Tom Swift & His Aerial Warship(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空战)

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TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

TOM SWIFT AND HIS

AERIAL WARSHIP

(or The Naval Terror of the Seas)

VICTOR APPLETON

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

CHAPTER I

TOM IS PUZZLED

"What's the matter, Tom? You look rather blue!"

"Blue! Say, Ned, I'd turn red, green, yellow, or any other color of the

rainbow, if I thought it would help matters any."

"Whew!"

Ned Newton, the chum and companion of Tom Swift, gave vent to a

whistle of surprise, as he gazed at the young fellow sitting opposite him,

near a bench covered with strange-looking tools and machinery, while

blueprints and drawings were scattered about.

Ranged on the sides of the room were models of many queer craft,

most of them flying machines of one sort or another, while through the

open door that led into a large shed could be seen the outlines of a speedy

monoplane. "As bad as that, eh, Tom?" went on Ned. "I thought

something was up when I first came in, but, if you'll excuse a second

mention of the color scheme, I should say it was blue--decidedly blue. You

look as though you had lost your last friend, and I want to assure you that

if you do feel that way, it's dead wrong. There's myself, for one, and I'm

sure Mr. Damon--"

"Bless my gasoline tank!" exclaimed Tom, with a laugh, in imitation of

the gentleman Ned Newton had mentioned, "I know that! I'm not worrying

over the loss of any friends."

"And there are Eradicate, and Koku, the giant, just to mention a couple

of others," went on Ned, with a smile.

"That's enough!" exclaimed Tom. "It isn't that, I tell you."

"Well, what is it then? Here I go and get a half-holiday off from the

bank, and just at the busiest time, too, to come and see you, and I find you

in a brown study, looking as blue as indigo, and maybe you're all yellow

inside from a bilious attack, for all I know."

"Quite a combination of colors," admitted Tom. "But it isn't what you

think. It's just that I'm puzzled, Ned."

"Puzzled?" and Ned raised his eyebrows to indicate how surprised he

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

was that anything should puzzle his friend.

"Yes, genuinely puzzled."

"Has anything gone wrong?" Ned asked. "No one is trying to take any

of your pet inventions away from you, is there?"

"No, not exactly that, though it is about one of my inventions I am

puzzled. I guess I haven't shown you my very latest; have I, Ned?"

"Well, I don't know, Tom. Time was when I could keep track of you

and your inventions, but that was in your early days, when you started

with a motorcycle and were glad enough to have a motorboat. But, since

you've taken to aerial navigation and submarine work, not to mention one

or two other lines of activity, I give up. I don't know where to look next,

Tom, for something new."

"Well, this isn't so very new," went on the young inventor, for Tom

Swift had designed and patented many new machines of the air, earth and

water. "I'm just trying to work out some new problems in aerial navigation,

Ned," he went on.

"I thought there weren't any more," spoke Ned, soberly enough.

"Come, now, none of that!" exclaimed Tom, with a laugh. "Why, the

surface of aerial navigation has only been scratched. The science is far

from being understood, or even made safe, not to say perfected, as water

and land travel have been. There's lots of chance yet."

"And you're working on something new?" asked Ned, as he looked

around the shop where he and Tom were sitting. As the young bank

employee had said, he had come away from the institution that afternoon

to have a little holiday with his chum, but Tom, seated in the midst of his

inventions, seemed little inclined to jollity.

Through the open windows came the hum of distant machinery, for

Tom Swift and his father were the heads of a company founded to

manufacture and market their many inventions, and about their home were

grouped several buildings. From a small plant the business had grown to

be a great tree, under the direction of Tom and his father.

"Yes, I'm working on something new," admitted Tom, after a moment

of silence.

"And, Ned," he went on, "there's no reason why you shouldn't see it.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

I've been keeping it a bit secret, until I had it a little further advanced, but

I've got to a point now where I'm stuck, and perhaps it will do me good to

talk to someone about it."

"Not to talk to me, though, I'm afraid. What I don't know about

machinery, Tom, would fill a great many books. I don't see how I can help

you," and Ned laughed.

"Well, perhaps you can, just the same, though you may not know a lot

of technical things about machines. It sometimes helps me just to tell my

troubles to a disinterested person, and hear him ask questions. I've got dad

half distracted trying to solve the problem, so I've had to let up on him for

a while. Come on out and see what you make of it."

"Sure, Tom, anything to oblige. If you want me to sit in front of your

photo-telephone, and have my picture taken, I'm agreeable, even if you

shoot off a flashlight at my ear. Or, if you want me to see how long I can

stay under water without breathing I'll try that, too, provided you don't

leave me under too long, lead the way--I'm agreeable as far as I'm able,

old man."

"Oh, it isn't anything like that," Tom answered with a laugh. "I might

as well give you a few hints, so you'll know what I'm driving at. Then I'll

take you out and show it to you."

"What is it--air, earth or water?" asked Ned Newton, for he knew his

chum's activities led along all three lines.

"This happens to be air."

"A new balloon?"

"Something like that. I call it my aerial warship, though."

"Aerial warship, Tom! That sounds rather dangerous!"

"It will be dangerous, too, if I can get it to work. That's what it's

intended for."

"But a warship of the air!" cried Ned. "You can't mean it. A warship

carries guns, mortars, bombs, and--"

"Yes, I know," interrupted Tom, "and I appreciate all that when I called

my newest craft an aerial warship."

"But," objected Ned, "an aircraft that will carry big guns will be so

large that--"

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

"Oh, mine is large enough," Tom broke in.

"Then it's finished!" cried Ned eagerly, for he was much interested in

his chum's inventions.

"Well, not exactly," Tom said. "But what I was going to tell you was

that all guns are not necessarily large. You can get big results with small

guns and projectiles now, for high-powered explosives come in small

packages. So it isn't altogether a question of carrying a certain amount of

weight. Of course, an aerial warship will have to be big, for it will have to

carry extra machinery to give it extra speed, and it will have to carry a

certain armament, and a large crew will be needed. So, as I said, it will

need to be large. But that problem isn't worrying me."

"Well, what is it, then?" asked Ned.

"It's the recoil," said Tom, with a gesture of despair.

"The recoil?" questioned Ned, wonderingly.

"Yes, from the guns, you know. I haven't been able to overcome that,

and, until I do, I'm afraid my latest invention will be a failure."

Ned shook his head.

"I'm afraid I can't help you any," he said. "The only thing I know about

recoils is connected with an old shotgun my father used to own.

"I took that once, when he didn't know it," Ned proceeded. "It was

pretty heavily loaded, for the crows had been having fun in our cornfield,

and dad had been shooting at them. This time I thought I'd take a chance.

"Well, I fired the gun. But it must have had a double charge in it and

been rusted at that. All I know is that after I pulled the trigger I thought the

end of the world had come. I heard a clap of thunder, and then I went

flying over backward into a blackberry patch."

"That was the recoil," said Tom.

"The what?" asked Ned.

"The recoil. The recoil of the gun knocked you over.

"Oh, yes," observed Ned, rubbing his shoulder in a reflective sort of

way. "I always thought it was something like that. But, at the time I put it

down to an explosion, and let it go at that."

"No, it wasn't an explosion, properly speaking," said Tom. "You see,

when powder explodes, in a gun, or otherwise, its force is exerted in all

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

directions, up, down and every way.

"This went mostly backward--in my direction," said Ned ruefully.

"You only thought so," returned Tom. "Most of the power went out in

front, to force out the shot. Part of it, of course, was exerted on the barrel

of the gun--that was sideways--but the strength of the steel held it in. And

part of the force went backward against your shoulder. That part was the

recoil, and it is the recoil of the guns I figure on putting aboard my aerial

warship that is giving me such trouble."

"Is that what makes you look so blue?" asked Ned.

"That's it. I can't seem to find a way by which to take up the recoil, and

the force of it, from all the guns I want to carry, will just about tear my

ship to pieces, I figure."

"Then you haven't actually tried it out yet?" asked Ned.

"Not the guns, no. I have the warship of the air nearly done, but I've

worked out on paper the problem of the guns far enough so that I know

I'm up against it. It can't be done, and an aerial warship without guns

wouldn't be worth much, I'm afraid."

"I suppose not," agreed Ned. "And is it only the recoil that is bothering

you?"

"Mostly. But come, take a look at my latest pet," and Tom arose to lead

the way to another shed, a large one in the distance, toward which he

waved his hand to indicate to his chum that there was housed the

wonderful invention.

The two chums crossed the yard, threading their way through the

various buildings, until they stood in front of the structure to which Tom

had called attention.

"It's in here," he said. "I don't mind admitting that I'm quite proud of it,

Ned; that is, proud as far as I've gone. But the gun business sure has me

worried. I'm going to talk it off on you. Hello!" cried Tom suddenly, as he

put a key in the complicated lock on the door, "someone has been in here.

I wonder who it is?"

Ned was a little startled at the look on Tom s face and the sound of

alarm in his chum's voice.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

CHAPTER II

A FIRE ALARM

Tom Swift quickly opened the door of the big shed. It was built to

house a dirigible balloon, or airship of some sort. Ned could easily tell that

from his knowledge of Tom's previous inventions.

"Something wrong?" asked the young bank clerk.

"I don't know," returned Tom, and then as he looked inside the place,

he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's you, is it, Koku?" he asked, as a veritable giant of a man came

forward.

"Yes, master, it is only Koku and your father," spoke the big chap, with

rather a strange accent.

"Oh, is my father here?" asked Tom. "I was wondering who had

opened the door of this shed."

"Yes, Tom," responded the elder Swift, coming up to them, "I had a

new idea in regard to some of those side guy wires, and I wanted to try it

out. I brought Koku with me to use his strength on some of them."

"That's all right, Dad. Ned and I came out to wrestle with that recoil

problem again. I want to try some guns on the craft soon, but--"

"You'd better not, Tom," warned his father. "It will never work, I tell

you. You can't expect to take up quick-firing guns and bombs in an airship,

and have them work properly. Better give it up."

"I never will. I'll make it work, Dad!"

"I don't believe you will, Tom. This time you have bitten off more than

you can chew, to use a homely but expressive statement."

"Well, Dad, we'll see," began Tom easily. "There she is, Ned," he went

on. "Now, if you'll come around here

But Tom never finished that sentence, for at that moment there came

running into the airship shed an elderly, short, stout, fussy gentleman,

followed by an aged colored man. Both of them seemed very much

excited.

"Bless my socks, Tom!" cried the short, stout man. "There sure is

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

trouble!"

"I should say So, Massa Tom!" added the colored man. "I done did

prognosticate dat some day de combustible material of which dat shed am

composed would conflaggrate--"

"What's the matter?" interrupted Tom, jumping forward. "Speak out!

Eradicate! Mr. Damon, what is it?"

"The red shed!" cried the short little man. "The red shed, Tom

"It's on fire!" yelled the colored man.

"Great thunderclaps!" cried Tom. "Come on --everybody on the job!"

he yelled. "Koku, pull the alarm! If that red shed goes--"

Instantly the place was in confusion. Tom and Ned, looking from a

window of the hangar, saw a billow of black smoke roll across the yard.

But already the private fire bell was clanging out its warning. And, while

the work of fighting the flames is under way, I will halt the progress of this

story long enough to give my new readers a little idea of who Tom Swift is,

so they may read this book more intelligently. Those of you who have

perused the previous volumes may skip this part.

Tom Swift, though rather young in years, was an inventor of note. His

tastes and talents were developed along the line of machinery and

locomotion. Motorcycles, automobiles, motorboats, submarine craft, and,

latest of all, craft of the air, had occupied the attention of Tom Swift and

his father for some years.

Mr. Swift was a widower, and lived with Tom, his only son, in the

village of Shopton, New York State. Mrs. Baggert kept house for them,

and an aged colored man, Eradicate Sampson, with his mule, Boomerang,

did "odd jobs" about the Shopton home and factories.

Among Tom's friends was a Mr. Wakefield Damon, from a nearby

village. Mr. Damon was always blessing something, from his hat to his

shoes, a harmless sort of habit that seemed to afford him much comfort.

Then there was Ned Newton, a boyhood chum of Tom's, who worked in

the Shopton bank. I will just mention Mary Nestor, a young lady of

Shopton, in whom Tom was more than ordinarily interested. I have spoken

of Koku, the giant. He really was a giant of a man, of enormous strength,

and was one of two whom Tom had brought with him from a strange land

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

where Tom was held captive for a time. You may read about it in a book

devoted to those adventures.

Tom took Koku into his service, somewhat to the dismay of Eradicate,

who was desperately jealous. But poor Eradicate was getting old, and

could not do as much as he thought he could. So, in a great measure, Koku

replaced him, and Tom found much use for the giant's strength.

Tom had begun his inventive work when, some years before this story

opens, he had bargained for Mr. Damon's motorcycle, after that machine

had shot its owner into a tree. Mr. Damon was, naturally, perhaps, much

disgusted, and sold the affair cheap. Tom repaired it, made some

improvements, and, in the first volume of this series, entitled "Tom Swift

and His Motorcycles," you may read of his rather thrilling adventures on

his speedy road-steed.

From then on Tom had passed a busy life, making many machines and

having some thrilling times with them. Just previous to the opening of this

story Tom had made a peculiar instrument, described in the volume

entitled "Tom Swift and His Photo- Telephone." With that a person talking

could not only see the features of the person with whom he was

conversing, but, by means of a selenium plate and a sort of camera, a

permanent picture could be taken of the person at either end of the wire.

By means of this invention Tom had been able to make a picture that

had saved a fortune. But Tom did not stop there. With him to invent was as

natural and necessary as breathing. He simply could not stop it. And so we

find him now about to show to his chum, Ned Newton, his latest patent, an

aerial warship, which, however, was not the success Tom had hoped for.

But just at present other matters than the warship were in Tom's mind.

The red shed was on fire.

That mere statement might not mean anything special to the ordinary

person, but to Tom, his father, and those who knew about his shops, it

meant much.

"The red shed!" Tom cried. "We mustn't let that get the best of us!

Everybody at work! Father, not you, though. You mustn't excite yourself!"

Even in the midst of the alarm Tom thought of his father, for the aged

man had a weak heart, and had on one occasion nearly expired, being

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

saved just in time by the arrival of a doctor, whom Tom brought to the

scene after a wonderful race through the air.

"But, Tom, I can help," objected the aged inventor.

"Now, you just take care of yourself, Father!" Tom cried. "There are

enough of us to look after this fire, I think."

"But, Tom, it--it's the red shed!" gasped Mr. Swift.

"I realize that, Dad. But it can't have much of a start yet. Is the alarm

ringing, Koku?"

"Yes, Master," replied the giant, in correct but stilted English. "I have

set the indicator to signal the alarm in every shop on the premises."

"That's right." Tom sprang toward the door. "Eradicate!" he called.

"Yais, sah! Heah I is!" answered the colored man. "I'll go git mah mule,

Boomerang, right away, an' he--"

"Don't you bring Boomerang on the scene!" Tom yelled. "When I want

that shed kicked apart I can do it better than by using a mule's heels. And

you know you can't do a thing with Boomerang when he sees fire."

"Now dat's so, Massa Tom. But I could put blinkers on him, an'--"

"No, you let Boomerang stay where he is. Come on, Ned. We'll see

what we can do. Mr. Damon--"

"Yes, Tom, I'm right here," answered the peculiar man, for he had

come over from his home in Waterford to pay a visit to his friends, Tom

and Mr. Swift. "I'll do anything I can to help you, Tom, bless my necktie!"

he went on. "Only say the word!"

"We've got to get some of the stuff out of the place!" Tom cried. "We

may be able to save it, but I can't take a chance on putting out the fire and

letting some of the things in there go up in smoke. Come on!"

Those in the shed where was housed what Tom hoped would prove to

be a successful aerial warship rushed to the open. From the other shops

and buildings nearby were pouring men and boys, for the Swift plant

employed a number of hands now.

Above the shouts and yells, above the crackle of flames, could be

heard the clanging of the alarm bell, set ringing by Koku, who had pulled

the signal in the airship shed. From there it had gone to every building in

the plant, being relayed by the telephone operator, whose duty it was to

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TOMSWIFTANDHISAERIALWARSHIP1TOMSWIFTANDHISAERIALWARSHIP(orTheNavalTerroroftheSeas)VICTORAPPLETONTOMSWIFTANDHISAERIALWARSHIP2CHAPTERITOMISPUZZLED"What'sthematter,Tom?Youlookratherblue!""Blue!Say,Ned,I'dturnred,green,yellow,oranyothercoloroftherainbow,ifIthoughtitwouldhelpmattersany.""Whew!"NedNewton,...

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Tom Swift & His Aerial Warship(汤姆·史威夫特和他的空战)

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