Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout; Or The Speediest Car on the Road Read online

  CHAPTER V

  A MIDNIGHT ENCOUNTER

  The moment Tom disappeared behind his machine shop, Sam Snedecker begana desperate struggle to escape from Ned Newton. Now Ned was a muscularlad, but his work in the bank was confining, and he did not have thechance to get out doors and exercise, as Sam had. Consequently Ned hadhis hands full in holding to the squirming crony of Andy Foger.

  "You let me go!" demanded Sam, as he tried to twist loose.

  "Not if I know it!" panted Ned.

  Sam gave a sudden twist. Ned's foot slipped in the grass, and in amoment he went down, with Sam on top of him. Still he did not let go,and, finding he was still a prisoner Sam adopted new tactics.

  Using his fists Sam began to pound Ned, but the bank employee, thoughsuffering, would not call for help, to summon back Tom, who was, bythis time, at the rear of the shop, looking about. Silently in thedark the two fought, and Ned found that Sam was getting away. ThenNed's hand came in contact with Sam's ear. It was the misfortune of thebully to have rather a large hearing apparatus, and once Ned got hisfingers on an ear there was room enough to afford a good grip. Heclosed his hold tightly, and began to twist. This was too much for Sam.He set up a lusty howl.

  "Wow! Ouch! Let go!" he pleaded, and he ceased to pound Ned, and nolonger tried to escape. Tom came back on the run.

  "What's the matter?" he cried. Then his light flashed on the twoprostrate lads, and he understood without asking any further questions.

  "Get up!" he cried, seizing Sam by the back of his neck, and yankinghim to his feet. Ned arose, and secured a better grip on the sneakinglad.

  "What's up?" demanded Tom, and Ned explained, following it by thequestion:

  "See any more of 'em?"

  "No, I guess he was here all alone," replied the young inventor. "Whatdo you mean by sneaking around here this time of night?" he demanded ofthe captive.

  "Don't you wish you knew?" was Sam's answer, with a leer. He realizedthat he had a certain advantage.

  "You'd better tell before I turn you over to the police!" said Tom,sternly.

  "You--you wouldn't do that; would you?" and Sam's voice that had beenbold, became shaky.

  "You were trespassing on our property, and that's against the law,"declared Tom. "We have signs posted, warning people to keep off."

  "I didn't mean any harm," whined Sam.

  "Then what were you doing here, at this hour?"

  "I was just taking a short cut home. I was out riding with Andy in hisauto, and it broke down. I had to walk home, and I came this way. Ididn't know you didn't allow people to cross your back lot. I wasn'tdoin' anything."

  Tom hesitated. Sam might be telling the truth, but it was doubtful.

  "What happened to Andy's auto?" the young inventor asked.

  "He broke a wheel, going over a big stone on Berk's hill. He went totell some one in the repair shop to go after the car, and I came onhome. You've got no right to arrest me."

  "I ought to, on general principles," commented Tom. "Well, skip out,and don't you come around here again. I'm going to get a savage bulldog, and the first one who comes sneaking around here after dark willbe sorry. Move along now!"

  Tom and Ned released their holds of Sam, and the latter lost no time inobeying the injunction to make himself scarce. He was soon lost tosight in the darkness.

  "Think he was up to some mischief?" asked Ned.

  "I'm almost sure of it," replied Tom, "but I can't see anything wrong.I guess we were too quick for him. I believe he, Andy and Pete Baileytried to put up some job on me."

  "Maybe they wanted to damage your new battery or car," suggested Ned.

  "Hardly that. The car hasn't been started yet, and as for the battery,no one knows of it outside of you and my friends here. I'm keeping itsecret. Well, if I'm going to take you home I'd better get a move on.Wait here and I'll run out Mr. Damon's car."

  In a short time Tom was guiding the machine over the road to Shopton,Ned on the seat beside him. The young assistant cashier lived about amile the other side of the village, and the two chums were soon at hishouse. Asking his friend to come and see him when he had a chance. Nedbid his chum good night, and the young inventor started back home.

  He was driving slowly along, thinking more of his new invention thananything else, even more than of the mysterious visit of Sam Snedecker,when the lights on Mr. Damon's car flashed upon something big, blackand bulky on the road just ahead of him. Tom, brought suddenly out ofhis fit of musing, jammed on the brakes, and steered to one side. Thenhe saw that the object was a stalled auto. He had only time to notethis when a voice hailed him:

  "Have you a tire pump you could lend us? Ours doesn't work, and we havehad a blowout."

  There was something about the voice that was strangely familiar, andTom was wondering where he had heard it before, when into the glare ofthe lamps on his machine stepped Mr. Foger--Andy's father!

  "Why, Mr. Foger!" exclaimed Tom. "I didn't know it was you."

  "Oh, it's Tom Swift," remarked the man, and he did not seem especiallypleased.

  "Hey! What's that?" cried another voice, which Tom had no difficulty inrecognizing as belonging to Andy. "What's the matter, Dad?"

  "Why it happens to be your--ahem! It's Tom Swift in this other auto,"went on Mr. Foger. "I didn't know you had a car," he added.

  "I haven't," answered the lad. "This belongs to Mr. Damon. But can yousee to fix your tire in the dark?" for Mr. Foger and his son had nolamps lighted.

  "Oh, we have it all fixed," declared the man, "and, just as we weregoing to pump it up out lamps went out. Then we found that our pumpwouldn't work. If you have one I would be obliged for the use of it,"and he spoke somewhat stiffly.

  "Certainly," agreed Tom, cheerfully, for he had no special grudgeagainst Mr. Foger, though had he known Andy's father's plans, perhapsour hero would not have so readily aided him. The young inventor gotdown, removed one of his oil lamps in order that there might be somelight on the operation, and then brought over his pump.

  "I heard you had an accident," said Tom, a chain of thoughts beingrapidly forged in his mind, as he thought of what Sam had told him.

  "You heard of it?" repeated Mr. Foger, while Andy was busy pumping upthe tire.

  "Yes, a friend who was out riding with you said you had broken a wheelon Berk's hill. But I see he was slightly wrong. You're a good way fromBerk's hill, and it's a tire that is broken, not a wheel."

  "But I don't understand," said Mr. Foger. "No friend has been outriding with us. My son and I were out on a business trip, and--"

  "Come on, pop. I've got it all pumped up. Jump in. There's your pump,Tom Swift. Much obliged," muttered Andy hastily. It was very evidentthat he wanted to prevent any further conversation between his parentand Tom.

  "But I don't understand," went on the banker, clearly puzzled. "Whatfriend gave you such information, Mr.--er--Tom Swift?"

  "Sam Snedecker," replied the lad quickly. "I caught him sneaking aroundmy machine shop about an hour ago, and when I asked him what he wasdoing he said he'd been out riding with Andy, and that they broke awheel. I'm glad it was only a blown-out tire," and Tom's voice had acurious note in it.

  "But there must be some mistake," insisted Mr. Foger. "Sam Snedeckerwas not riding with us this evening. We have been over toWaterfield--my son and I, and--"

  "Come on, pop!" cried Andy desperately. "We must hurry home. Mom willbe worried."

  "Yes, I think she will. But I can't understand why Sam should say sucha thing. However, we are much obliged for the use of your pump, Swift,and--"

  But Andy prevented any further talk by starting the car with themuffler open, making a great racket, and he hurriedly drove off, almostbefore his father was seated, leaving Tom standing there in the road,beside his pump and lantern.

  "So," mused the young inventor, "there's some game on. Sam wasn't withAndy, yet Andy evidently knew where Sam was, or he wouldn't have beenso anxious to choke off talk. Mr. Foger knew nothing of Sam, naturally.But why have Andy and his father been on a midnight trip to Waterfield?"

  That last question caused Tom to adopt a new line of thought.

  "Waterfield," he mused. "That's where Mr. Damon lives. Mr. Damon is aheavy depositor in the old bank. Mr. Foger is going to start a newbank. I wonder if there's any connection there? This is gettingmysterious. I must keep my eyes open. I never expected to meet Andy andhis father to-night, any more than I expected to find Sam Snedeckersneaking around my shop, but it's a good thing I discovered bothparties. I guess Andy must have had nervous prostration when I wastalking to his father," and Tom grinned at the thought. Then, pickingup the pump, and fastening the lantern in place, he drove Mr. Damon'sauto slowly back home.

  Tom said nothing to his father or Mr. Sharp, the next morning, aboutthe incidents of the previous night. In the first place he could notexactly understand them, and he wanted to devote more time to thinkingof them, before he mentioned the matter to his parent. Another reasonwas that Mr. Swift was a very nervous person, and the least thing outof the ordinary worried him. So the young inventor concluded to keepquiet.

  His first act, after going to look at the small motor, which was beingrun with the larger, experimental storage battery, was to get outpencil and paper.

  "I've got to plan the electric auto now that my battery is in a fairway to success," he said, for he noted that the one cell he hadconstructed had done over twice as much mileage in proportion, as hadthe small battery. "I'll soon start building the car," mused Tom, "andthen I'll enter it in the race. I must write to that touring club andfind how much time I have."

  All that morning the young inventor drew plan after plan for anelectric runabout, and rejected them. Finally he threw aside paper andpencil and exclaimed:

  "It's no use. I can't think to-day. I'm dwelling too much on whathappened last night. I must clear my brain.

  "I know what I'll do. I'll get in my motor-boat and take a run over toWaterfield to see Mr. Damon. Maybe he's home by this time. Then I canask him what Mr. Foger wanted to see him about, if he did call."

  It was a fine May morning, and Tom was soon in his boat, the Arrow,gliding over Lake Carlopa, the waters of which sparkled in the sun. Ashe speeded up his craft, the lad looked about, thinking he might catchsight of Andy Foger, for the bully also owned a boat, called the RedStreak and, more than once, in spite of the fact that Andy's craft wasthe more powerful, Tom had beaten him in impromptu races. But there wasno sign of his rival this morning, and Tom kept on to Waterfield. Hefound that Mr. Damon had not yet returned home.

  "So far I've had my run for nothing," mused the youth. "Well, I mightas well spend the rest of the morning in the boat."

  He swung his craft out into the lake, and headed back toward Mansburg,intending to run up to the head of the body of water, which offered somany attractions that beautiful morning.

  As Tom passed a small dock he saw a girl just putting out in a rowboat.The figure looked familiar and, having nothing special to do, the ladsteered over closer. His first view was confirmed, and he called outcheerfully:

  "Good morning, Miss Nestor. Going for a row?"

  "Oh! Mr. Swift!" exclaimed the girl with a blush. "I didn't hear youcoming. You startled me."

  "Yes, the engine runs quite silently since I fixed it," resumed Tom."But where are you going?"

  "I was going for a row," answered the girl, "but I have just discoveredthat one of the oar locks is broken, so I am not going for a row," andshe laughed, showing her white, even teeth.

  "That's too bad!" remarked the lad. "I don't suppose," he addeddoubtfully, "that I could induce you to accept a motor-boat as asubstitute for a rowing craft, could I?" and he looked quizzically ather.

  "Are you asking me that as a hypothetical question?" she inquired.

  "Yes," said Tom, trying not to smile.

  "Well, if you are asking for information, merely, I will say that Icould be induced to make such a change," and her face was nearly asgrave as that of the young inventor's.

  "What inducement would have to be used?" he asked.

  "Suppose you just ask me in plain English to come and have a ride?" shesuggested.

  "All right, I will!" exclaimed the youth.

  "All right, then I'll come!" she retorted with a laugh, and a fewminutes later the two were in the Arrow, making a pretty picture asthey speeded up the lake.