tom swift & his electric runabout(汤姆史威特和他的电力小轿车)-第16章
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wheels of the gasolene machine； but the driver did not know it。 His whole
attention was on the road ahead of him。
〃Half a mile more！〃 cried Ned； naming the distance which yet
remained of the straight stretch。 〃Can you do it； Tom？〃
His chum nodded。 He shoved the controller handle over to the last
notch； and then waited an anxious second。 Would the fuse carry the extra
load？ It seemed so； for there was a slight increase of power。
An instant later Tom gave a sudden twist to the steering wheel。 It was
well that he did； for he was passing the gasolene car dangerously close。
Then he was ahead of it； and in a second he was three lengths in advance。
Desperately the man opened his muffler； and sought to gain by this
advantage； but though his car gave off explosions like a battery of guns in
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action； he could not gain on Tom。 The electric shot around a curve in the
road； winner of the impromptu race by an eighth of a mile。
〃Well；〃 asked Tom of his chum； as he slowed down； for the road now
was not so good； 〃did I do it？〃
〃You certainly did。 Whew！ But we did scoot along？〃
〃Eighty miles an hour there one spell；〃 went on the young inventor；
glancing at a gauge。 〃But I've got to do better than that to win the big
race。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER XV
ANDY FOGER'S BLACK EYE
Around the bend came the six…cylinder touring car。 The driver； with a
surprised look on his face； was slacking up。 He ran his machine up
alongside of Tom's。
〃Say；〃 he asked； in dazed tones； 〃did you take a short cut； or anything
like that to get ahead of me？〃
〃No；〃 answered the youth。
〃And you didn't jump me in the air？〃
〃No；〃 was Tom's answer； smilingly given。
〃Well； all I've got to say is that you've got a wonderful car there； Mr。
erer〃 He paused suggestively。
〃Swift is my name；〃 our hero answered。 〃Thomas Swift； of Shopton。〃
〃Ah； I've heard of you。 My name is Layton Paul Layton。 I'm from
Netherton。 Let's see； you built an airship； didn't you？〃 〃I helped；〃 Tom
admitted modestly。
〃Well； you beat me fair and square； and if I do say it myself I've got a
fairly speedy car。 Took two firsts at the Indianapolis meet last month。 But
you certainly scooted ahead of me。 Where did you buy that electric； if I
may ask？〃
〃I made it。〃
〃I might have known；〃 admitted the man。 〃But are you going to put
them on the market？ If you are I'd like to get one。 I want the fastest car
going； and you seem to have it。〃
〃I hadn't thought of manufacturing them for sale；〃 said the young
inventor。 〃If I do； I'll let you know。〃
〃I wish you would。 My！ I had no idea you could beat me； but you did
fair and square。〃
There was some more talk； and then Mr。 Layton started on； after
exacting from Tom a further promise to let him know if any electrics were
to be made for sale。
〃You certainly have a wonderful car；〃 complimented Ned； as he and
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his chum took a short cut to Shopton。
〃Well； I'm not quite satisfied with it；〃 declared Tom。
〃Why not？〃
〃Well； I've set a hundred miles an hour as my limit。 I didn't make but
eighty to…day。 I've got to have more speed if I go up against the crowd that
will race for the touring club's prize。〃
〃Can you make a hundred miles？〃
〃I think so。 I've got to change my gears； though； and use heavier fuses。
I was afraid every second that one of the fuses would melt； and leave me
stranded。 But they stood pretty well。 Of course； when the car； geared as it
is now； has been run a little longer it will go faster； but it won't come up to
a hundred miles an hour。 That's what I want； and that's what I'm going to
get；〃 and the lad looked very determined。
Ned was taken to the bank； and； as Tom turned his machine around； to
go home； he saw； standing on the steps of the new bank； which was almost
across the street from the old one； Andy Foger； and the bully's father。 The
red…haired lad laughed at Tom's rough looking car； and said something to
his parent； but Mr。 Foger did not notice Tom。 Not that this caused our hero
any uneasiness； however。
But； as he swung away from the bank； he saw； coming up the street a
figure that instantly attracted his attention。 It was that of Mr。 Berg； and
Tom at once recalled the night he had pursued the submarine agent； and
torn loose his watch charm。 Mr。 Berg was evidently going to enter the new
bank； for； at the sight of the former agent； Mr。 Foger descended the steps；
and went to meet him。
Tom； however； had decided upon a plan of action。 He steered his
machine in toward the curb； ran up the steel wind…shield； and called：
〃Mr。 Berg！〃
〃Eh？ What's that？〃 asked the agent； in some surprise。 Then； as he
caught sight of Tom； and recognized him； he added： 〃I'm very busy now；
my young friend。 You'll have to excuse me。〃
〃I won't detain you a moment；〃 went on Tom； casually。 〃I have
something of yours that I wish to return to you。〃
〃Something of mine？〃 Mr。 Berg was evidently puzzled。 He approached
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the electric car； in spite of the fact that Mr。 Foger was calling him。
〃Something of mine？ What is it？〃
〃This！〃 exclaimed Tom suddenly； extending the compass watch charm；
which he always carried with him of late。
〃That！ Where did you get that。 I lost it〃
Mr。 Berg paused in some confusion。
〃I grabbed it off your watch chain the night you were hiding in our
shrubbery； and tripped me into the brook；〃 answered the lad； looking the
man squarely in the eye。
〃Hiding？ Tripped you？ Grabbed that off my chain〃 stammered Mr。
Berg。 He had taken the charm up in his fingers； but now he quickly
dropped it back into Tom's hand。 〃I guess you're mistaken；〃 he added
quickly。 〃That's not mine。 I never had one Ierthat's not mineat least…
…Oh； you'll have to excuse me； young man； I'm in a hurry； and I have an
important engagement！〃 and with that Mr。 Berg wheeled off； and joined
Mr。 Foger； who stood on the sidewalk； waiting for him。
〃I thought sure it was yours；〃 said Tom； easily。 〃Perhaps Mr。 Foger
will keep it in one of the safety…deposit boxes of his bank； until the owner
claims it；〃 and he looked at the banker。
〃What's that？〃 asked Andy's father。
〃This watch charm which I grabbed off Mr。 Berg's chain the night he
was sneaking around our house； and crossed the electric wires；〃 went on
the lad。
〃Don't listen to him。 He doesn't know what he is saying！〃 exclaimed
the former submarine boat agent。 〃It's not my charm。 He's crazy！〃
〃Oh； am I？〃 thought Tom； with a grim look on his face。 〃Well； we'll
see about that； Mr。 Berg；〃 and； putting the charm back in his pocket； Tom
swung his machine toward home； while the agent and the banker entered
the new institution。
〃So they're getting chummy；〃 mused Tom。 〃Andy and Berg were
friends when Andy shut me up in the submarine tank； and now Berg
comes here to do business； and Foger and his associates are trying to put
the old bank out of business。 I wonder if there's any connection there？ I
must keep my eyes open。 Berg is an unscrupulous man； and so is Andy's
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father； to say nothing of the red…haired bully himself。 He had nerve to deny
that was his charm。 Well； maybe I'll catch him some day。〃
Tom spent a busy week making new adjustments to his electric car；
changing the gear and providing for heavier fuses。 He was planning for
another trip on the road； as the time for the great race was drawing near；
and he wanted the mechanism to be in perfect shape。
One evening； as he was preparing for a short night trip to Mansburg；
where he had promised to call for Miss Nestor； Tom left his machine
standing in the road in front of the house； while he went back to get a robe；
as it threatened to be chilly。
As he came back to enter the car； he saw some one standing near it。
〃Is that you； Ned？〃 he called。 〃Come； take a spin。〃
Hardly had he spoken than there sounded from the machine a whirr
that told of the current being turned on。
〃Don't do that！〃 cried Tom； knowing at once that it could not be Ned；
who never meddled with the machinery。
A blinding flash and a loud report followed； and Tom saw some one
leap from his car； and try to run away。 But the figure stumbled； and； a
moment later the young inventor was upon him； grappling with him。
〃Here！ Let me go！〃 cried a voice； and Tom uttered an exclamation of
surprise。
〃Andy Foger！〃 he cried。 〃I've caught you！ You tried to damage my
car！〃
〃Yes； and I'm hurt； too！〃 whined Andy。 〃My father will sue you for
damages if I die。〃
〃No danger of that； you're too mean；〃 murmured Tom； as he
maintained a tight grip on the bully。
〃You let me go！〃 demanded Andy； squirming to get away。
〃Wait until I see what damage you've done；'~ retorted the young
inventor。 〃The worst； though； would be the blowing out of a fuse； for I had
the gear disconnected。 You wait a minute now。 Maybe it's you who'll have
to pay damages。〃
〃You let me go！〃 fairly screamed Andy； and he aimed a blow at Tom。 It
caught our hero on the chest and Tom's fighting blood was up in an instant。
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