone, yet the castaways from the RESOLUTE thought therewas still plenty. As a matter of fact there was not another can, except those in the kitchen shack. 

"Get out wherever there is left some time to-day, if you will, Mr. Swift, " went on Mrs. Nestor, as she turned away, "and Mrs. Andersonand I will see if we can fix up some new dishes for you men-folks. "

"Oh--all right, " answered Tom, weakly. 

His hand dropped from the key of the instrument. He sat staring intospace. Food enough for but two days more, with earthquakes likely tohappen at any moment, and no reply yet to his appeals for aid! Trulythe situation was desperate. Tom shook his head. It was the firsttime he had felt like giving up. 

CHAPTER XXIII

A REPLY IN THE DARK

The young inventor looked out of the wireless shack. Down on thebeach he saw the little band of castaways. They were gathered in agroup about Mr. Jenks, who seemed to be talking earnestly to them. The two ladies were over near the small building that served as akitchen. 

"More food supplies needed, eh?" mused Tom. "Well, I don't knowwhere any more is to come from. We've stripped the WHIZZER bare. " Heglanced toward what remained of the airship. "I guess we'll have togo on short rations, until help comes, " and, wondering what thegroup of men could be talking about, Tom resumed his clicking out ofhis wireless message. 

He continued to send it into space for several minutes after teno'clock, the hour at which he usually stopped for the morning, forhe thought there might be a possible chance that the electricalimpulses would be picked up by some vessel far out at sea, or bysome station operator who could send help. 

But there came no answering clicks to the "E. I. " station--toEarthquake Island--and, after a little longer working of the key, Tom shut down the dynamo, and joined the group on the beach. 

"I tell you it's our only chance, " Mr. Jenks was saying. "I must getoff this island, and that's the only way we can do it. I have largeinterests at stake. If we wait for a reply to this wireless messagewe may all be killed, though I appreciate that Mr. Swift is doinghis best to aid us. But it is hopeless!"

"What do you think about it, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon, turning to theyoung inventor. 

"Think about what?"

"Why Mr. Jenks has just proposed that we build a big raft, andlaunch it. He thinks we should leave the island. "

"It might be a good idea, " agreed the lad, as he thought of thescant food supply. "Of course, I can't say when a reply will bereceived to my calls for aid, and it is best to be prepared. "

"Especially as the island may sink any minute, " added Mr. Parker. "If it does, even a raft will be little good, as it may be swampedin the vortex. I think it would be a good plan to make one, thenanchor it some distance out from the island. Then we can make asmall raft, and paddle out to the big one in a hurry if need be. "

"Yes, that's a good idea, too, " conceded Tom. 

"And we must stock it well with provisions, " said Mr. Damon. "Putplenty of water and food aboard. "

"We can't, " spoke Tom, quietly. 

"Why not?"

"Because we haven't plenty of provisions. That's what I came down tospeak about, " and the lad related what Mrs. Nestor had said. 

"Then there is but one thing to do, " declared Mr. Fenwick. 

"What?" asked Captain Mentor. 

"We must go on half rations, or quarter rations, if need be. Thatwill make our supply last longer. And another thing--we must not letthe women folks know. Just pretend that we're not hungry, but takeonly a quarter, or at most, not more than a half of what we havebeen in the habit of taking. There is plenty of water, thankgoodness, and we may be able to live until help comes. "

"Then shall we build the raft?" asked Mr. Hosbrook. 

It was decided that this would be a good plan, and they started itthat same day. Trees were felled, with axes and saws that had beenaboard the WHIZZER, and bound together, in rude fashion, with strongtrailing vines from the forest. A smaller raft, as a sort of ferry, was also made. 

This occupied them all that day, and part of the next. In themeanwhile, Tom continued to flash out his appeals for help, but noanswers came. The men cut down their rations, and when the twoladies joked them on their lack of appetite, they said nothing. Tomwas glad that Mrs. Nestor did not renew her request to him to getout the reserve food supply from what remained in the wreck of theairship. Perhaps Mr. Nestor had hinted to her the real situation. 

The large raft was towed out into a quiet bay of the island, andanchored there by means of a heavy rock, attached to a rope. Onboard were put cans of water, which were lashed fast, but no foodcould be spared to stock the rude craft. All the castaways coulddepend on, was to take with them, in the event of the islandbeginning to sink, what rations they had left when the final shockshould come. 

This done, they could only wait, and weary was that waiting. Tomkept faithfully to his schedule, and his ear ached from the constantpressure of the telephone receiver. He heard message after messageflash through space, and click on his instrument, but none of themwas in answer to his. On his face there came a grim and hopelesslook. 

One afternoon, a week following the erection of the wirelessstation, Mate Fordam came upon a number of turtles. He caught some, by turning them over on their backs, and also located a number ofnests of eggs under the warm sands. 

"This will be something to eat, " he said, joyfully, and indeed theturtles formed a welcome food supply. Some fish were caught, andsome clams were cast up by the tide, all of which eked out thescanty food supply that remained. The two ladies suspected the truthnow and they, too, cut down their allowance. 

Tom, who had been sitting with the men in their sleeping shack, thatevening, rose, as the hour of ten approached. It was time to sendout the last message of the night, and then he would lie down on animprovised couch, with the telephone receiver clamped to his ear, towait, in the silence of the darkness, for the message saying thathelp was on the way. 

"Well, are you off?" asked Mr. Damon, kindly. "I wish some of uscould relieve you, Tom. "

"Oh, I don't mind it, " answered the lad "Perhaps the message maycome to-night. "

Hardly had he spoken than there sounded the ominous rumble andshaking that presaged another earthquake. The shack rocked, andthreatened to come down about their heads. 

"We must be doomed!" cried Mr. Parker. "The island is about to sink!Make for the raft!"

"Wait and see how bad it is, " counseled Mr. Hosbrook. "It may beonly a slight shock. "

Indeed, as he spoke, the trembling of the island ceased, and therewas silence. The two ladies, who had retired to their own privateshack, ran out screaming, and Mr. Anderson and Mr. Nestor hastenedover to be with their wives. 

"I guess it's passed over, " spoke Mr. Fenwick. 

An instant later there came another tremor, but it was not like thatof an earthquake shock. It was more like the rumble and vibration ofan approaching train. 

"Look!" cried Tom, pointing to the left. Their gaze went in thatdirection, and, under the light of a full moon they saw, slidinginto the sea, a great portion of one of the rocky hills. 

"A landslide!" cried Captain Mentor. "The island is slowly breakingup. "

"It confirms my theory!" said Mr. Parker, almost in triumph. 

"Forget your theory for a while, Parker, please, " begged Mr. Hosbrook. "We're lucky to have left a place on which to stand! Oh, when will we be rescued?" he asked hopelessly. 

The worst seemed to be over at least for the present, and, learningthat the two ladies were quieted, Tom started up the hill to hiswireless station. Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick went with him, to aid instarting the motor and dynamo. Then, after the message had beenclicked out as usual Tom would begin his weary waiting. 

They found that the earthquake shock had slightly disturbed theapparatus, and it took them half an hour to adjust it. As there hadbeen a delay on account of the landslide, it was eleven o'clockbefore Tom began sending out any flashes, and he kept it up untilmidnight. But there came no replies, so he shut off the power, andprepared to get a little rest. 

"It looks pretty hopeless; doesn't it?" said Mr. Fenwick, as he andMr. Damon were on their way back to the sleeping shack. 

"Yes, it does. Our signal hasn't been seen, no ships have passedthis way, and our wireless appeal isn't answered. It does lookhopeless but, do you know, I haven't given up yet. "

"Why not?"

"Because I have faith in Tom Swift's luck!" declared the eccentricman. "If you had been with him as much as I have, up in the air, andunder the water, and had seen the tight places he has gotten out of, you'd feel the same, too!"

"Perhaps, but here there doesn't seem to be anything to do. It alldepends on some one else. "

"That's all right. You leave it to Tom. He'll get an answer yet, yousee if he doesn't. "

 It was an hour past midnight. Tom tossed uneasily on the hard bedin the wireless shack. The telephone receiver on his ear hurt him, and he could not sleep. 

"I may as well sit up for a while, " he told himself, and he arose. In the dimness of the shack he could see the outlines of the dynamoand the motor. 

"Guess I'll start her up, and send out some calls, " he murmured. "Imight just happen to catch some ship operator who is up late. I'lltry it. "

The young inventor started the motor, and soon the dynamo waspurring away. He tested the wireless apparatus. It shot out greatlong sparks, which snapped viciously through the air. Then, in thesilence of the night, Tom clicked off his call for help for thecastaways of Earthquake Island. 

For half an hour he sent it away into space, none of the others intheir shacks below him, awakening. Then Tom, having worked off hisrestless fit, was about to return to bed. 

But what was this? What was that clicking in the telephone receiverat his ear? He listened. It was not a jumble of dots and dashes, conveying through space a message that meant nothing to him. No! Itwas his own call that was answered. The call of his station--"E. I. "--Earthquake Island!

"WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT'S WANTED?"

That was the message that was clicked to Tom from somewhere in thegreat void. 

"I GET YOUR MESSAGE 'E. I. ' WHAT'S WANTED? DO I HEAR YOU RIGHT?REPEAT. " Tom heard those questions in the silence of the night. 

With trembling fingers Tom pressed his own key. Out into thedarkness went his call for help. 

"WE ARE ON EARTHQUAKE ISLAND. " He gave the longitude and latitude. "COME QUICKLY OR WE WILL BE ENGULFED IN THE SEA! WE ARE CASTAWAYSFROM THE YACHT 'RESOLUTE, ' AND THE AIRSHIP 'WHIZZER. ' CAN YOU SAVEUS?"

Came then this query:

"WHAT'S THAT ABOUT AIRSHIP?"

"NEVER MIND AIRSHIP, " clicked Tom. "SEND HELP QUICKLY! WHO ARE YOU?"

The answer flashed to him through space:

"STEAMSHIP 'CAMBARANIAN' FROM RIO DE JANEIRO TO NEW YORK. JUSTCAUGHT YOUR MESSAGE. THOUGHT IT A FAKE. "

"NO FAKE, " Tom sent back. "HELP US QUICKLY! HOW SOON CAN YOU COME?"

There was a wait, and the wireless operator clicked to Tom that hehad called the captain. Then came the report:

"WE WILL BE THERE WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. KEEP IN COMMUNICATIONWITH US. "

"YOU BET I WILL, " flashed back Tom, his heart beating joyously, andthen he let out a great shout. "We are saved! We are saved! Mywireless message is answered! A steamer is on her way to rescue us!"

He rushed from the shack, calling to the others. 

"What's that?" demanded Mr. Hosbrook. 

Tom briefly told of how the message had come to him in the night. 

"Tell them to hurry, " begged the rich yacht owner. "Say that I willgive twenty thousand dollars reward if we are taken off!"

"And I'll do the same, " cried Mr. Jenks. "I must get to the placewhere--" Then he seemed to recollect himself, and stopped suddenly. "Tell them to hurry, " he begged Tom. The whole crowd of castaways, save the women, were gathered about the wireless shack. 

"They'll need to hurry, " spoke Mr. Parker, the gloomy scientist. "The island may sink before morning!"

Mr. Hosbrook and the others glared at him, but he seemed to takedelight in his prediction. 

Suddenly the wireless instruments hummed. 

"Another message, " whispered Tom. He listened. 

"THE 'CAMBARANIAN' WILL RUSH HERE WITH ALL SPEED, " he announced, andnot a heart there on that lonely and desolate island but sent up aprayer of thankfulness. 

CHAPTER XXIV

"WE ARE LOST!"

There was little more sleep for any one that night. They sat up, talking over the wonderful and unexpected outcome of Tom Swift'swireless message, and speculating as to when the steamer would getthere. 

"Bless my pocket comb! But I told you it would come out all right, if we left it to Tom!" declared Mr. Damon. 

"But it hasn't come out yet, " remarked the pessimistic scientist. "The steamer may arrive too late. "

"You're a cheerful sort of fellow to take on a yachting trip, "murmured Mr. Hosbrook, sarcastically. "I'll never invite you again, even if you are a great scientist. "

"I'm going to sit and watch for the steamer, " declared Mr. Damon, ashe went outside the shack. The night was warm, and there was a fullmoon. "Which way will she come from, Tom?"

"I don't know, but I should think, that if she was on her way north, from South America, she'd pass on the side of the island on which wenow are. "

"That's right, " agreed Captain Mentor. "She'll come up from overthere, " and he pointed across the ocean directly in front of theshacks and camp. 

"Then I'm going to see if I can't be the first to sight her lights, "declared Mr. Damon. 

"She can't possibly get here inside of a day, according to what theoperator said, " declared Tom. 

"Wire them to put on all the speed they can, " urged the eccentricman. 

"No, don't waste any more power or energy than is needed, " suggestedMr. Hosbrook. "You may need the gasolene before we are rescued. Theyare on their way, and that is enough for now. "

The others agreed with this, and so Tom, after a final message tothe operator aboard the CAMBARANIAN stating that he would call himup in the morning, shut down the motor. 

Mr. Damon took up his position where he could see far out over theocean, but, as the young inventor had said, there was no possiblechance of sighting the relief steamer inside of a day. Still thenervous, eccentric man declared that he would keep watch. 

Morning came, and castaways brought to breakfast a better appetitethan they had had in some time. They were allowed larger rations, too, for it was seen that they would have just enough food to lastuntil taken off. 

"We didn't need to have made the big raft, " said Mr. Fenwick, as Tomcame down from his station, to report that he had been incommunication with the Camabarian and that she was proceeding underforced draught. "We'll not have to embark on it, and I'm glad ofit. "

"Oh, we may need it yet, " asserted Mr. Parker. "I have been makingsome observations just now, and the island is in a very precariousstate. It is, I believe, resting on only a slim foundation, and theleast shock may break that off, and send it into the sea. That iswhat my observations point out. "

"Then I wish you wouldn't make any more observations!" exclaimedMrs. Nestor, with spirit. "You make me nervous. "

"And me, also, " added Mrs. Anderson. 

"Science can not deceive, madam, " retorted Mr. Parker. 

"Well it can keep quiet about what it knows, and not make a personhave cold chills, " replied Mary's mother. "I'm sure we will berescued in time. "

There was a slight tremor of an earthquake, as they were eatingdinner that day, but, aside from causing a little alarm it did nodamage. In the afternoon, Tom again called up the approachingsteamer, and was informed that, because of a slight accident, itcould not arrive until the next morning. Every effort would be madeto keep up speed, it was said. There was much disappointment overthis, and Mr. Damon was observed to be closely examining the foodsupply, but hope was too strong to be easily shattered now. 

Mr. Parker went off alone, to make some further "observations" as hecalled them, but Mr. Hosbrook warned him never again to speak of hisalarming theories. 

Mr. Barcoe Jenks called Tom aside just before supper that evening. 

"I haven't forgotten what I said to you about my diamonds, " heremarked, with many nods and winks. "I'll show you how to make them, if you will help me. Did you ever see diamonds made?"

"No, and I guess very few persons have. " replied the lad, thinkingperhaps Mr. Jenks might not be quite right, mentally. 

The night passed without alarm, and in the morning, at the firstblush of dawn, every one was astir, looking eagerly across the seafor a sight of the steamer. 

Tom had just come down from the wireless station, having received amessage to the effect that a few hours more would bring theCAMBARANIAN within sight of the island. 

Suddenly there was a tremendous shock, as if some great cannon hadbeen fired, and the whole island shook to its very centre. 

"Another earthquake! The worst yet!" screamed Mrs. Anderson. 

"We are lost!" cried Mrs. Nestor, clinging to her husband. 

An instant later they were all thrown down by the tremor of theearth, and Tom, looking toward his wireless station, saw nearly halfof the island disappear from sight. His station went down incollapse with it, splashing into the ocean, and the wave thatfollowed the terrible crash washed nearly to the castaways, as theyrose and kneeled on the sand. 

"The island is sinking!" cried Mr. Parker. "Make for the raft!"

"I guess it's our only chance, " murmured Captain Mentor, as he gazedacross the water. There was no steamer in sight. Could it arrive ontime? The tremors and shaking of the island continued. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE RESCUE--CONCLUSION

Down to where the small raft was moored ran Mr. Parker. He wasfollowed by some of the others. 

"We must put off at once!" he cried. "Half the island is gone! Theother half may disappear any moment! The steamer can not get here ontime, but if we put off they may pick us up, if we are not engulfedin the ocean. Help, everybody!"

Tom gave one more look at where his wireless station had been. Ithad totally disappeared, there being, at the spot, now but a sheercliff, which went right down into the sea. 

The women were in tears. The men, with pale faces, tried to calmthem. Gradually the earthquake tremor passed away; but who couldtell when another would come?

Captain Mentor, Mr. Hosbrook and the others were shoving out thesmall raft. They intended to get aboard, and paddle out to thelarger one, which had been moored some distance away, in readinessfor some such emergency as this. 

"Come on!" cried Mr. Fenwick to Tom who was lingering behind. "Comeon, ladies. We must all get aboard, or it may be too late!"

The small raft was afloat. Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Nestor, weepinghysterically, waded out through the water to get aboard. 

"Have we food?" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my kitchen range! but Inearly forgot that. "

"There isn't any food left to take, " answered Mrs. Anderson. 

"Shove off!" cried Captain Mentor. 

At that instant a haze which had hung over the water, was blown toone side. The horizon suddenly cleared. Tom Swift looked up and gavea cry. 

"The steamer! The steamer! The CAMBARANIAN!" he shouted, pointing toit. 

The others joined in his exclamations of joy, for there, rushingtoward Earthquake Island was a great steamer, crowding on all speed!

"Saved! Saved!" cried Mrs. Nestor, sinking to her knees even in thewater. 

"It came just in time!" murmured Mr. Hosbrook. 

"Now I can make my diamonds, " whispered Mr. Jenks to Tom. 

"Push off! Push off!" cried Mr. Parker. "The island will sink, soon!"

"I think we will be safer on the island than on the raft, " declaredCaptain Mentor. "We had better land again. "

They left the little raft, and stood on the shore of the island. Eagerly they watched the approach of the steamer. They could makeout hands and handkerchiefs waving to them now. There was eager hopein every heart. 

Suddenly, some distance out in the water, and near where the bigraft was anchored, there was a curious upheaval of the ocean. It wasas if a submarine mine had exploded! The sea swirled and foamed!

"It's a good thing we didn't go out there, " observed Captain Mentor. "We would have been swamped, sure as guns. "

Almost as he spoke the big raft was tossed high into the air, andfell back, breaking up. The castaways shuddered. Yet were they anysafer on the island? They fancied they could feel the little part ofit that remained trembling under their feet. 

"The steamer is stopping!" cried Mr. Damon. 

Surely enough the CAMBARANIAN had slowed up. Was she not going tocomplete the rescue she had begun?

"She's going to launch her lifeboats, " declared Captain Mentor. "Hercommander dare not approach too close, not knowing the water. Hemight hit on a rock. "

A moment later and two lifeboats were lowered, and, urged on by thesturdy arms of the sailors, they bounded over the waves. The seaseemed to be more and more agitated. 

"It is the beginning of the end, " murmured Mr. Parker. "The islandwill soon disappear. "

"Will you be quiet?" demanded Mr. Damon, giving the scientist anudge in the ribs. 

The lifeboats were close at hand now. 

"Are you all there?" shouted some one, evidently in command. 

"All here, " answered Tom. 

"Then hurry aboard. There seems to be something going on in thesewaters--perhaps a submarine volcano eruption. We must get away in ahurry!"

The boats came in to the shelving beach. There was a little stretchof water between them and the sand. Through this the castawayswaded, and soon they were grasped by the sailors and helped in. Inthe reaction of their worriment Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Nestor wereboth weeping, but their tears were those of joy. 

"Give way now, men!" cried the mate in charge of the boats. "We mustget back to the ship!"

The sea was now swirling angrily, but the sailors, who had been inworse turmoils than this, rowed on steadily. 

"We feared you would not get here in time, " said Tom to the mate. 

"We were under forced draught most of the way, " was his answer. "Your wireless message came just in time. An hour later and ouroperator would have gone to bed. "

The young inventor realized by what a narrow margin they had beenrescued. 

"The island will soon sink, " predicted Mr. Parker, as they reachedthe steamer, and boarded her. Captain Valasquez, who was in command, warmly welcomed the castaways. 

"We will hear your story later, " he said. "Just now I want to getout of these dangerous waters. "

He gave the order for full speed, and, as the CAMBARANIAN got underway, Tom, and the others, standing on the deck, looked back atEarthquake Island. 

Suddenly there sounded a dull, rumbling report. The whole oceanabout the island seemed to upheave. There was a gigantic shower ofspray, a sound like an explosion, and when the waters subsided theisland had sunk from sight. 

"I told you it would go, " cried Mr. Parker, triumphantly, but thehorror of it all--the horror of the fate that would have been theirshad they remained there an hour longer--held the castaways dumb. Thescientist's honor of having correctly predicted the destruction ofthe island was an empty one. 

The agitation of the sea rocked even the mighty CAMBARANIAN and, hadour friends been aboard the frail raft, they would surely haveperished in the sea. As it was, they were safe--saved by Tom Swift'swireless message. 

The steamer resumed her voyage, and the castaways told their story. Captain Valasquez refused to receive the large amount of money Mr. Hasbrook and Mr. Jenks would have paid him for the rescue, acceptingonly a sum he figured that he had lost by the delay, which was not agreat deal. The castaways were given the best aboard the ship, andtheir stories were listened to by the other passengers with batedbreath. 

In due time they were landed in New York, and Mr. And Mrs. Nestoraccompanied Tom to Shopton. Mr. Damon, with many blessings alsoaccompanied them, going to his home in Waterfield. Later it waslearned that the other boats from the RESOLUTE had been picked up, and the sailors and guests were all saved. 

Of course, as soon as our friends had been rescued by the steamer, the wireless operator aboard her, with whom Tom soon struck up anacquaintance, sent messages to the relatives of the castaways, apprising them of their safety. 

And the joy of Mary Nestor, when she found that it was Tom who hadsaved her parents, can well be imagined. As for our hero, well, hewas glad too--for Mary's sake. 

"I won't forget my promise to you, Tom Swift, " said Mr. BarcoeJenks, as he parted from the young inventor, and what the promisewas will be told in the next volume of this series, to be called:"Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers; or, The Secret of PhantomMountain. " In that Tom is destined to have many more surprisingadventures, as is also Mr. Damon, who learned new ways to call downblessings on himself and his possessions. 

And now, for a time, we will take leave of the young inventor andalso of his many friends, who never ceased to wonder over TomSwift's skill with the wireless. 

THE END