UC-NRLF SbE TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCH LIGHT VICTOR APPLETON v/v - CURRICULUM SECTION EDUCATION LIBRARY NOV 6 . 1952 ItY OF CALIFORNIA "CLIMB : UPl CLIMB UP!" YELLED TOM, THROUGH THE MEGAPHONE. Pag* 137 T0m Stvift and His Great Searchlight TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT OR On the Border for Uncle Sam BY VICTOR APPLETON AUTHOR OF "TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-CYCLE," **TOM SWIFT AMD SUBMARINE BOAT," "TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE." "TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY." ETC ILLUSTRATED NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS CURRICULUM SECTION EDUCATION LIBRARY MOV/ fi 195? UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 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 TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD Or Marvelous Adventures Underground TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER Or Seeking the Platinum Treasure TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY Or A Daring Escape by Airship TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA OrThrilling Adventures While Taking MovingPicture* TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT Or On the Border for Uncle Sam 12mo. Cloth Illustrated. GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK COPYRIGHT, 1912 BY GROSSET & DUNLAP Tom S-wtft and Hts Great Searchlight CONTENTS CHAPTER I A SCRAP OF PAPER X II A SPY IN TOWN ia III QUEER REPAIRS 23 IV SEARCHING FOR SMUGGLERS 31 V THE RAID 41 VI THE APPEAL TO TOM 5C VII A SEARCHLIGHT is NEEDED 57 VIII TOM'S NEWEST INVENTION 67 IX "BEWARE OF THE COMET !" 74 X OFF FOR THE BORDER 87 XI ANDY'S NEW AIRSHIP 95 XII WARNED AWAY 107 XIII KOKU SAVES THE LIGHT 115 XIV A FALSE CLEW 121 XV THE RESCUE ON THE LAKE 132 XVI KOKU'S PRISONER 138 XVII WHAT THE INDIAN SAW 147 XVIII THE PURSUIT 157 XIX IN DIRE PERIL 163 XX SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS 169 iii M75l?860 CONTENTS CHAPTER XXI MR. PERIOD ARRIVES ........................ 177 XXII HOVERING O'ER THE BORDER ................. 185 XXIII NED is MISSING ........................... 191 XXIV THE NIGHT RACE .......................... 196 XXV THE CAPTURECONCLUSION.. 202 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT CHAPTER I A SCRAP OF PAPER "ToM, did you know Andy Foger was back In town?" "Great Scott, no, I didn't Ned! Not to stay, I hope." "I guess not. The old Foger homestead is closed up, though I did see ~ man working around it to-day as I came past. But he was a carpenter, making some repairs I think. No, I don't believe Andy is here to stay." "But if some one is fixing up the house, it looks as if the family would come back," re- marked Tom, as he thought of the lad who had so long been his enemy, and who had done him many mean turns before leaving Shopton, where our hero lived. * a TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "I don't think so," was the opinion of Ned Newton, who was Tom Swift's particular chum, "You know when Mr. Foger lost all his money, the house was supposed to be sold. But I heard later that there was some flaw in the title, and the sale fell through. It is because he couldn't sell the place that Mr. Foger couldn't get money to pay some of his debts. He has some claim on the house, I believe, but I don't believe he'd come back to live in it." "Why not?" "Because it's too expensive a place for a poor man to keep up, and Mr, Foger is now poor." "Yes, he didn't get any of the gold, as we did when we went to the underground city," re- marked Tom. "Well, I don't wish anybody bad luck but I certainly hope the Fogers keep poor enough to stay away from Shopton. They bothered me enough. But where did you see Andy?" "Oh, he was with his crony, Sam Snedeck'er. You know Sam said, some time ago, that Andy was to pay him a visit, but Andy didn't come then, for some reason or other. I suppose this call makes up for it. I met them down near Parker's drug store." "You didn't hear Andy say anything about A SCRAP OF PAPER 3 coming back here?" and the young inventor's voice was a trifle anxious. "No," replied Ned. "What makes you so nervous about it?" "Well, Ned, you know what Andy is always^ trying to make trouble for me, even sneaking in I my shop sometimes, trying to get the secret oJE some of my airships and machinery. And I ad- * mit I think it looks suspicious when they have a carpenter working on the old homestead. Andy may come back, and " "Nonsence, Tom! If he does you and I can handle him. But I think perhaps the house may be rented, and they may be fixing it up for a tenant. It's been vacant a long time you know, and I heard the other day that it was haunted." "Haunted, Ned! Get out! Say, you don't be- lieve in that sort of bosh, do you?" "Of course not. It was Eradicate who told me, and he said when he came past the place quite late the other night he heard groans, and the clanking of chains coming from it, and he saw flashing lights." "Oh, wow! Eradicate is getting batty in hw old age, poor fellow ! He and his mule Boomerang are growing old together, and I guess my colored helper is 'seeing things/ as well as hearing them. But, as you say, it may be that the house is going 4 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT to be rented. It's too valuable a property to let stand idle. Did you hear how long Andy was going to stay?" "A week, I believe." "A week! Say, one day would be enough I should think." "You must have some special reason for being afraid Andy will do you some harm," exclaimed Ned. "Out with it, Tom." "Well, I'll tell you what it is, Ned," and Tom led his chum inside the shop, in front of which the two lads had been talking. It was a shop iwhere the young inventor constructed many of mis marvelous machines, aircraft, and instruments m various sorts. "Do you think some one may hear you?" asked Ned. "They might. I'm not taking any chances. But the reason I want to be especially careful that Andy Foger doesn't spy on any of my in- ventions is that at last I have perfected my noiseless airship motor!" "You have!" cried Ned, for he knew that his chum had been working for a long time on this motor, that would give out no sound, no matter at how high a speed it was run. "That's great, Tom! I congratulate you. I don't wonder you don't want Andy to get even a peep at it." A SCRAP OF PAPER g "Especially as I haven't it fully patented," Went on the young inventor. He had met with many failures in his efforts to perfect this motor, which he intended to install on one of his airships. "If any one saw the finished parts now it wouldn't! take them long to find out the secret of doing- away with the noise." "How do you do it?" asked Ned, for he real- ized that his chum had no secrets from him. "Well, it's too complicated to describe," said Tom, "but the secret lies in a new way of feed- ing gasoline into the motor, a new sparking de- vice, and an improved muffler. I think I could' start my new airship in front of the most skittish ' horse, and he wouldn't stir, for the racket wouldn't wake a baby. It's going to be great." "What are you going to do with it, when you get it all completed?" "I haven't made up my mind yet. It's going to be some time before I get it all put together, and installed, and in that time something may turn up. Well, let's talk about something more pleasant than Andy Foger. I guess I won't worry about him." "No, I wouldn't. I'd like to see the motor run." "You can, in a day or so, but just now I need a certain part to attach to the sparker, and I had to send to town for it. Koku has gone after it" g TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT "What, that big giant servant? He might break it on the way back, he's so strong. He 'doesn't realize how much muscle he has." "No, that's so. Well, while we're waiting for him, come on in the house, and I'll show you some new books I got." The two lads were soon in the Swift home- stead, a pleasant and large old-fashioned resi- dence, in the suburbs of Shopton. Tom brought out the books, and he and his chum poured over them. "Mr. Damon gave me that one on electricity," explained the young inventor, handing Ned a bulky volume. " 'Bless my bookmark!' as Mr. Damon him- self would say if he were here," exclaimed Ned with a laugh. "That's a dandy. But Mr. Damon didn't give you this one," and Ned picked up a dainty volume of verse. " To Tom Swift, with the best wishes of Mary ' " but that was as far as he read, for Tom grabbed the book away, and closed the cover over the flyleaf, which bore some writing in a girl's hand. I think my old readers can guess whose hand it was. "Wow! Tom Swift reading poetry!" laughed Ned. "Oh, cut it out," begged his chum. "I didn't Know that was among the books. I got it lasj* A SCRAP OF PAPER j Christmas. Now here's a dandy one on lion hunting, Ned," and to cover his confusion Tom shoved over a book containing many pictures of wild animals. "Lion hunting; eh," remarked Ned. "Well, I guess you could give them some points on snap- ping lions with your moving picture camera, Tom." "Yes, I got some good views," admitted the young inventor modestly. "I may take the camera along on some trips in my noiseless air- ship. Hello ! here comes Koku back. I hope he .Jot what I wanted." A man, immense in size, a veritable giant, one fcf two whom Tom Swift had brought away from captivity with him, was entering the front gate. He stopped to speak to Mr. Swift, Tom's father, who was setting out some plants in a flower bed, taking them from a large wheel barrow filled with the blooms. Mr. Swift, who was an inventor of note, had failed in his health of late, and the doctor had recommended him to be out of doors as much as possible. He delighted in gardening, and was at it all day. "Look!" suddenly cried Ned, pointing to the giant. Then Tom and his chum saw a strange sight 8 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT With a booming laugh, Koku picked up Mr. Swift gently and set him on a board that ex- tended across the front part of the wheel barrow. Then, as easily as if it was a pound weight, the big man lifted Mr. Swift, barrow, plants and all, in his two hands, and carried them across the garden to another flower bed, that was ready to be filled. "No use to walk when I can carry you, Mr. Swift," exclaimed Koku with a laugh. "I over- took you quite nice; so?" "Yes, you took me over in great shape, Koku!" replied the aged inventor with a smile at Koku's English, for the giant frequently got his words backwards. "That barrow is quite heavy for me to wheel." "You after this call me," suggested Koku. ".Say, but he's strong all right," exclaimed Ned, "and that was an awkward thing to carry." "It sure was," agreed Tom. "I haven't yet seen any one strong enough to match Koku. And he's gentle about it, too. He's very fond of dad." "And you too, I guess," added Ned. "Well, Koku, did you get that attachment?" asked Tom, as his giant servant entered the room. "Yes, Mr. Tom. I have it here," and from his pocket Koku drew a heavy piece of steel that would have taxed the strength of either of thg A SCRAP OF PAPER g boys to lift with one hand.j But Koku's pockets were very large and made specially strong of leather, for he was continually putting odd things in them. Koku handed over the attachment, for which his master had sent him. He held it out on a couple of fingers, as one might a penknife, but Tom took both hands to set it on the grounl. "I the female get, also," went on Koku, as he began taking some letters and papers from his pocket. "I stop in the office post, and the fe- male get." "Mail, Koku, not female," corrected Tom witK a laugh. "A female is a lady you know/' "For sure I know, and the lady in the post of- fice gave me the female. That is I said what, didlnots?" "Well, I guess you meant it all right," re- marked Ned. "But letter mail and a male man and a female woman are all different." "Oh such a language!" gasped the giant. "I shall never learn it. Well, then, Mr. Tom, here is your mail, that the female lady gave to me for you, and you are a male. It is very strange." Koku pulled out a bundle of letters, which Torn took, and then the giant continued to delve for more. One of the papers, rolled in a wrapper, stuck on the edge of the pocket. 10 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT "You must outcome!" exclaimed Koku, giving it a sudden yank, and it "outcame" with such suddenness that the paper was torn in half, tight- ly wrapped as it was, and it was considerable of a bundle. "Koku, you're getting too strong!" exclaimed Tom, as scraps of paper were scattered about the room. "I think I'll give you less to eat." "I am your forgiveness," said Koku humbly, as he stooped over to pick up the fragments. "I did not mean." "It's all right," said Tom kindly. "That's only a big bundle of Sunday papers I guess." "I'll give him a hand," volunteered Ned, stoop* ing over to help Koku clear the rug of the litter. As he did so Tom's chum gave a gasp of surprise. "Hello, Tom!" Ned cried. "Here's something new, and I guess it will interest you." "What is it?" "It's part of an account of some daring smug- glers who are working goods across the Canadian border into the northern part of this state. The piece is torn, but there's something here which says the government agents suspect the men of using airships to transport the stuff." "Airships! Smugglers using airships!" cried Tom. " It doesn't seem possible ! " ""That's what it says here, Tom. It says the A SCRAP OF PAPER Ix custom house authorities have tried every way to catch them, and when tihey couldn't land 'em, the only theory they could account for the way the smuggling was going on was by airships, flying at night." "That's odd. I wonder how it would seem to chase a smuggler in an airship at night? Some excitement about that; eh, Ned? Let's see that scrap of paper." Ned passed it over, and Tom scanned it close- ly. Then in his turn, he uttered an exclamation of surprise. "What is it?" inquired his chum. "Great Scott, Ned, listen to this! 'It is sus- pected that some of the smugglers have' then there's a place where the paper is torn 'in Shop- ton, N. Y.' " finished Tom. "Think of that, Ned. Our town here, is in some way connected with . the airship smugglers! We must find the rest of this scrap of paper, and paste it together. This may be a big thing! Find that other scrap! Koku, you go easy on papers next time," cau- tioned Tom, good naturedly, as he and his chum began sorting over the torn parts of the paper. CHAPTER II A SPY IN TOWN WHILE Tom Swift, Ned Newton and Koku, the giant, are busy trying to piece together the torn parts of the paper, containing an account of the airship smugglers, I will take the opportunity of telling you something about the young in- ventor and his work, for, though many of my readers have made Tom's acquaintances in pre- vious books of this series, there may be some Who pick up this one as their first volume. Tom lived with his father, also an inventor of note, in the town of Shopton, New York state. His mother was dead, and a Mrs. Baggert kept house. Eradicate was an eccentric colored helper, but of late had become too old to do much. Mr. Swift was also quite aged, and had been obliged to give up most of his inventive work. Ned Newton was Tom Swift's particular chum, and our hero had another friend, a Mr, Wakefield Damon, of the neighboring town of 12 A SPY IN TOWN I3 Waterford. Mr. Damon had the odd habit of blessing everything he saw or could think of. Another of Tom's friends was Miss Mary Nes- tor, whom I have mentioned, while my old readers will readily recognize in Andy Foger a mean bully, who made much trouble for Tom. The first book of the series was called "Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle," and on that ma- chine Tom had many adventures on the road, and not a little fun. After that Tom secured a motor boat, and had a race with Andy Foger. In his airship our hero made a stirring cruise, while in his submarine boat he and his father recovered a sunken treasure. When Tom Swift invented a new electric run- about he did not realize that it was to be the speediest car on the road, but so it proved, and he was able to save the bank with it. In the book called "Tom Swift and His Wireless Message," I told you how he saved the castaways of Earth- quake Island, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. Nestor, the parents of Mary. Tom Swift had not been long on the trail of the* diamond makers before he discovered the secret of Phantom Mountain, and after that adventure he went to the caves of ice, where his big air- ship was wrecked. But he got home, and soon I4 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT made another, which he called a sky racer, and in that he made the quickest flight on record. With his electric rifle Tom went to elephant land, where he succeeded in rescuing two mis- sionaries from the red pygmies. A little later he set out for the city of gold, and had mar- velous adventures underground. Hearing of a deposit of valuable platinum in Siberia, Tom started for that lonely place, and, to reach a certain part of it, he had to invent a new machine, called an air glider. It was an Aeroplane without means of propulsion save the wind. In the book, "Tom Swift in Captivity," I re- lated the particulars of how he brought away two immense men from giant land One, Koku, he kept for himself, while the other made a good living by being exhibited in a circus. When the present story opens Tom had not long been home after a series of strange adven- tures. A moving picture concern, with which Mr. Nestor was associated, wanted some views of re- markable scenes, such as fights among wild beasts, the capture of herds of elephants, earthquakes, and volcanos in action, and great avalanches in the Alps. Tom invented a wizard camera, and got many good views, though at times he was in 'A SPY IN TOWN j j great danger, even in his airship. Especially was this so at the erupting volcano. But our hero came safely back to Shopton, and there, all Winter and Spring, he busied himself perfecting a new motor for an airship a motor that would make no noise. He perfected it early that Summer, and now was about to try it, when the incident of the torn newspaper happened. "Have you got all the pieces, Tom?" asked Ned, as he passed his chum several scraps, which were gathered up from the floor. "I think so. Now we'll paste them together, and see what it says. We may be on the trail of a big mystery, Ned." "Maybe. Go ahead and see what you can make of it." Tom fitted together, as best he could, the ragged pieces, and then pasted them on a blank sheet of paper. "I guess I've got it all here now," he said fi- nally. "I'll skip the first part. You read me most of that, Ned. Just as you told me, it relates how the government agents, having tried in vain to gel a clew to the smugglers, came to the conclusion that they must be using airships to slip contra band goods over the border at night. "Now where's that mention of Shopton? Oh, here it is," and he read: j6 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT] " 'It is suspected that some of the smugglers have been communicating with confederates in Shopton, New York. This came to the notice of the authorities to-day, when one of the govern- ment agents located some of the smuggled goods in a small town in New York on the St. Law- rence. The name of this town is being kept secret for the present. " 'It was learned that the goods were found in a small, deserted house, and that among them were letters from someone in Shopton, relating to the disposal of the articles. The agents re- fuse to say who the letters were from, but it is believed that some of Uncle Sam's men may shortly make their apeparance in the peaceful burg of Shopton, there to follow up the clew. Many thousands of dollars worth of goods have been smuggled, and the United States, as well as the Dominion of Canada custom authorities, say they are determined to put a stop to the dar- ing efforts of the smugglers. The airship theory, is the latest put forth/ " "Well, say, that's the limit!" cried Ned, as Tom finished reading. "What do you know about that?" "It brings it right home to us," agreed the young inventor. "But who is there in Shopton who would be in league with the smugglers?' 5 A SPY IN TOWX if "That's hard to say." "Of course we don't know everyone in town," went on Tom, "but I'm pretty well acquainted here, and I don't know of a person who would dare engage in such work." "Maybe it's a stranger who came here, and picked out this place because it was so quiet," suggested Ned. "That's possible. But where would he oper- ate from?" asked Tom. "There are few in Shop- ton who would want to buy smuggled goods. " "They may only ship them here, and fix them so they can't be recognized by the custom au- thorities, and then send them away again," went on Ned. "This may be a sort of clearing-house for the smugglers." "That's so. Well, I don't know as we have anything to do with it. Only if those fellows are using an airship I'd like to know what kind it is. Well, come on out to the shop now, and we'll see how the silent motor works." On the way Tom passed his father, and, telling him not to work too hard in the sun, gave his parent the piece of paper to read, telling about the smugglers. "Using airships! eh?" exclaimed Mr. Swift. "And they think there's a clew here in Shopton? 18 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT ell, we'll get celebrated if we keep on, Tom," he added with a smile. Tom and Ned spent the rest of the day work- ing over the motor, which was set going, and bore out all Tom claimed for it. It was as silent as a watch. "Next I want to get it in the airship, and give it a good test," Tom remarked, speeding it up as it was connected on a heavy base in the shop. "I'll help you," promised Ned, and for the next few days the chums were kept busy fitting the silent motor into one of Tom's several air- ships. "Well, I think we can make a flight to-mor- row," said the young inventor, about a week later. "I need some new bolts though, Ned. Let's take a walk into town and get them. Oh, by the way, have you seen anything more of Andy Foger?" "No, and I don't want to. I suppose he's gone back home after his visit to Sam. Let's go down the street, where the Foger house is, and see if there's anything going on." As the two lads passed the mansion, they saw a man, in the kind of suit usually worn by a car- penter, come out of the back door, and stand looking across the garden. In his hand he held a saw. A SPY IN TOWN 19 "Still at the repairs, I guess," remarked Ned. "I wonder what " "Look there! Look! Quick!" suddenly in- terrupted Tom, and Ned, looking, saw someone standing behind the carpenter in the door. "If that isn't Andy Foger, I'll eat my hat!" cried Tom. "It sure is," agreed Ned. "What in the world is he doing there?" But his question was not answered, for, a mo- ment later, Andy turned, and went inside, and the carpenter followed, closing the door behind them. "That's queer," spoke Tom. "Very," agreed Ned. "He didn't go back after all. I'd like to know what's going on in there." "And there's someone else who would like to know, also, I think," said Tom in a low voice. "Who?" asked Ned. "That man hiding behind the big tree across the street. I'm sure he's watching the Foger house and when Andy came to the door that time, I happened to look around and saw that man focus a pair of opera glasses on him and the carpenter. "You don't mean it, Tom!" exclaimed Ned. "I sure do. I believe that man *" some sort of a spy or a detective." "Do you think he's after Andy?" 20 TOM SWIFT AND 'HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT "I don't know. Let's not get mixed up in the affair, anyhow. I don't want to be called in as a witness. I haven't the time to spare." As if the man behind the tree was aware that he had attracted the attention of our friends, he qflickly turned and walked away. Tom and Ned glanced up at the Foger house, but saw nothing, and proceeded on to the store. "I'll wager anything that Andy has been get- ting in some sort of trouble in the town he moved to from here," went on Tom, "and he daren't go back. So he came here, and he's hiding in his father's old house. He could manage to live there for a while, with the carpenter bringing him in food. Say, did you notice who that man was, with the saw?" "Yes, he's James Dillon, a carpenter who lives down on our street," replied Ned. "A nice man, too. The next time I see him, I'm going to ask him what Andy is doing in town, and what the repairs are that he's making on the house." "Well, of course if Andy has been doing any- thing wrong, he wouldn't admit it," said Tom. "Though Mr. Dillon may tell you about the car- penter work. But I'm sure that man was a der tective from the town where Andy moved to. You'll see." "I don't think so," was Ned's opinion. "If IN TOWN- 21 Andy was hiding he wouldn't show himself as plainly as he did." The two chums argued on this question, but could come to no decision. Then, having reached Tom's home with the bolts, they went hard at work on the airship. "Well, now to see what happens!" exclaimed Tom the next day, when everything was ready for a trial flight. "I wish Mr. Damon was here. I sent him word, but I didn't hear from him." "Oh, he may show up any minute," replied Ned, as he helped Tom and Koku wheel the new- ly-equipped airship out of the shed. "The first thing you'll hear will be him blessing something. Is this far enough out, Tom?" "No, a little more, and then head her up into the wind. I say, Ned, if this is a success, ftnd " Tom stopped suddenly and looked out into the toad. Then, in a low voice, he said, to Ned : "Don't move suddenly, or he'll suspect that We're onto his game, but turn around slowly, and look behind that big sycamore tree in front of our house Ned. Tell me what you see." "There's a man hiding there, Tom," reported his chum, a little later, after a cautious observa- tion. "I thought so. What's he doing?" 22 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Why he by Jove! Tom, he's looking at us through opera glasses, like that other " "It isn't another, it's the same fellow!" whis- pered Tom. "It's the spy who was watching Andy ! I'm going to see what's up," and he strode rapidly toward the street, at the curb of which was the tree that partly screened the man bc^ hind it. CHAPTER III QUEER REPAIRS QUICKLY Tom Swift crossed the space be- tween the airship, that was ready for a flight, and the tree. The man behind it had apparently not seen Tom coming, being so interested in looking at the airship, which was a wonderful craft. He was taken completely by surprise as Tom, step- ping up to him, asked sharply : "Who are you and what are you doing here?" The man started so that he nearly dropped the opera glasses, which he had held focused on the aeroplane. Then he stepped back, and eyed Tom sharply. "What do you want?" repeated our hero. "What right have you to be spying on that air- ship on these premises?" The man hesitated a moment, and then coolly returned the glasses to his pocket. He did not seem at all put out, after his first start of surprise. "What are you doing?" Tom again asked. He looked around to see where Koku, the giant, wa*, 23 \ 24 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT* land beheld the big man walking slowly toward jhim, for Ned had mentioned what had taken Ijplace. "What right have you to question my actions?" asked the man, and there was in his tones a cer- tain authority that made Tom wonder. "Every right," retorted our hero. "That is my airship, at which you have been spying, and this is where I live." "Oh, it is; eh?" asked the man calmly. "Anam ?" "What do you mean?" "I mean will you go to the border, in your air- ship, and try to catch the smugglers? I can promise you a big reward, and much fame if we catch them. An airship is just what is needed You are the one to do it. Will you?" CHAPTER VII A SEARCHLIGHT IS NEEDED FOR a few moments after the custom officer had made his appeal, Tom Swift did not reply. His thoughts were busy with many things. Some- how, it seemed of late, there had been many demands on him, demands that had been hard and trying. In the past he had not hestitated, but in those cases friendship, as well as a desire for adven- tures, had urged him. Now he thought he had, had his fill of adventures. "Well?" asked Mr. Whitford, gently. "What's your answer, Tom? Don't you think this_is ja^ sort of duty-call to you ?" "A duty-call?" repeated the young inventor. ^ "Yes. Of course I realize that it isn't like S soldier's call to battle, but Uncle Sam needs you just the same. When there is a war the soldiers are called on to repel an enemy. Now the smug- glers are just as much an enemy of the United 57 5 g TOM S W 1 FT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT* States, in a certain way, as an armed invader would be. '"' *One strikes at the life and liberty of the people, while the smugglers try to cheat Uncle Sam out of money that is due him. I'm not going to enter into a discussion as to the right of the government to impose duties. People have their own opinion as to that. But, as long as the law says certain duties are to be collected, it is the duty of every citizen, not only to pay those dues, but to help collect them. That's what I'm asking you to do, Tom. > "I don't want to get prosy, or deliver a lecture on the work of the custom house, Tom, but, honestly, I think it is a duty you owe to your country to help catch these smugglers. I admit I'm at the end of my rope. This last clew has failed. The Fogers seem to be innocent of wrong ' (Jping. We need your help, Tom. " "But I don't see how I can help you." "Of course you can! You're an expert with airships. The smugglers are using airships, of that I'm sure. You tell me you have just per- fected a noiseless aircraft. That will be just the thing. You can hover on the border, near the line dividing New York State from Canada, or near the St. Lawrence, which is the natural divi- sion for a certain distance, and when you see A SEARCHLIGHT IS NEEDED 59 an airship coming along you can slip up in your noiseless one, overhaul it, and make them submit to a search." "But I won't have any authority to do that," objected Tom, who really did not care for the, commission. "Oh, I'll see that you get the proper authority all right," said Mr. Whitford significantly. "I made you a temporary deputy to-night, but if you'll undertake this work, to catch the smug- glers in their airships, you will be made a regular custom official." "Yes, but supposing I can't catch them?" in- terposed our hero. "They may have very fast airships, and " "I guess you'll catch 'em all right!" put in Ned, who was at his chum's side as they walked along a quiet Shopton street in the darkness, "There's not an aeroplane going that can beat yours, Tom." "Well, perhaps I could get them," admitted the younp" inventor. "But " "Then you'll undertake this work for Uncle Sam?" interrupted Mr. Whitford eagerly. "Come, Tom, I know you will." "I'm not so sure of that," spoke Tom. "It isn't going to be as easy as you think. There are many difficulties in the way. In the first place 00 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT the smuggling may be done over such a wide area that it would need a whole fleet of airships to capture even one of the others, for they might choose a most unfrequented place to cross the border." "Oh, we would be in communication with you," said the agent. "We can come pretty near tell- ing where the contrabrand goods will be shipped from, but the trouble is, after we get our tips, we can't get to the place before they have flown away. But with your airship, you could catch them, after we sent you, say a wireless message, about where to look for them. So that's no ob- jection. You have a wireless outfit on your air- ships, haven't you, Tom?" "Yes, that part is all right." "Then you can't have any more objections, Tom." "Well, there are some. For instance you say most of this smuggling is done at night." "Practically all of it, yes." "Well, it isn't going to be easy to pick out a contraband airship in the dark, and chase it. /But I'll tell you what I'll do, Mr. Whitford. I feel as if I had sort of 'fallen down' on this clew 1 business, as the newspaper men say, and I owe it you to make good in some way." "That's what I want not that I think you A SEARCHLIGHT IS NEEDED f haven't done all you could," interposed the agent. "Well, if I can figure out some way, by which*""" I think I can come anywhere near catching these smugglers, I'll undertake the work!" exclaimed Tom. "I'll do it as a duty to Uncle Sam, and I don't want any reward except my expenses. It's going to cost considerable, but " +** "Don't mind the expense!" interrupted Mr. Whitford. "Uncle Sam will stand that. Why, the government is losing thousands of dollars every week. It's a big leak, and must be stopped, and you're the one to stop it, Tom." "Well, I'll try. I'll see you in a couple of days, and let you know if I have formed any plan. Now come on, Ned. I'm tired and want to get to bed." "So do I," added the agent. "I'll call on you day after to-morrow, Tom, and I expect you to get right on the job," he added with a laugh. "Have you any idea what you are going to do, Tom?" asked his chum, as they turned toward their houses. "Not exactly, If I go I'll use my noiseless airship. That will come in handy. But this night business rather stumps me. I don't quite see my way to get around that. Of course I could use an ordinary searchlight, but that doesn't give a bright enough beam, or ^arry far enough. It'* 2 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT going to be quite a problem and I've got to thinR it over." "Queer about the Fogers; wasn't it, Tom?" "Yes, I didn't think they were going to let us in." "There's something going on there, in spite of the fact that they were willing for an inspection to be made," went on Ned. "I agree with you. I thought it was funny the way Mr. Foger acted about not wanting the men to go down in the cellar. " "So did I, and yet when they got down there they didn't find anything." "That's so. Well, maybe we're on the wrong track, after all. But I'm going to keep my eyes open. I don't see what Andy wants with an airship platform on the roof of his house. The ground is good enough to start from and land on." "I should think so, too. But then Andy] < always did like to show off, and do things differ- \ ent from anybody else. Maybe it's that way; ^now." "Perhaps," agreed Tom. "Well, here's your house, Ned. Come over in the morning," and, k | with a good-night, our hero left his chum, pro- '-*->**&/ Deeding on toward his own home. "Why, Koku, haven't you gone to bed yet?" A SEARCHLIGHT IS NEEDED 63 asked the young inventor, as, mounting the side steps, he saw his giant servant sitting there or. a bench he had made especially for his own use, as ordinary chairs were not substantial enough. "What is the matter?" "Nothing happen yet" spoke Koku signifi- cantly, "but maybe he come pretty soon, and then I get him." "Get who, Koku?" asked Tom, with quick suspicion. "I do not know, but Eradicate say he hear someone sneaking around his chicken coop, an& I think maybe it be same man who was here once before." "Oh, you mean the rivals, who were trying to get my moving picture camera?" "That's what!" exclaimed Koku. "Hum!" mused Tom. "I must be on the look- out. I'll tell you what I'll do, Koku. I'll set my automatic camera to take the moving pictures of any one who tries to get in my shop, or in the chicken coop. I'll also set the burglar alarm. But you may also stay on the watch, and if any- thing happens " "If anything happens, I will un-happen him!" exclaimed the giant, brandishing a big club he had ibeside him. "All right," laughed Tom. "I'm sleepy, and 64 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT, Fm going to bed, but I'll set the automatic camera, and fix it with fuse flashlights, so they will go off if the locks are even touched." This Tom did, fixing up the wizard camera, which I have told you about in the book bearing that title. It would take moving pictures auto- matically, once Tom had set the mechanism to unreel the films back of the shutter and lens. [The lights would instantly flash, when the elec- trical connections on the door locks were tam- pered with, and the pictures would be taken. Then Tom set the burglar alarm, and, before going to bed he focused a searchlight, from one of his airships, on the shed and chicken coop, fastening it outside his room window. s There!" he exclaimed, as he got ready 1 to turn in, not having awakened the rest of the house- hold, "when the burglar alarm goes off, if it does, it will also start the searchlight, and I'll get a view of who the chicken thief is. I'll also get some pictures." Then, thinking over the events of the evening, and wondering if he would succeed in his fight with the smugglers, providing he undertook it, Torn fell asleep. It must have been some time after midnight that he was awakened by the violent ringing of a bell at his ear. At first he thought it was A SEARCHLIGHT IS NEEDED 6$ call to breakfast, and he leaped from bed crying out: "Yes, Mrs. Baggert, I'm coming!" A moment later he realized what it was. "The burglar alarm!" he cried. "Koku arg you there? Someone is trying to get into the chicken coop!" for a glance at the automatic in- dicator, in connection with the alarm, had shown Tom that the henhouse, and not his shop, had been the object of attack. "I here!" cried Koku. "I got him!" A series of startled cries bore eloquent testi- mony to this. "I'm coming!" cried Tom. And then he saw a wonderful sight. The whole garden, his shop t t\ie henhouse and all the surrounding territory was lighted up with a radiance almost like day- light. The beams of illumination came from the searchlight Tom had fixed outside his window, but never before had the lantern given such a glow. "That's wonderful!" cried Tom, as he ran to examine it. "What has happened? I never had such a powerful beam before. There must be something that I have stumbled on by accident. Say, that is a light all right! Why it goes for miles and miles, and I never projected a beam as far as this before." 66 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT As Tom looked into a circle of violet-colored glass set in the side of the small searchlight, to see what had caused the extraordinary glow, he could observe nothing out of the ordinary. The violet glass was to protect the eyes from the glare. "It must be that, by accident, I made some new connection at the dynamo," murmured Tom. "Hi! Lemme go! Lemme go, Massa giant! I ain't done nuffin' ! " yelled a voice. "I got you!" cried Koku. "It's an ordinary chicken thief this time I guess," said Tom. "But this light this great searchlight " Then a sudden thought came to him. "By Jove!" he cried. "If I can find out the secret of how I happened to project such a beam, it will be the very thing to focus on the smugglers from my noiseless airship ! That's what I need a searchlight such as never before has been made a terrifically powerful one. And I've got it, if I can only find out just how it happened. I've got to look before the current dies out." Leaving the brilliant beams on in full blast, Tom ran down the stairs to get to his shop, from which the electrical power came. CHAPTER VIII TOM'S NEWEST INVENTION "I GOT him, Mr. Tom!" "Oh, please, good Massa Swift! Make him leggo me ! He suah am squeezin' de liber outer me!" "Shall I conflict the club upon him, Mr. Tom?" It was Koku who asked this last question, as Tom came running toward the giant. In the strange glare from the searchlight, the young in- ventor saw his big servant holding tightly to a rather small, colored man, while the camera, which was focused full on them, was clicking away at a great rate, taking picture after picture on the roll of films. "No, don't inflict nor conflict the club on him, Koku," advised Tom. "Who is he?" "I don't know, Mr. Tom. I was in hiding, in the darkness, waiting for him to come back. He had been here once before in the evening, Eradi- cate says. Well, he came while I was waiting and I detained him. Then the lights went up. They are very bright lights, Mr. Tom." 67 68 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Yes, brighter than I expected they would be. I must look and see what causes it. So you de- tained him, did you, Koku?" i , irr "Yes, and what exposition shall I make of 'him?" T^What disposition?" corrected Tom, with a laugh. "Well, did he get any chickens, Koku?" "Oh, no, I was too tight for him." ' "Oh, you mean too fast, or quick. Well, if he didn't get any, I guess you might let him go. I have too much to attend to, to bother with him." "Oh, bress yo' for dat, Massa Tom!" cried the negro, whom Tom recognized as a worthless cFafacterafe5trthe town. "Tduin't go to 7 to do nuffin r , Massa Tom. I were jest goin' t' look in de coop, t' count an' see how many fowls mah friend Eradicate had, an' den " "Yes, and then I tie you!" broke in Koku. "You collared him, I guess you mean to say," spoke Tom with a laugh. "Well, I guess, Sam," speaking to the negro, "if you had counted Rad's chickens he couldn't have counted as many in the morning. But be off, and don't come around again, or you might have to count the bars in a jail cell for a change." "Bress yo' honey. I won't neber come back.* 8 "Shall release him?" asked Koku doubtfully;.. "Yes," said Tom. TOM'S NEWEST INVENTION g "And not reflict the club on him?" The giant raised his club longingly. "Oh, Massa Tom, protect me!" cried Sam. "No, don't even reflect the club on him," ad- vised the young inventor with a laugh. "He hasn't done any harm, and he may have been the means of a great discovery. Remember Sam," Tom went on sternly, "I have your picture, as you were trying to break into the coop, and if you come around again, I'll use it as evidence against you." "Oh, I won't come* Not as long as dat giant am heah, anyhow," said the negro earnestly. "Besides, I were only goin' t' count Eradicated chickens, t' see ef he had as many as I got." "All right," responded Tom. "Now, Koku, you may escort him off the premises, and be on the lookout the rest of the night, off and OIL Where's Rad?" "He has what he says is Me misery* in hiS\ back so that he had to go to bed," explained the " giant, to account for the faithful colored man not having responded to the alarm. "All right, get rid of Sam, and then come back." As Tom turned to go in his shop he saw his aged father coming slowly toward him. Mr.. Swift had hastily dressed. 70 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT "What is the matter, Tom?" he asked. "Has anything happened? I heard your alarm go off, and I came as quickly as I could." "Nothing much has happened, father, except- ing a chicken thief. But something great may come of it. Do you notice that searchlight, and how powerful it is?" "I do, Tom. I never knew you had one as big as that." "Neither did I, and I haven't, really. That's one of my smallest ones, but something seems to have happened to it to make it throw out a beam like that. I'm just going to look. Come on in the shop." f JThe two inventors, young and old, entered, and lorn quickly crossed to where the wires from the automatic dynamo, extended to the searchlight outside the window of his room. v He made a * quick inspection. "Look, father!" he cried. "The alternating current from the automatic dynamo has become crossed with direct current from the big storage battery in a funny way. It must have been by accident, for never in the world would I think of connecting up in that fashion. I would have said it would have made a short circuit at once. "But it hasn't. On the contrary, it has given a current of peculiar strength and intensity a TOM'S NEWEST INVENTION yi current that would seem to be made especially for searchlights. Dad, I'm on the edge of a big dis- covery. " "I believe you, Tom," said his father. "That certainly is a queer way for wires to be connected. How do you account for it?" "I can't. That is unless some one meddled with the connections after I made them. That must be it. I'll ask Rad and Koku." Just then the giant came in. "Koku, did you touch the wires?" asked Tom. "Well, Mr. Tom, I didn't mean to. I accident- ally pulled one out a while ago, when I was wait- ing for the thief to come, but I put it right back again. I hope I did no damage." "No, on the contrary, you did a fine thing, _ Koku. I never would have dared make such I connections myself, but you, not knowing any better, did just the right thing to make an almost J perfect searchlight current. It is wonderful T'^ Probably for any other purpose such a current would be useless, but it is just the thing for a great light." "And why do you need such a powerful light, Tom?" asked Mr. Swift. "Why, it is of extra- ordinary brilliancy, and it goes for several miles. Look how plainly you can pick out the trees on Nob's Hill," and he pointed to an elevation some! 72 TOM S WIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT distance away from the Swift homestead, across the woods and meadows. "I believe I could see a bird perched there, if there was one!" exclaimed Tom enthusiastically. "That certainly is a wonderful light. With larg- er carbons, better parobolic mirrors, a different resistance box, better connections, and a more powerful primary current there is no reason why I could not get a light that would make objects more plainly visible than in the daytime, even in the darkest night, and at a great distance." X"But wnat would be the object of such a light, Tom?" "To play upon the smugglers, dad, and catch them as they come over the border in the airship." "Smugglers, Tom! You don't mean to tell me you are going away again, and after smugglers?" "Well, dad, I've had an offer, and I think I'll take~if.~ There 7 s^io~money In it, but I think it is my duty to 3o my best for TTncle Sam7~The one_J thing that bothered me was how to get a view of the airship at night. This searchlight has solved the problem that is if I can make a per- manent invention of this accident, and I think I can." "Oh, Tom, I hate to think of you going away; from home again," said his father a bit sadly. worry, father. I'm not going far this TOM'S NEWEST INVENTION 73 time. Only to the Canadian border, and that's only a few hundred miles. But I want to see if I can shut the current off, and turn it on again. . When a thing happens by accident you never; know whether you can get just exactly the same conditions again." Tom shut off the current from the dynamo, and the powerful beam of light died out. Then he turned it on once more, and it glowed as brightly as before. He did this several times, and each time it was a success. "Hurrah!" cried Tom. "To-morrow I'll start On my latest invention, a great searchlight!" CHAPTER IX "BEWARE OF THE COMET!" "WELL, Tom, what are you up to now?" Ned Newton peered in the window of the shop at his chum, who was busy over a bench. "This is my latest invention, Ned. Come on In." "Looks as though you were going to give a magic lantern show. Or is it for some new kinds of moving pictures? Say, do you remem- ber the time we gave a show in the barn, and charged a nickel to come in? You were the clown, and " "I was not! You were the clown. I was part of the elephant. The front end, I think." "Oh, so you were. I'm thinking of another one. But what are you up to now? Is it a big magic lantern?" Ned came over toward the bench, in front of which Tom stood, fitting together sheets of heavy brass in the form of a big square box. In one side there was a circular opening, and there were 74 'BEWARE OF THE COMET!" 75 yarious wheels and levers on the different sides and on top. The interior contained parobolic curved mirrors. ^ "It's a sort of a lantern, and I hope it's going ,to do some magic work," explained Tom with a smile. But it isn't the kind of magic lantern you mean. It won't throw pictures on a screen, but it may show some surprising pictures to us that is if you come along, and I think you will." "Talking riddles ; eh ?" laughed Ned. "What's the answer?" "Smugglers." "I thought you were talking about a lantern." "So I am, and it's the lantern that's going to show up the smugglers, so you can call it a smug- gler's magic lantern if you like," "Then you're going after them?" This conversation took place several days after the raid on the Foger house, and after Tom's accidental discovery of how to make a new kind of searchlight. In the meantime he had not seen Ned, who had been away on a visit. "Yes, I've made up my mind to help Uncle Sam," spoke Tom, "and this is one of the things I'll need in my work. It's going to be the most powerful searchlight ever made that is, I never heard of any portable electric lights that will beat it" y5 TOM S WIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT "What do you mean, Tom?" "I mean that I'm inventing a new kind of searchlight, Ned. One that I can carry with me on my new noiseless airship, and one that will give a beam of light that will be visible for sev- eral miles, and which will make objects in its focus as plain as if viewed by daylight." "And it's to show up the smugglers?" "That's what. That is it will if we can get on the track of them." "But what did you mean when you said it would be the most powerful portable light ever made." "Just what I said. I've got to carry this search- light on an airship with me, and, in consequence, it can't be very heavy. Of course there are sta- tionary searchlights, such lights as are in light- houses, that could beat mine all to pieces for candle power, and for long distance visibility. But they are the only ones." "That's the way to do things, Tom! Say, I'm going with you all right after those smugglers. But where are some of those powerful stationary searchlights you speak of?" "Oh, there are lots of them. One was in the Eiffle Tower, during the Paris Exposition. I didn't see that, but I have read about it. Another is in one of the twin lighthouses at the High- "BEWARE OF THE COMET! 9 ' 77 lands, on the Atlantic coast of New Jersey, just above Asbury Park. That light is of ninety-five million candle power, and the lighthouse keeper*, there told me it was visible, on a clear night, as far as the New Haven, Connecticut, lighthouse, a distance of fifty miles." "Fifty miles! That's some light!" gasped Ned. "Well, you must remember that the Highlands light is up on a very high hill, and the tower is also high, so there is quite an elevation, and then think of ninety-five million candle power think of it!" "I can't!" cried Ned. "It gives me a head- ache." "Well, of course I'm not going to try to beat that," went on Tom with a laugh, "but I am going to have a very powerful light." And he then related how he had accidently discovered a new way to connect the wires, so as to get, from a dynamo and a storage battery a much stronger, and different, currenfe^than usual. "I'm making the searchlight now," Tom con-' tinued, "and soon I'll be ready to put in the lens, and the carbons." "And then what?" "Then I'm going to attach it to my noiseless airship, and we'll have a night flight. It may 78 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT work, and it may not. If it does, I think we'll have some astonishing results." "I think we will, Tom. Can I do anything to help you?" "Yes, file some of the rough edges off these sheets of brass, if you will. There's an old pair of gloves to put on to protect your hands, other- wise you'll be almost sure to cut 'em, when the file slips. That brass is extra hard." The two boys were soon working away, and were busy over the big lantern when Mr. Whit- ford came along. Koku was, as usual, on guard at the outer door of the shop, but he knew the custom officer, and at once admitted him. "Well, Tom, how you coming on?" he asked. "Pretty good. I think I've got just what I want. A powerful light for night work." "That's good. You'll need it. They've got so they only smuggle the goods over in the night now. How soon do you think you'll be able to get on the border for Uncle Sam?" "Why, is there any great rush?" asked Tom, as he noticed a look of annoyance pass over the agent's face. "Yes, the smugglers have been hitting us pretty hard lately. My superiors are after me to do something, but I can't seem to do it. My men are working hard, but we can't catch the rascals. "BEWARE OF THE COMET! 9 ' 79 "You see, Tom, they've stopped, temporarily, bringing goods over the St. Lawrence. They're working now in the neighborhood of Huntington, Canada, and the dividing line between the British possessions and New York State, runs along solid ground there. It's a wild and desolate part of I country, too, and I haven't many men up there." "Don't the Canadian custom officers help?" asked Ned. "Well, they haven't been of any aid to us so far," was the answer. "No doubt they are try- ing, but it's hard to get an airship at night when you're on the ground, and can't even see it." "How did they come to use airships?" asked Tom. "Well, it was because we were too sharp after them when they tried to run things across the line afoot, or by wagons," replied the agent. "You must know that in every principal city, at or near the border line, there is a custom house. Goods brought from Canada to the United States must pass through there and pay a duty. "Of course if lawless people try to evade the duty they don't go near the custom house. But there are inspectors stationed at the principal roads leading from the Dominion into Uncle Sam's territory, and they are always on the look- out They patrol the line, sometimes through a So TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT dense wilderness, and again over a desolate plain, .always on the watch. If they see persons cross- ing the line they stop them and examine what they have. If there is nothing dutiable they are allowed to pass. If they have goods on which there is a tax, they either have to pay or surren- der the goods." "But don't the smugglers slip over in spite of all the precautions?" asked Ned. "Say at some lonely ravine, or stretch of woods?" "I suppose they do, occasionally," replied Mr. Whitford. Yet the fact that they never can tell when one of the inspectors or deputies is coming along, acts as a stop. You see the border line is divided up into stretches of different lengths. A Certain man, or men, are held responsible for each division. They must see that no smugglers pass. That makes them on the alert. "Why, take it out west, I have a friend who told me that he often travels hundreds of miles on horseback, with pack ponies carrying his camp- ing outfit, patroling the border on the lookout for ^smugglers. "In fact Uncle Sam has made it so hard for the ordinary smuggler to do business on foot or by wagon, that these fellows have taken to air- ships. And it is practically impossible for an inspector patroling the border to b aa the look- ''BEWARE OF THE COMET! 9 ' Si <~*\ out for the craft of the air. Even if they saw them, what could they do? It would be out of the question to stop them. That's why we need some one with a proper machine who can chase after them, who can sail through the air, and give them a fight in the clouds if they have to. / "Our custom houses on the ground, and 6uf inspectors on horse back, traveling along the bor- der, can't meet the issue. We're depending on you, Tom Swift, and I hope you don't disap- point us." "Well," spoke Tom, when Mr. Whitford had finished. "I'll do my best for you. It won't take very long to complete my searchlight, and then I'll give it a trial. My airship is ready for ser- vice, and once I find we're all right I'll start for the border." "Good! And I hope you'll catch the rascals!" fervently exclaimed the custom official. "Well, Tom, I'm leaving it all to you. Here are some reports from my deputies. I'll leave them with you, and you can look them over, and map out a campaign. When you are ready to start I'll see you again, and give you any last news I have. I'll also arrange so that you can communicate with me, or some of my men." "Have you given up all suspicion of the Fogers?" asked the young inventor. $2 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT. "Yes. But I still think Shopton is somehow involved in the custom violations. I'm going to put one of my best men on the ground here, and go to the border myself." "Well, I'll be ready to start in a few days,* said Tom, as the government agent departed. For the next week our hero and his chum were busy completing work on the great searchlight, and in attaching it to the airship. Koku helped them, but little of the plans, or of the use to which the big lantern was to be put, were made known to him, for Koku liked to talk, and Tom did not want his project to become known. "Well, we'll give her a trial to-night," said Tom one afternoon, following a day of hard work. "We'll go up, and flash the light down." "Who's going?" "Just us two. You can manage the ship, and I'll look after the light." So it was arranged, and after supper Tom and his chum, having told Mr. Swift where they were going, slipped out to the airship shed, and soon were ready to make an ascent. The big lantern was fastened to a shaft that extended above the main cabin. The shaft was hollow, and through it came the wires that carried the current. Tom, from the cabin below, could move the lantern in any direction, and focus it on any spot he pleased. -BEWARE OF THE COMET!" gj By means of a toggle joint, combined with what are known as "lazy-tongs," the lantern could be projected over the side of the aircraft and be made to gleam on the earth, directly below th< ship. For his new enterprise Tom used the Falco* in which he had gone to Siberia after the plat- inum. The new noiseless motor had been in- stalled in this craft. "All ready, Ned?" asked Tom after an in- spection of the searchlight. "All ready, as far as I'm concerned, Tom." "Then let her go!" Like a bird of the night, the great aeroplane shot into the air, and, with scarcely a sound that could be heard ten feet away, she moved forward at great speed. "What are you going to do first?" asked Ned "Fly around a bit, and then come back over my house. I'm going to try the lantern on that first, and see what I can make out from a couple of miles up in the air." Up and up went the Falcon, silently and power- fully, until the barograph registered nearly four- teen thousand feet. "This is high enough," spoke Tom. He shifted a lever that brought the search- light into focus on Shopton, which lay below 84 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT them. Then, turning on the current, a powerful beam of light gleamed out amid the blackness. "Jove! That's great! "cried Ned. "It's like a shaft of daylight!" "That's what I intended it to be!" cried Tom in delight. With another shifting of the lever he brought the light around so that it began to pick up dif- ferent buildings in the town. "There's the church!" cried Ned. "It's as plain as day, in that gleam." v And there's the railroad depot," added Tom. *And Andy Foger's house!" "Yes, and there's my house!" exclaimed Tom a moment later, as the beam rested on his resi- dence and shops. "Say, it's plainer than I thought it would be. "Hold me here a minute, Ned." Ned shut off the power from the propellers, and the airship was stationary. Tom took a pair of binoculars, andlooked through them at his house in the focus of light. "I can count the bricks in the chimney!" he cried in eagerness at the success of his great searchlight. "It's even better than I thought it was ! Let's go down, Ned. " Slowly the airship sank. Tom played his light all about, picking up building after building, and one familiar spot after another. Finally he "BEWARE OF THE COMET!" brought the beam on his own residence again, when not far above it. Suddenly there arose a weird cry. Tom and Ned knew at once that it was Eradicate, "A comet! A comet!" yelled the colored man. "De end ob de world am comin' ! Run, chillens, run! Beware ob de comet!" "Eradicated afraid!" cried Tom with a laugh. "Oh good mistah comet! Doan't take me!" went on the colored man. "I ain't neber done nuffin', an' mah mule Boomerang ain't needer. But ef yo' has t' take somebody, take Boom- erang!" "Keep quiet, Rad! It's all right!" cried Tom. But the colored man continued to shout in fear. Then, as the two boys looked on, and as the airship came nearer to the earth, Ned, who was looking down amid the great illumination, called to Tom ? "LookatKoku!" Tom glanced over, and saw his giant servantj with fear depicted on his face, running away as fast as he could. Evidently Eradicated warning had frightened him. "Say, he can run!" cried Ned. "Look at him legit!" "Yes, and he may run away, never to come back," exclaimed Tom. "I don't want to lose JB6 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT him, he's too valuable. I know what happened \ once when he got frightened. He was away for \ a week before I could locate him, and he hid in \ the swamp. I'm not going to have that hap- \ pen again." \ "What are you going to do?" V'Tm going to chase after him in the airship, It will be a good test for chasing the smugglers, Put me after him, Ned, and I'll play the search-, light on him so we can't lose him!" CHAPTER X OFF FOR THE BORDER "THERE he goes, Tom!" u Yes, I see him!" "Look at him run!" "No wonder. Consider his long legs, Ned. Put on a little more speed, and keep a little lower down. It's clear of trees right here." "There he goes into that clump of bushes." "I see him. He'll soon come out," and Tom flashed the big light on the fleeing giant to whom fear seemed to lend more than wings. But even a giant, long legged though he be, and powerful, cannot compete with a modern airship certainly not such a one as Tom Swift had. "We're almost up to him, Tom!" cried Ned a little later. "Yes! I'm keeping track of him. Oh, why doesn't he know enough to stop? Koku! Koku!" Called Tom. "It's all right! I'm in the airship! [This is a searchlight, not a comet. Wait for us!" They could see the giant glance back over his 87 88 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT. shoulder at them, and, when he saw how close the gleaming light was he made a desperate spurt. But it was about his last, for he was a heavy man, and did not have any too good wind. "We'll have him in another minute," predicted Tom. Give me a bit more speed, Ned." The lad who was managing the Falcon swung the accelerating lever over another notch, and the craft surged ahead. Then Ned executed a neat trick. Swinging the craft around in a half circle, he suddenly opened the power full, and so got ahead of Koku. The next minute, sliding down to earth, Tom and Ned came to a halt, awaiting the oncoming of Koku, who, finding the glaring light full in his face, came to a halt. "Why, Koku, what's the matter?" asked Tom kindly, as he turned off the powerful beams, and switched on some ordinary incandescents, that were on the outside of the craft. They made an illumination by which the giant could make out his master and the latter 's chum. "Why did you run, Koku?" asked Tom. "Eradicate say to," was the simple answer. "He say comet come to eat up earth. Koku no want to be eaten." "Eradicate is a big baby!" exclaimed Tom. "See, there is no danger. It is only my new searchlight," and once more the young inventor OFF FOR THE BORDER 89 switched it on. Koku jumped back, but when he saw that nothing happened he did not run. "It's harmless," said Tom, and briefly he ex- plained how the big lantern worked. Koku was reassured now, and consented to en- ter the airship. He was rather tired from his run, and was glad to sit down. "Where to now; back home?" asked Ned, as they made ready to start. "No, I was thinking of going over to Mr. Damon's house. I'd like him to see my search- light. And I want to find out if he's going with us on the trip to the border." "Of course he will!" predicted Ned. He hasn't missed a trip with you in a long while. He'll go if his wife will let him," and both boys laughed, for Mr. Damon's wife was nearly al- ways willing to let him do as he liked, though the odd man had an idea that she was v/olently op- posed to his trips. Once more the Falcon went aloft, and again the searchlight played about. It brought out with startling distinctness the details of the towns and villages over which they passed, and distant land- marks were also made plainly visible. "We'll be there in a few minutes now," said Torn, as he flashed the light on a long slant toward the town of Water ford, where Mr. Damon lived. go TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT "I can see his house," spoke Ned a moment later. He changed the course of the craft, to bring it to a stop in the yard of the eccentric man, and, shortly afterward, they landed. Tom who had shut off the searchlight for a minute, turned it on again, and the house and grounds of Mr. Damon were enveloped in a wonderful glow. "That will bring him out," predicted Tom. A moment later they heard his voice. "Bless my astronomy!" cried Mr. Damoit "There's a meteor fallen in our yard. Come out fc wife everybody call the servants. It's a chance of a lifetime to see one, and they're valuable, too! Bless my star dust! I must tell Tom Swift of this!" Out into the glare of the great searchlight ran Mr. Damon, followed by his wife and several of the servants. "There it is !" cried the odd man. "There's the meteor!" "First we're a comet and then we're a meteor,'* said Ned with a laugh. "Oh, I hope it doesn't bury itself in the earth, before I can get Tom Swift here!" went on Mr. Damon, capering about. "Bless my telephone book, I must call him up right away!" "I'm here now, Mr. Damon!" shouted Tom, OFF FOR THE BORDER 91 as he alighted from the airship. "That's my new searchlight you're looking at." "Bless my " began Mr. Damon, but he couldn't think of nothing strong enough for a moment, until he blurted out "dynamite cart- ridge! Bless my dynamite cartridge! Tom Swift! His searchlight! Bless my nitro-glycerine!" Then Tom shut off the glare, and, as Mr. Damon and his wife came aboard he showed them how the light worked. He only used a part of the current, as he knew if he put on the full glare toward Mr. Damon's house, neighbors might Ihink it was on fire. "Well, that's certainly wonderful," said Mrs. Damon. "In fact this is a wonderful ship." "Can't you take Mrs. Damon about, and show her how it works," said Mr. Damon suddenly. "Show her the ship." "I will," volunteered Tom. "No, let Ned," said the eccentric man. "I er I want to speak to you, Tom. " Mrs. Damon, with a queer glance at her hus- band, accompanied Ned to the motor room. As soon as she was out of hearing the odd gentleman came over and whispered to the young inventor. "I say, Tom, what's up?" "Smugglers. You know, I told you about 'em. I'm going after 'em with my big searchlight" g2 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Bless my card case! So you did. But, I say, Tom, I I want to go!" "I supposed you would. Well, you're wel- come, of course. We leave in a few days. It isn't a very long trip this time, but there may be plenty of excitement. Then I'll book you for a passage, and " "Hush! Not another word! Here she comes, Tom. My wife! Don't breathe a syllable of it to her. She'd never let me go." Then, for the benefit of Mrs. Damon, who came back into the main cabin with Ned at that moment, her husband added in loud tones : "Yes, Tom it certainly is a wonderful inven* tion. I congratulate you," and, at the same time he winked rapidly at our hero. Tom winked in return. "Well, I guess we'll start back," remarkec* Tom, after a bit. "I'll see you again, I suppose, Mr. Damon?" "Oh yes, of course. I'll be over soon," and once more he winked as he whispered in Tom'* ear: "Don't leave me behind, my boy." "I won't," whispered the young inventor IP answer. Mrs. Damon smiled, and Tom wondered if she had discovered her husband's innocent secret. Tom and Ned, with Koku, made a quick trip OFF FOR THE BORDER 93 back to Shopton, using the great searchlight part of the way. The next day they began prepara- tions for the journey to the border. It did not take long to get ready. No great amount of stores or supplies need be taken along, as they would not be far from home, not more than a two days' journey at any time. And they would be near large cities, where food and gaso- lene could easily be obtained. About a week later, therefore, Mr. Whitford the government agent, having been communicated with in the meanwhile, Tom and Ned, with Koku and Mr. Damon were ready to start. "I wonder if Mr. Whitford is coming to see us off?" mused Tom, as he looked to see if everything was aboard, and made sure that the searchlight was well protected by its waterproof cover. "He said he'd be here," spoke Ned. "Well, it's past time now. I don't know wheth- er to start, or to wait." "Wait a few minutes more," advised Ned. "His train may be a few minutes behind time." They waited half an hour, and Tom was on the point of starting when a messenger boy came hurrying into the yard where the great airship rested on its bicycle wheels. 94 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "A telegram for you, Tom," called the lad, who was well acquainted with our hero. Hastily the young inventor tore open the ei>- ~elope. "Here's news!" he exclaimed. "What is it?" asked Ned. "It's from Mr. Whitford," answered his chum. "He says: 'Can't be with you at start Will meet you in Logansville. Have new clew to Jhe Fogers!'" "Great Scott!" cried Ned, staring at his chum. CHAPTER XI ANDY'S NEW AIRSHIP TOM SWIFT tossed a quarter to the messenger boy, and leaped over the rail to the deck of his airship, making his way toward the pilot house. "Start the motor, Ned," he called. "Are you all ready, Mr. Damon?" "Bless my ancient history, yes. But*' "Are you going, Tom?" asked Ned. "Of course. That's why we're here; isn't it? We're going to start for the border to catch the smugglers. Give me full speed, I want the motor to warm up," "But that message from Mr. Whitford? He says he has a new clue to the Fogers." "That's all right. He may have, but he doesn't ask us to work it up. He says he will meet us In Logansville, and he can't if we don't go there. .We're off for Logansville. Good-bye dad. I'll bring you back a souvenir, Mrs. Baggert," he called to the housekeeper. "Sorry you're not coming, Rad, but I'll take you next time." 95 56 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT "Dat's all right, Massa Tom. I doan't laik dem smugger-fellers, nohow. Good-bye an' good luck!" 'Bless my grab bag!" gasped Mr. Damon, You certainly do things, Tom." "That's the only way to get things done," re- plied the young inventor. "How about you, Ned? Motor all right?" "Sure." 'Then iet her go!" A moment later Ned had started the machin- ery, and Tom, in the pilot house, had pulled the lever of the elevating rudder. Whizzing along, but making scarcely any sound, the noiseless air- ship mounted upward, and was off on her flight to capture the men who were cheating Uncle Sam. "What are you going to do first, when you get there, Tom?" asked Ned, as he joined his chum in the pilot house, having set the motor and other apparatus to working automatically "I mean in Logans ville?" "I don't know. I'll have to wait and see how things develop." "That's where Mr. Foger lives, you know." "Yes, but I doubt if he is there now. He and Andy are probably still in the old house here, ANDY'S NEW AIRSHIP 97 though what they are doing is beyond me to guess." "What do you suppose this new dew is that Mr. Whitford wired you about?" "Haven't any idea. If he wants us to get after it he'll let us know. It won't take us long to get there at this rate. But I think I'll slow down a bit, for the motor is warmed up now, and there's no use racking it to pieces. But we're moving nicely; aren't we, Ned?" "I should say so. This is the best all-around airship you've got." "It is since I put the new motor in. Well, I wonder what will happen when we get chasing around nights after the smugglers? It isn't go- ing to be easy work, I can tell you." "I should say not. How you going to manage it?" "Well, I haven't just decided. I'm going to have a talk with the customs men, and then I'll go out night after night and cruise around at the most likely place where they'll rush goods across the border. As soon as I see the outlines of an air- ship in the darkness, or hear the throb of her motor, I'll take after her, and " "Yes, and you can do it, too, Tom, for she can't hear you coming and you can flash the big light on her and the smugglers will think the end. 98 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREA T SEARCHLIGHT, of the world has come. Cracky! It's going to be great, Tom! I'm glad I came along. Maybe they'll fight, and fire at us! If they have guns aboard, as they probably will have, we'll " "Bless my armor plate!" interrupted Mr. Damon. "Please don't talk about such hair-rais- ing things, Ned! Talk about something pleas- ant." "All right," agreed Tom's chum, and then, as the airship sailed along, high above the earth, they talked of many things. "I think when we sight Logansville," said Tom, after a while, "that I will come down in some quiet spot, before we reach the city." "Don't you want to get into a crowd?" asked Ned. "No, it isn't that. But Mr. Foger lives there you know, and, though he may not be at home, there are probably some men who are interested in the thing he is working at." "You mean smuggling?" "Well, I wouldn't say that. At the same time it may have leaked out that we are after the' smugglers in an airship, and it may be that Mr. Whitford doesn't want the Fogers to know I'm on the ground, until he has a chance to work up his clew. So I'll just go slowly, and remain in the background for a while." 'ANDY'S NEW AIRSHIP 99 "Well, maybe it's a good plan," agreed Tom. "Of course," began Tom, "it would be " He was interrupted by a shout from Koku, who had gone to the motor room, for the giant was as fascinated over machinery as a child. As he yelled there came a grinding, pounding noise,' and the big ship seemed to waver, to quiver in the void, and to settle toward the earth. "Something's happened!" cried Ned, as he sprang for the place where most of the mechanism was housed. "Bless my toy balloon!" shouted Mr. Damon., "We're falling, Tom!" It needed but a glance at the needle of the baro- graph to show this. Tom followed Ned at top speed, but ere either of them reached the engine room the pounding and grinding noises ceased, the airship began to mount upward again, and it seemed that the danger had passed. "What can have happened?" gasped Tom. "Come on, we'll soon see," said Ned, and they rushed on, followed by Mr. Damon, who was blessing things in a whisper. The chums saw a moment later saw a strange sight for there was Koku, the giant, kneeling down on the floor of the motor room, with his big hands clasped over one of the braces of the bed-plate of the great air pump, which cooled the 100 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT cylinders of the motor. The pump had torn partly away from its fastenings. Kneeling there, pressing down on the bed-plate with all his might, Koku was in grave danger, for the rod of the pump, plunging up and down, was within a frac- tion of an inch of his head, and, had he moved, the big taper pin, which held the plunger to the axle, would have struck his temple and probably would have killed him, for the pin, which held the plunger rigid, projected several inches from the smooth side of the rod. "Koku, what is the matter? Why are you there?" cried Tom, for he could see nothing wrong with the machinery now. The airship was sailing on as before. "Bolt break," explained the giant briefly, for he had learned some engineering terms since he had been with Tom. "Bolt that hold pump fast to floor crack off. Pump him begin to jump up. Make bad noise. Koku hold him down, but pretty hard work. Better put in new bolt, Mr. Tom." They could see the strain that was put upon the giant in his swelling veins and the muscles of his hands and arms, for they stood out knotted, and in bunches. With all his great strength it was all Koku could do to hold the pump from tearing completely loose. "Quick, Ned!" cried Tom. "Shut off all the ANDY'S NEW AIRSHIP. IO r power! Stop the pump! I've got to bolt it fast. Start the gas machine, Mr. Damon. You know how to do it. It works independent of the motor. You can let go in a minute, Koku!" It took but a few seconds to do all this. Ned stopped the main motor, which had the effect of causing the propellers to cease revolving. Then the airship would have gone down but for the fact that she was now a balloon, Mr. Damon hav- ing started the generating machine which sent the powerful lifting gas into the big bag over head. "Now you can let go, Koku," said Tom, for with the stopping of the motor the air pump ceased plunging, and there was no danger of it tearing loose. "Bless my court plaster!" cried Mr. Damon. "What happened, Tom?" As the giant arose from his kneeling position the cause of the accident could easily be seen. Two of the big bolts that held down one end of the pump bed-plate to the floor of the airship, had cracked off, probably through some defect, or be- cause of the long and constant vibration on them. This caused a great strain on the two forward bolts, and the pump started to tear itself loose. Had it done so there would have been a serious accident, for there would have been a tangle in the machinery that might never have been repair- 102 TOM SWIFT AND HIS 1 GREAT SEARCHLIGHT able. But Koku, who, it seems, had been watcfi- ing the pump, saw the accident as soon as it oc- curred. He knew that the pump must be held down, and kept rigid, and he took the only way open to him to accomplish this. He pressed his big hands down over the place where the bolts had broken off, and by main strength of muscle he held the bed-plate in place until the power was shut off. "Koku, my boy, you did a great thing!" cried Tom, when he realized what had happened. You saved all our lives, and the airship as well." "Koku glad," was the simple reply of the giant. "But, bless my witch hazel !" cried Mr. Damon. "There's blood on your hands, Koku!" They looked at the giant's palms. They < were raw and bleeding. "How did it happen?" asked Ned. "Where bolts break off, iron rough-like," ex-* plained Koku. "Rough! I should say it was!" cried Tom. "Why, he just pressed with all his might on the jagged end of the bolts. Koku, you're a hero!" "Hero same as giant?" asked Koku, curiously. "No, it's a heap sight better," spoke Tom, and there was a trace of tears in his eyes. "Bless my vaseline!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, blowing his nose harder than seemed necessary* ANDY'S NEW AIRSHIP 103 "Come over here, Koku, and I'll bandage up your hands. Poor fellow, it must hurt a lot!" "Oh, not so bad," was the simple reply. While Mr. Damon gave first aid to the injured, Pom and Ned put new bolts in place of the broken ones on the bed-plate, and they tested them to see that they were perfect. New ones were also sub- stituted for the two that had been strained, and in the course of an hour the repairs were made. "Now we can run as an aeroplane again," said Tom, "But I'm not going to try such speed again. It was the vibration that did it I guess." They were now over a wild and desolate stretch of country, for the region lying on either side of the imaginary line dividing Canada and New York State, at the point where the St. Lawrence flows north-east, is sparsely settled. There were stretches of forest that seemed never to have been penetrated, and here and there patches of stunted growth, with little lakes dotted through the wilderness. There were hills and valleys, small streams and an occasional village. "Just the place for smuggling," observed Tom, as he looked at a map, consulted a clock and fig- ured out that they must be near Logans ville. "We can go down here in one of these hollows, sur- rounded by this tangled forest, and no one would 104 TOM SWIFT AND m $ GREAT SEARCHLIGHT ever know we were here. The smugglers could do the same." "Are you going to try it?" asked Ned. "I think I will. We'll go up to quite a height now, and I'll see if I can pick out Logansville. That isn't much of a place I guess. When I sight it I'll select a good place to lay hidden for a day or two, until Mr. Whitford has had a chance to work up his clew." The airship machinery was now working well again, and Tom sent his craft up about three miles. From there, taking observations through a powerful telescope, he was able, after a little while, to pick out a small town. From its loca* tion and general outline he knew it to be Logans- ville. "We'll go down about three miles from it," he said to his chum. "They won't be likely to see us then, and we'll stay concealed for a while. " This plan was put into operation, and, a little later the Falcon came to rest in a little grassy clearing, located in among a number of densely wooded hills. It was an ideal place to camp, though very lonesome. "Now, Ned, let's cut a lot of branches, and pile them over the airship," suggested Tom. "Cover over the airship? What for?" "So that in case anyone flies over our heads ANDY'S NEW AIRSHIP 105 they won't look down and see us. If the Fogers, or any of the smugglers, should happen to pass over this place, they'd spot us in a minute. We've got to play foxy on this hunt." "That's so," agreed his chum; and soon the three of them were busy making the airship look like a tangled mass of underbrush. Koku helped by dragging big branches along under his arm, but he could not use his hands very well. They remained in the little grassy glade three days, thoroughly enjoying their camp and the rest. Tom and Ned went fishing in a nearby lake and had some good luck. They also caught trout in a small stream and broiled the speckled beauties with bacon inside them over live coals at a campfire. "My! But that's good!" mumbled Ned, with his mouth full of hot trout, and bread and but- ter. "Yes, I'd rather do this than chase smugglers," said Tom, stretching out on his back with his face to the sky. "I wish " But he did not finish the sentence. Suddenly from the air above them came a curious whirring, throbbing noise. Tom sat up with a jump! He and Ned gazed toward the zenith. The noise in- creased and, a moment later, there came into view a big airship, sailing right over their heads. 306 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT - /'Look at that!" cried Tom. "Hush ! They'll hear you," cautioned Ned. "Nonsense! They're too high up," was Tom'g reply. "Mr. Damon, bring me the big binocularSj please!" he called. "Bless my spectacles, what's up?" asked thf odd gentleman as he ran with the glasses toward Tom. Our hero focused them on the airship that was swiftly sailing across the open space in the wild- erness but so high up that there was no danger of our friends being recognized. Then the young in- ventor uttered a cry of astonishment. "It's Andy Foger!" he cried. "He's in that airship, and he's got two .men with him. Andy Foger, and it's a new biplane. Say, maybe that's the new clew Mr. Whitford wired me about. We must get ready for action ! Andy in a new air- ship means business, and from the whiteness of the canvas planes, I should say that craft was OK its first trip. CHAPTER XII > WARNED AWAY "ToM, are you sure it's Andy ?" "Take a look yourself," replied the young in- ventor, passing his chum the binoculars. "Bless my bottle of ink!" cried Mr. Damon. "Is it possible?" "Quick, Ned, or you'll miss him!" cried Tom. The young bank clerk focused the glasses on the rapidly moving airship, and, a moment later, exclaimed : "Yes, that's Andy all right, but I don't know who the men are with him." "I couldn't recognize them, either," announced Tom. "But say, Ned, Andy's got a good deal better airship than he had before." "Yes, This isn't his old one fixed over. I don't believe he ever intended to repair the old one. That hiring of Mr. Dillon to do that, was only to throw him, and us, too, off the track." Ned passed the glasses to Mr. Damon, who was just in time to get a glimpse of the three occu- 107 ff o8 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT, pants of Andy's craft before it passed out of sight over the trees. "I believe you're right," said Tom to his chum. "And did you notice that there's quite a body, or Car, to that craft?" "Yes, room enough to carry considerable goods," commented Ned. "I wonder where he's going in it?" To Logansville, most likely. I tell you what it is, Ned. I think one of us will have to go there, and see if Mr. Whitford has arrived. He may be looking for us. I'm not sure but what we ought not to have done this first. He may think we have not come, or have met with some accident." "I guess you're right, Tom. But how shall we go? It isn't going to be any fun to tramp through those woods," and Ned glanced at the wilderness that surrounded the little glade where they had been camping. "No, and I've about concluded that we might as well risk it, and go in the airship. Mr. Whit- 'ford has had time enough to work up his clew, I guess, and Andy will be sure to find out, sooner or later, that we are in the neighborhood. I say let's start for Logansville." Ned and Mr. Damon agreed with this and soon jthey were prepared to move. WARNED AWAY log "Where will you find Mr. Whitford?" asked Ned of his chum, as the Falcon arose in the air. "At the post-office. That's where we arranged to meet. There is a sort of local custom house there, I believe." Straight over the forest flew Tom Swift and his airship, with the great searchlight housed on top. They delayed their start until the other craft had had a chance to get well ahead, and they were well up in the air ; there was no sight of the biplane in which Andy had sailed over their heads a short time before. "Where are you going to land?" asked Ned, as they came in view of the town. "The best place I can pick out," answered Tom. "Just on the outskirts of the place, I think. I don't want to go down right in the centre, as there'll be such a crowd. Yet if Andy has been using his airship here the people must be more or less used to seeing them." But if the populace of Logansville had been in the habit of having Andy Foger sail over their heads, still they were enough interested in a new craft to crowd around when Tom dropped into a field near some outlying-houses. In a moment the airship was surrounded by a crowd of women and children, and there would probably been a lot of men, but for the fact that they were awajr at 1 10 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT work. Tom had come down in a residential sec- tion. "Say, that's a beauty!" cried one boy. "Let's see if they'll let us go on!" proposed an- other. "We're going to have our own troubles," said Tom to his chum. "I guess I'll go into town, and leave the rest of you on guard here. Keep every- body off, if you have to string mildly charged electrical wires about the rail." But there was no need to take this precaution, for, just as the combined juvenile population of that part of Logansville was prepared to storm, and board the Falcon, Koku appeared on deck. "Oh, look at the giant!" "Say, this is a circus airship?" "Wow! Ain't he big!" "I'll bet he could lift a house!" / These and other expressions came from the ( boys and girls about the airship. The women ,' looked on open-mouthed, and murmurs of sur- \ prise and admiration at Koku's size came from a number of men who had hastily run up. Koku stepped from the airship to the ground, and at once every boy and girl made a bee-line for safety. "That will do the trick!" exclaimed Tom with a laugh. "Koku, just pull up a few trees, and WARNED AWAY 1 1 Iv look as fierce as Bluebeard, and I guess we won't be troubled with curiosity seekers. You can guard the airship, Koku, better than electric wires." "I fix 'em!" exclaimed the giant, and he tried to look fierce, but it was hard work, for he was very good natured. But he proved a greater at- traction than the aircraft^ and Tom was glad of it, for he did not like meddlers aboard. "With Koku to help you, and Mr. Damon to bless things, I guess you can manage until I come back, Ned," said the young inventor, as he made ready to go in to town to see if Mr. Whit ford had arrived. "Oh, we'll get along all right," declared Ned. "Don't worry." Tom found Mr. Whitford in one of the rooms over the post-office. The custom house official was restlessly pacing the floor. "Well, Tom!" he exclaimed, shaking hands, "I'm glad to see you. I was afraid something had happened. I was delayed myself, but when I did arrive and found you hadn't been heard from, I didn't know what to think. I couldn't get you on the wireless. The plant here is out of repair. Tom told of their trip, and the wait they had decided on, and asked : 1 12 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "What about the new clew; the Fogers?" "I'm sorry to say it didn't amount to anything. I ran it down, and came to nothing." "You know Andy has a new airship?" "Yes. I had men on the trail of it. They say Andy is agent for a firm that manufactures them, but I have my doubts. I haven't given up yet. But say, Tom, you've got to get busy. A big lot of goods was smuggled over last night." "Where?" "Well, quite a way from here. I got a tele- gram about it. Can you get on the job to-night, and do some patrol work along the border ? You're only half a mile from it now. Over there is Can- ada, and he pointed to a town on a hill opposite Logansville. "Yes, I can get right into action. What place is that?" "Montford, Canada. I've got men planted there, and the Dominion customs officials are help- ing us. But I think the smugglers have changed the base of their operations for the time being. If I were you I'd head for the St. Lawrence to- night." "I will. Don't you want to come along?" "Why, yes. I believe I'm game. I'll join you later in the day," Mr. Whitford added, as Tom told him where the Falcon was anchored. WARNED. AWAY The young inventor got back to find a bigger crowd than ever around his airship. But Koku and the others had kept them at a distance. With the government agent aboard Tom sent his craft into the air at dusk, the crowd cheering lustily. Then, with her nose pointed toward the St. Lawrence, the Falcon was on her way to do a night patrol, and, if possible, detect the smug- glers. ^ It was monotonous work, and unprofitable, for, though Tom sent the airship back and forth for many miles along the wonderful river that formed the path from the Great Lakes to the sea, he had no glimpse of ghostly wings of other aircraft, nor did he hear the beat of propellers, nor the throb of motors, as his own noiseless airship cruised along. It came on to rain after midnight, and a mist crept down from the clouds, so that even with the great searchlight flashing its powerful beams, it was difficult to see for any great distance. "Better give it up, I guess," suggested Mr. Whitford toward morning, when they had cov- ered many miles, and had turned back toward Logansville. "All right," agreed Tom. "But we'll try it again to-morrow night." He dropped his craft at the anchorage he ha great light, the figure of the woman clinging to \ the swaying rope. "Help her, someone! Tom! Ned! She'll fall!" *^ A The eccentric man started to rush from the motor room, where he had been helping Ned. But the latter cried : "Stay where you are, Mr. Damon. No one can reach her now without danger to himself and her. She can climb up, I think." Past knot after knot the woman passed, mount- ing steadily upward, with a strength that seemed remarkable. "Come on!" cried Tom to the others. "Don't wait until she gets up. There isn't time. Come on the rope will hold you all! Climb up!" The men in the tossing and bobbing motor boat heard, and at once began, one after the other, to clamber up the rope. There were five of them, as could be seen in the glare of the light, and 138 KOKU'S PRISONER 139 Tom, as he watched, wondered what they were doing out in the terrific storm at that early hour of the morning, and with a lone woman. "Stand by to help her, Koku!" called Ned to the giant. "I help," was the giant's simple reply, and as the woman's head came above the rail, over which the rope ran, Koku, leaning forward, raised her in his powerful arms, and set her carefully on the deck. "Come into the cabin, please," Ned called to her. "Come in out of the wet." "Oh, it seems a miracle that we are saved!" the woman gasped, as, rain-drenched and wind- tossed, she staggered toward the door which Tom had opened by means of a lever in the pilot house. The young inventor had his hands full, manipu- lating the airship so as to keep it above the motor boat, and not bring too great a strain on the rope. The woman passed into the cabin, which was between the motor room and the pilot house, and Ned saw her throw herself on her knees, and offer up a fervent prayer of thanksgiving. Then, springing to her feet, she cried: "My husband? Is he safe? Can you save him? Oh, how wonderful that this airship cam< in answer to our appeals to Providence. Who* is it?" 140 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT Before Ned got a chance to answer her, as she came to the door of the motor room, a man's yoice called : "My wife! Is she safe?" "Yes, here I am," replied the woman, and a moment later the two were in each other's arms. "The others; are they safe?" gasped the woman, after a pause. "Yes," replied the man. "They are coming up the rope. Oh, what a wonderful rescue! And that giant man who lifted us up on deck! Oh, do you recall in Africa how we were also rescued by airship " "Come on now, I got you!" interrupted the voice of Koku out on the after deck, and there was a series of thumps that told when he had lifted the men over the rail, and set them down. "All saved!" cried the giant at last. "Then cut the rope!" shouted Tom. "We've got to get out of this, for it's growing worse!" There was the sound of a hatchet blow, and the airship shot upward. Into the cabin came the dripping figures of the other men, and Ned, as he stood by the great searchlight, felt a wave of wonder sweep over him as he listened to the [voices of the first man and woman. He knew he had heard them before, and, when ie listened to the remark about a rescue by air- KOKU'S PRISONER 141 ship, in Africa, a flood of memory came to him. "Can it be possible that these are the same missionaries whom Tom and I rescued from the red pygmies?" he murmured. "I must get a look at them." "Our boat, it is gone I suppose," remarked one of the other men, coming into the motor room. "I'm afraid so," answered Ned, as he played the light on the doomed craft. Even as he did so he saw a great wave engulf her, and, a mo- ment later she sank. "She's gone," he said softly. "Too bad!" exclaimed the man. "She was a fine little craft. But how in the world did you happen along to rescue us? Whose airship is this?" "Tom Swift's," answered Ned, and, at the sound of the name the woman uttered a cry, as she rushed into the motor room. "Tom Swift!" she exclaimed. "Where is he? ] Oh, can it be possible that it is the same Tom j Swift that rescued us in Africa?" "I think it is, Mrs. Illingway," spoke Ned quietly, for he now recognized the missionary,/ though he wondered what she and her husband' were doing so far from the Dark Continent. "Oh, I know you you're Ned Newton Tom's chum! Oh, I am so glad! Where is Tom?" I4 2 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "In the pilot house. He'll be here in a mo- ment." Tom came in at that juncture, having set the automatic steering geer to take the ship on her homeward course. "Are they all saved?" he asked, looking at the little group of persons who had climbed up from the motor boat. "Mr. Damon, you had better make some hot coffee. Koku, you help. I " "Tom Swift!" cried out Mr. and Mrs. Illing- way together, as they made a rush for the young inventor. "Don't you know us?" To say that Tom was surprised at this, would be putting it mildly. He had to lean up against the side of the cabin for support. "Mrs. Illingway!" he gasped. "You here were you in that boat?" "Yes, it's all very simple. My husband and I are on a vacation for a year. We got fever and had to leave Africa. We are staying with friends at a resort on the lake shore. These are our friends," she went on, introducing the other gen- tlemen. "We went out for a trip in the motor boat," the missionary continued, "but we went too far. Our motor broke down, we could get no help, and the storm came up. We thought we were doomed, until we saw your lights. I guessed ft KOKU'S PRISONER was a balloon, or some sort of an airship, and we whistled, and called for help. Then you rescued us ! Oh, it is almost too wonderful to believe. It) is a good thing I have practiced athletics or I/ never could have climbed that rope." "It is like a story from a book!" added Mr. Illingway, as he grasped Tom's hand. "You res- cued us in Africa and again here." I may say here that the African rescue is told in detail in the volume entitled, "Tom Swift and His Elec- tric Rifle. 11 The shipwrecked persons were made as com- fortable as possible. There was plenty of room for them, and soon they were sitting around warm electric heaters, drinking hot coffee, and telling their adventures over again. Mr. and Mrs. Illing- way said they soon expected to return to Africa. Tom told how he happened to be sailing over the lake, on the lookout for smugglers, and how he had been disappointed. "And it's a good thing you were for our sakes," put in Mrs. Illingway, with a smile. "Where do you want to be landed?" asked Tom. "I don't want to take you all the way back to Logansville." "If you will land us anywhere near a city or town, we can arrange to be taken back to our cottage," said one of the men, and Tom sent the U44 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT! airship down until, in the gray dawn of the morn- ing, they could pick out a large village on the lake ehore. Then, in much better condition than when they had been saved, the rescued ones alighted, showering Tom and the others with thanks, and sought a hotel. "And now for our camp, and a good rest!" cried the young inventor, as he sent the airship aloft again. They reached their camp in the forest clear- ing without having been observed, as far as they could learn, and at once set about making things snug, for the storm was still raging. "I don't believe any of the smugglers were abroad last night," remarked Mr. Whit ford, as he prepared to go back into town, he having come out on horseback, leaving the animal over night in an improvised stable they had made in the Woods of boughs and tree branches. "I hope not," replied Tom, but the next day, when the government agent called again, his face wore a look of despair. "They put a big one over on us the night of the rescue," he said. "They flew right across the border near Logansville, and got away with a lot of goods. They fooled us all right." "Can you find out who gave the wrong tip?" asked Tom. KOKU'S PRISONER 145 "Yes, I know the man. He pretended to be friendly to one of my agents, but he was only deceiving him. But we'll get the smugglers yet!" "That's what we will!" cried Tom, deter- minedly. Several days passed, and during the night time Tom, in his airship, and with the great search- light aglow, flew back and forth across the bor- der, seeking the elusive airships, but did not see them. In the meanwhile he heard from Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, who sent him a letter of thanks, and a"sked him to come and see them, but, much as Tom would liked to have gone, he did not have the time. It was about a week after the sensational res- cue, when one evening, as Tom was about to get ready for a night flight, he happened to be in the pilot house making adjustments to some of the apparatus. Mr. Damon and Ned had gone out for a walk in the woods, and Mr. Whitford had not yet arrived. As for Koku, Tom did not know where his giant servant was. Suddenly there was a commotion outside. A trampling in the bushes, and the breaking of sticks under feet. "I got you now!" cried the voice of the giant. Tom sprang to the window of the pilot house. 146 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT He saw Koku tightly holding a man who was squirming about, and doing his best to break away. But it was useless. When Koku got hold of any one, that person had to stay. "What is it, Koku!" cried Tom. "I got him!" cried the giant. "He sneaking up ion airship, but I come behind and grab him/' and Koku fairly lifted his prisoner off his feet and started with him toward the Falcon. CHAPTER XVII WHAT THE INDIAN SAW "HELLO!" cried Tom. "What's up, Koku?" "Him up!" replied the giant with a laugh, as he looked at his squirming prisoner, whose feet he had lifted from the ground. "No, I mean what was he doing?" went on Tom, with a smile at the literal way in which the giant had answered his question. "I wasn't doing anything!" broke in the man. "I'd like to know if I haven't a right to walk through these woods, without being grabbed up by a man as big as a mountain ? There'll be some- thing up that you won't like, if you don't let me go, too!" and he struggled fiercely, but he was no match for giant Koku. "What was he doing?"" asked Tom of his big servant, ignoring the man. Tom looked closely at him, however, but could not remember to have seen him before. "I walking along in woods, listen to birds sing," said Koku simply, taking a firmer hold on his victim, "I see this fellow come along, and crawl 147 348 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT through grass like so a snake wiggle. I to myself think that funny, and I watch. This man he wiggle more. He wiggle more still, and then he watch. I watch too. I see him have knife in hand, but I am no afraid. I begin to go like snake also, but I bigger snake than he. " "I guess so," laughed Tom, as he watched the man trying in vain to get out of Koku's grip. "Then I see man look up at balloon bag, so as if he like to cut it with knife. I say to myself, 'Koku, it is time for you to go into business for yourself.' You stand under me?" "I understand!" exclaimed Tom. "You thought it was time for you to get busy." "Sure," replied Koku. "Well, I get business, I give one jump, and I am so unlucky as to jump with one foot on him, but I did not mean it. I go as gentle as I can." "Gentle? You nearly knocked the wind out of me!" snarled the prisoner. "Gentle! Huh!" "I guess he was the unlucky one, instead of you," put in Tom. "Well, what happened next?" "I grab him, and he is still here," said Koku simply. "He throw knife away though." "I see," spoke Tom. "Now will you give an account of yourself, or shall I hand you over to the police?" he asked sternly of the man. "What Were you sneaking up on us "in that fashion for* WHAT THE INDIAN SAW, 149 "Well, I guess this isn't your property!" blustered the man. "I have as good a right here as you have, and you can't have me arrested for that." "Perhaps not," admitted Tom. "You may have a right on this land, but if you are honest, and had no bad intentions, why were you sneak- ing up, trying to keep out of sight? And why did you have a big knife?" "That's my business, young man." "All right, then I'll make it my business, too," went on the young inventor. "Hold him, Koku, until I can find Mr. Damon, or Ned, and I'll see what's best to be done. I wish Mr. Whitford was here." "Aren't you going to let me go?" demanded the man. "I certainly am not!" declared Tom firmly. "I'm going to find out more about you. I haven't any objections to any one coming to look at my airship, out of curiosity, but when they come up like a snake in the grass and with a big knife, then I get suspicious, and I want to know more about them." "Well, you won't know anything more about me!" snarled the fellow. "And it will be the worse for you, if you don't let me go. You'd better!" he threatened. 150 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT. "Don't pay any attention to him, Koku," said Tom. "Maybe you'd better tie him up. You'll find some rope in the motor room." "Don't you dare tie me up!" blustered the prisoner. "Go ahead and tie him," went on Tom. "You'll be free to guard the ship then. I'll go for Ned and Mr. Damon." "Tie who up? What's the matter?" asked a yoice, and a moment later the government agent came along the woodland path on his horse. "What's up, Tom? Have you captured a wild animal?" "Not exactly a wild animal, Mr. Whitford But a wild man. I'm glad you came along. Koku has a prisoner." And Tom proceeded to relate what had happened. "Sneaking up on you with a knife; eh? I guess he meant business all right, and bad busi- ness, too," said Mr. Whitford. "Let me get a look at him, Tom," for Koku had taken his prisoner to the engine room, and there, amid a storm of protests and after a futile struggle on the part of the fellow, had tied him securely. Tom and the custom officer went in to look at the man, just as Ned and Mr. Damon came bade from their stroll in the woods. It was rapidly getting dusk, and was almost time for the start WHAT THE INDIAN SAW of the usual flight, to see if any trace could be had of the smugglers. "There he is," said Tom, waving his hand to- ward the bound man who sat in a chair in one corner of the motor room. The young inventor switched on the light, and a moment later Mr. Whitford exclaimed: "Great Scott! It's Ike Shafton!" "Do you know him?" asked Tom eagerly. "Know him? I should say I did! Why he's the man who pretended to give one of my men information about smugglers that drew us off on the false scent. He pretended to be for the government, and, all the while, he was in with the smugglers! Know him? I should say I did!" A queer change had come over the prisoner at the sight of Mr. Whitford. No longer was Shaf- ton surly and blustering. Instead he seemed to slink down in his chair, bound as he was, as if trying to get out of sight. "Why did you play double?" demanded the government agent, striding over to him. "I I don't hit me!" whined Shafton. "Hit you! I'm not going to hit you!" ex- claimed Mr. Whitford, "but I'm going to searcH you, and then I'm going to wire for one of men to take you in custody." J_I Didn't do anything!" TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "You didn't; eh? Well, we'll see what th'e courts think of giving wrong information to Uncle Sam with the intent to aid criminals. Let's see what he's got in his pockets." The spy did not have much, but at a sight of one piece of paper Mr. Whitford uttered a cry of surprise. "Ha! This is worth something!" he ex- claimed. "It may be stale news, and it may be something for the future, but it's worth trying I wonder I didn't think of that before." "What is it?" asked Tom. For answer the custom officer held out a scrap of paper on which was written one word. ST. REGIS. "What does it mean," asked Ned, who, with Mr. Damon, had entered the motor room, and stood curiously regarding the scene. "Bless my napkin ring!" said the odd man. "That's the name of a hotel. Do you suppose the smugglers are stopping there?" "Hardly," replied Mr. Whitford with a smile. "But St. Regis is the name of an Indian reser- vation in the upper part of New York state, right on the border, and in the corner where the St. Lawrence and the imaginary dividing line between New York and Canada join. I begin to see things WHAT THE INDIAN SAW 153 now. The smugglers have been flying over the Indian Reservation, and that's why they have escaped us so far. We never thought of that spot. Tom, I believe we're on the right track at last ! Shafton was probably given this to inform him where the next trick would be turned, so he could get us as far away as possible, or, maybe prevent us leaving at all." An involuntary start on the part of the prisoner' seemed to confirm this, but he kept silent. "Of course," went on Mr. Whitford, "they^ may have already flown over the St. Regis reser- vation, and this may be an old tip, but it's worth following up." "Why don't you ask him?" Tom wanted to know, as he nodded toward Shafton. "He wouldn't tell the truth. I'll put him where he can't get away to warn his confed- erates, and then we'll go to the reservation. And to think that my man trusted him!" Mr. Whitford was soon in communication with his headquarters by 'means of the wireless appar- atus on Tom's airship, and a little later two cus- tom officers arrived, with an extra horse on which they were to take their prisoner back. "And now we'll try our luck once more," said Mr. Whitford as his men left with Shafton se- curely bound. "Can you make the reservation '154 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHUGHt in good time, Tom? It's quite a distance," and he pointed it out on the map. "Oh, I'll do it," promised the young inventor, as he sent his powerful craft aloft in the dark- ness. Then, with her nose pointed in the right direction, the Falcon beat her way forward through the night, flying silently, with the great searchlight ready for instant use. In comparatively short time, though it was rather late at night, they reached the St. Law- rence, and then it was an easy matter to drop down into the midst of the reservation grounds. Though the Tedmen, whom the state thus quar- tered by themselves, had all retired, they swarmed out of their cabins as the powerful light flashed back and forth. "We want to question some of the head men of the tribe," said Mr. Whitford. "I know some of them, for on several occasions I've had to come here to look into rumors that tobacco and liquor and other contrabrand goods, dear to the Indian heart, were smuggled into the reservation against the law. I never caught any of them at it though." i With gutteral exclamations, and many grunts of surprise, the redmen gathered around the big airship. It was too much even for their usual reserve, and they jabbered among themselves. WHAT THE INDIAN SAW 155 "How Big Foot!" greeted the custom officer, to one Indian who had an extremely large left foot. "How!" "How!" responded the Indian, with a grunt. "Plenty much fine air-bird; eh?" and the agent Waved his hand toward the Falcon. " Yep. Plenty much big. " "Big Foot never see bird like this; eh?" "Oh sure. Big Foot see before many times. Huh!" "What! Has he seen this before?" asked Tom. "No. Wait a minute," cautioned Mr. Whit- ford. "I'm on the track of something. Big Foot see air-bird like this?" he questioned. "Sure. Fly over Indians' land many times. Not same as him," and he nodded toward Tom's ship, "but plenty much like. Make heap noise. Come down once break wheel mebby. Indians help fix. Indians get firewater. You got fire- water in your air-bird?" "No firewater, but maybe we've got some to- bacco, if you tell us what we want to know, Big Foot. And so you've seen air-birds flying around here before?" "Sure. Heap times. We all see," and he waved his hand to indicate the redmen gathered around him. There came grunts of confirmation. TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "We're getting there!" exclaimed Mr. Whit- ford to Tom. "We're on the right track now. Which way air-birds come, Big Foot?" "Over there," and he pointed toward Canada. "Which way go?" "Over there," and he pointed toward the east, in the direction of Shopton, as much as any- where. "That's what we want to know. Tom, we'll just hang around here for a while, until one of the smugglers' airships pass over head. I believe one is due to-night, and that's why Shafton had that paper. It was sent to him to tip him off. He was sneaking up, trying to put your airship out of commission when Koku caught him. These Indians have used their eyes to good advantage. I think we're on the trail at last." "Baccy for Big Foot?" asked the redman. "Yes, plenty of it. Tom, give them some of Koku's, will you? I'll settle with you later," for the giant had formed a liking for the weed, and Tom did not have the heart to stop him smok- ing a pipe once in a while. With his usual prodi- gality, the giant had brought along a big supply, and some of this was soon distributed among the Indians, who grunted their thanks. CHAPTER XVIII THE PURSUIT "WHAT plan have you in mind?" asked Toffi of Mr. Whitford, when some of the Indians had gone back to their shanties, leaving a few staring curiously at the airship, as she rested on the ground, bathed in the glow of her electric lights. "Well, I think the best thing we can do is just to stay right here, Tom; all night if need be. As Big Foot says, there have been airships passing ( overhead at frequent intervals. Of course that is not saying that they were the smugglers, but I don't see who else they could be. There's no meet going on, and no continental race. They must be the smugglers." "I think so," put in Ned. "Bless my diamond ring!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. But what are you going to do when you see them overhead?" "Take after them, of course!" exclaimed Tom. "That's what we're here for; isn't it Mr. Whit- ford?" i57 158 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Yes. Do you think you can rise from ttie ground, and take after them in time to stand a chance of overhauling them, Tom? You know they may go very fast." "I know, but I don't believe they can beat the 'Falcon. I'd rather wait down here than hover in the air. It isn't as dark as it was the other night, and they might see us with their glasses. Then they would turn back, and we'd have our trouble for nothing. They've actually got to cross the border with smuggled goods before the law can touch them; haven't they?" "Yes, I couldn't arrest them on Canadian ter- ritory, or over it. I've got to get them on this side of the border. So perhaps it will be as well to lie here. But do you suppose you can hear them or see them, as they fly over?" "I'm pretty sure I can. The sound of their motor and the whizz of the propellers carries for some distance. And then, too, I'm going to set the searchlight to play a beam up in the air. If that gets focused on 'em, we'll spot 'em all right" "But suppose they see it, and turn back?" "I don't believe they will. The beam will come from the ground straight upward you know, and they won't connect it with my ship." "But that fellow who was sneaking up when Koku caught him, may find some way to warn THE PURSUIT 159 them that you have come here," suggested Ned. "He won't get much chance to communicate with his friends, while my men have him," said Mr. Whitford significantly. "I guess we'll take a chance here, Tom." So it was arranged. Everything on the air- ship was gotten ready for a quick flight, and then Tom set his great searchlight aglow once more. Its powerful beams cut upward to the clouds, making a wonderful illumination. "Now all we have to do is to wait and watch,* 1 remarked Tom, as he came back from a last in- spection of the apparatus in the motor room. "And that is sometimes the hardest kind of work," said Mr. Whitford. "Many a time I have been watching for smugglers for days and nights at a stretch, and it was very wearying. When I got through, and caught my man, I was more tired than if I had traveled hundreds of miles. Just sitting around, and waiting is tiresome work." The others agreed with him, and then the cus- tom officer told many stories of his experiences, of the odd places smugglers would hit upon to conceal the contrabrand goods, and of fights he had taken part in. ''Diamonds and jewels, from their smallness, and from the great value, and the high duty on 160 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT them when brought into the United States, form the chief articles of the high class smugglers," he said. "In fact the ones we are after have been doing more in diamonds than anything else, , though they have, of late, brought much valuable hand-made lace. That can be bought compar- atively cheap abroad, and if they can evade paying Uncle Sam the duty on it, they can sell it in the United States at a large profit. "But the government has received so many complaints from legitimate dealers, who can not stand this unfair competition, that we have been ordered to get the smugglers at any cost." "They are sharp rascals," commented Mr. Damon. "They seem to be making extra efforts since Tom Swift got on their trail." "But, just the same, they are afraid of him, and his searchlight," declared Mr. Whitford. "I guess they fancied that when they took to air- ships to get goods across the border that they would not be disturbed. But two can play at that game." The talk became general, with pauses now and then while Tom swept the sky with the great searchlight, the others straining their eyes for a sight of the smugglers' airships. But they saw nothing. The young inventor had just paid a visit to th$ THE PURSUIT i6l pilot house, to see that his wheels and guiding levers were all right, and was walking back to* ward the stern of the ship, when he heard a noise there, and the fall of a heavy body. "Who's that?" he cried sharply. "Is that you, Koku?" A grunt was the only answer, and, as Tom called the giant's name the big man came out. "What you want, Mr. Tom?" he asked. "I thought you were at the stern," spoke Tom. "Someone is there. Ned, throw the light on the stern!" he called sharply. In a moment that part of the ship was in a bright glare and there, in the rays of the big lantern, was stretched out Big Foot, the Indian, comfortably sleeping. "Here! What are you doing?" demanded Mr. Whitford, giving him a vigorous shake. "Me sleep!" murmured Big Foot. "Lemme be! Me sleep, and take ride to Happy Hunting Grounds in air-bird. Go 'way!" "You'll have to sleep somewhere else, Big Foot," spoke the agent with a laugh. "Koku, put him down under one of the trees over there. He can finish his nap in the open, it's warm." The Indian only protested sleepily, as the giant carried him off the ship, and soon Big Foot was snoring under the trees. TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "He's a queer chap," the custom officer said. w Sometimes I think he's a little off in his head. But he's good natured." Once more they resumed their watching. It was growing more and more wearisome, and Tom was getting sleepy, in spite of himself. Suddenly the silence of the night was broken by a distant humming and throbbing sound. "Hark I" cried Ned. They all listened intently. * That's an airship, sure enough!" cried Tom. He sprang to the lever that moved the lantern, which had been shut off temporarily. An instant later a beam of light cut the darkness. The throb- bing sounded nearer. "There they are!" cried Ned, pointing from a window toward the sky. A moment later, right into the glare of the light, there shot a powerful biplane. "After 'em, Tom!" shouted Mr. Whitford. Like a bird the Falcon shot upward in pursuit noiselessly and resistlessly, the beam of the great .searchlight playing on the other craft, whicli dodged to one side in an endeavor to escape. "On the trail at last!" cried Tom, as he shoved over the accelerator lever, sending his airship for- ward on an upward slant, right at the stern of the smugglers' biplane. CHAPTER XIX IN DIRE PERIL UPWARD shot the Falcon. With every revolu- tion of her big propellers she came nearer and nearer to the fleeing craft of the supposed smug-- glers who were using every endeavor to escape. "Do you think you can catch them, Tom?" asked Mr. Whitford as he stood at the side of our hero in the pilot house, and looked upward and forward to where, bathed in the light of the great search-lantern, the rival craft was beating the air. "I'm sure we can unless something happens." "Bless my overshoes! What can happen?" asked Mr. Damon, who, after finding that every- thing in the motor room was running smoothly, had come forward. Ned was attending to the searchlight. "What can happen, Tom?" "Almost anything, from a broken shaft to a short-circuited motor. Only, I hope nothing does occur to prevent us from catching them." "You don't mean to say that you're actually going to try to catch them, do you, Tom?" asked 163 64 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT the custom officer. "I thought if we could trail them to the place where they have been delivering the goods, before they shipped them to Shopton we'd be doing well. But I never thought of catching them in mid-air." "I'm going to try it," declared the young inven- tor. "I've got a grappling anchor on board," he went on, "attached to a motor and windlass. If I can catch that anchor in any part of their ship I can bring them to a stop, just as a fisherman lands a trout. Only I've got to get close enough to make a cast, and I want to be above them when I doit." ' "Don't you think you can catch them, Tom?' 1 asked Mr. Damon. "Well, I'm pretty sure I can, and yet they seem to have a faster biplane than I gave them credit for. I guess I'll have to increase our speed a lit- tle," and he shifted a lever which made the Fal- con shoot along at nearly doubled speed. Still the other airship kept ahead, not far, but sufficiently so to prevent the grappling anchor from being tossed at her rail. "I wonder if they are the smugglers?" ques- tioned Mr. Damon. "It might be possible, Tom, that we're chasing the wrong craft." "Possible, but not, probable," put in Mr. Whit- ford. "After the clew we got, and what IN DIRE PERIL 165 Indians told us, and then to have a biplane come sailing over our heads at night, it's pretty sure to be the one we want. But, Tom, can't you close upon 'em?" "I'm going to try. The machinery is warmed up now, and I'll send it to the limit." Once more he adjusted the wheels and levers, and at his touch the Falcon seemed to gain new strength. She fairly soared through the air. Eagerly those in the pilot house watched the craft they were pursuing. She could be seen, in the glare of the big searchlight, like some bird of gloom and evil omen, fluttering along ahead of them. "They certainly have a fine motor!" cried Tom. "I was sure I could have caught up to them before this." "How do you account for it?" asked Mr. Damon. "Well, they're flying a good deal lighter than we are. They probably have no load to speak of, while we carry a heavy one, to say nothing of Koku." "Diamonds aren't very heavy," put in Mr. Whit ford grimly. "I think they are smuggling diamonds to-night. How I wish we could catch them, or trace them to where they have their headquarters." !66 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "We'll do it!" declared Tom. "Bless my stars ! They've gone !" suddenly ex- claimed Mr. Damon. "They've disappeared, Tom, I can't see them." It was indeed true. Those in the pilot house peering ahead through the darkness, could not get a glimpse of the airship they were pursuing. The beam of the searchlight showed nothing but a black void. All at once the beam shifted downward, and then it picked up the white-winged craft. "They went down!" cried Tom. "They tried to drop out of sight." "Can't you get them?" asked Mr. Whitford. "Oh, yes, we can play that game too. I'll do a little volplaning myself," and the young inven- tor shut off the power and coasted earthward, while Ned, who had picked up the forward craft, kept the searchlight playing on her. And now began a wonderful chase. The smugglers' craft, for such she proved later to be, did her best to dodge the Falcon. Those man- aging the mechanism of the fleeing airship must been experts, to hold out as they did against Swift, but they had this advantage, that their craft was much lighter, and more power- \ fully engined as regards her weight. Then, too, \ there were not so many on board, and Tom, Hay- IN DIRE PERIL 167 oplane, had to I i_ 1 it '^.iJ mg a combined balloon and aeropl; carry much machinery. It was like the flight of two big birds in the" air. Now the smugglers' craft would be mount- ing upward, with the Falcon after her. Again she would shoot toward the earth, and Tom would follow, with a great downward swoop. Ned kept the great lantern going, and, thougK occasionally the craft they were after slipped out of the focus of the beams, the young bank clerk Would pick her up again. To the right and left dodged the forward air- ship, vainly endeavoring to shake off Tom Swift, but he would not give up. He followed move for move, swoop for swoop. "She's turning around!" suddenly cried Mr. Damon. "She's given up the flight, Tom, and is going back!" "That's so!" agreed Mr. Whitford. "They're headed for Canada, Tom. We've got to catch 'em before they get over the Dominion line!" "I'll do it!" cried Tom, between his clenched teeth. He swung his airship around in a big circle, and took after the fleeing craft. The wind was against the smugglers now, and they could not make such good speed, while to Tom the wind TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT mattered not, so powerful were the propellers of t}xe Falcon. "I think we're gaining on them," murmured Mr. Damon. Suddenly, from the engine room, came a cry from Ned. "Tom! Tom!" he shouted. "Something is wrong with the gas machine ! She registers over five hundred pounds pressure, and that's too much. It's going up, and I haven't touched it!" "Mr. Damon, take the wheel!" exclaimed the young inventor. "I've got to see what's wrong. Hold her right on their trail." Tom sprang to the motor room, and one glance at the gas generating machine showed him that they were in dire peril. In some manner the pres- sure was going up enormously, and if it went up much more the big tank would blow to pieces. "What is it?" cried Ned, from his position near the light. C"\ don't know! Something wrong." I "Are you going to give up the chase?" TJ am not. Stick to the light. Koku, tell Mr. Damon to hold her on the course I set. I'll try to get this pressure down!" And Tom Swift be- gan to work feverishly, while his ship rushed on through the night in danger, every moment, of being blown to atoms. Yet the young inventor would not give up, and descend to earth. CHAPTER XX SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS THE chase was kept up, and Tom, when he had a chance to look up at the speed register, as he labored frantically at the clogged gas machine, saw that they were rushing along as they never had before. "Are we catching them, Ned?" he cried to his chum, who was not far away, playing the power- ful light on the smugglers' craft. "I think we're coming nearer, but it's going to be a long chase. I don't see why we can't close up on 'em." "Because they've got a very fast ship, Ned, and they are flying much lighter than we are. But we'll get 'em!" "How are you making out with that gas ma- chine?" "Well, I'm doing all I can, but I can't seem to get the pressure down. I can't understand it Some of the pipes must be clogged with a 169 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT deposit. I ought to have cleaned them out some time ago." Ned gave a hasty glance at the gage which showed the gas pressure. It registered six hun- dred pounds now, having risen a hundred in a short time. "And she'll go up, sure, at eight hundred," murmured Ned, as he held the light steadily on the smugglers' aircraft. "Well, if Tom sticks to the chase, I will too, but I think it would be bet-* ter to go down, open up everything, and let the gas escape. We could get the rascals later." Tom, however, did not seem to think so, for ha kept on with his task, working away at the pipes, trying to force the obstruction out, to that the gas from the generator would flow into the bag. At the same time he tried to shut off the generating apparatus, but that had become jammed in conse-* quence of the pipe clogging, and the powerful vapor continued to manufacture itself automatic- ally in spite of all that Tom could do. The only safe way out of the danger, unless he could remove the obstruction, was to descend to earth, and, as Ned had said, open every outlet. But to have done that in mid-air would have been dangerous, as the large volume of gas, suddenly liberated, would have hung about the airship in a cloud, smothering all on board. If they were on SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS 171 the earth they could run away from it, and re- main away until the vapor had blown off. "Is Mr. Damon keeping her on the course, Ned?" asked Tom, pausing a moment to get his breath after a series of frantic efforts. "Yes, and I think we're closing in on them a little." "That's good. Are they still headed for the border?" "Yes, I guess they're going to take no chances to-night. They're going right back to Canada where they came from." "Well, we'll be hot after 'em. Whistle through the tube, and tell Koku to come here and give me a hand. He's with Mr. Damon in the pilot house." Ned sent the message, and then gave his whole attention to the light. This was necessary, as the smugglers were resorting to dodging tactics, in an endeavor to escape. Now they would shoot upward, and again toward the earth, varying the performance by steering to the right or left. Ned had constantly to shift the light to keep them in focus, so that Mr. Damon could see where to steer, but, with all this handicap, the eccentric man did very well, and he was never far out in his judg- ment "By Jove!" suddenly murmured Tom, as he tried once more in vain to open a clogged valve. 172 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT! "I'm afraid we can't do it. Koku, lend a hand here!" he exclaimed as the giant entered. "See if you can twist this wrench around, but don't brealc off the handle, whatever you do." "Me shove," replied the giant simply, as he grasped the big wrench. Once more Ned glanced at the pressure gage. It showed seven hundred pounds now, and there was only a margin of safety of one hundred pounds more, ere a terriffic explosion would occur. Still Tom had not given the order to descend to earth. "Are you going to make it, Tom?" asked the government agent, anxiously, as he stood over the young inventor. "I I think so," panted Tom. "Are we near the Dominion line," "Pretty close," was the discouraging answer. "I'm afraid we can't get 'em before they cross. Can you use any more speed?" , "I don't know. Ned, see if you can get another notch out of her." With one hand Ned reached for the accelera- tor lever on the wall near him, and pulled it to the last notch. The Falcon shot ahead with increased speed, but, at the same instant there came a gasp from Koku, and the sound of something break- ing. SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS 173 "There! He's done it!" cried Tom in despair. "I was afraid you'd be too strong for that wrench, Koku. You've broken off the handle. Now we'll never be able to loosen that valve." Ned gave one more glance at the pressure gage. It showed seven hundred and fifty pounds, and the needle was slowly moving onward. "Hadn't we better descend," asked Mr. Whit- ford in a low voice. "I I guess so," answered Tom, despairingly. "Where are we?" Ned flashed the light downward for an instant. Just crossing over the St. Regis Indian reser- vation again," he replied. "We'll be in Canada in a few minutes more. " "Where are the smugglers?" "Still ahead, and they're bearing off to the right." "Going toward Mont ford," commented the government man. We've lost 'em for to-night, anyhow, but they didn't get their goods landed, at any rate." "Send her down, Ned!" exclaimed Tom, and it was high time, for the pressure was now within twenty-five pounds of the exploding point. Down shot the Falcon, while her rival passed onward triumphantly in the darkness. Ned held the light on the smugglers as long as he dared, and TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT. then he flashed it to earth to enable Mr. Damon to pick out a good landing place. In a few moments Tom's silent airship came to rest on a little clearing in the forest, and Tom, with Ned's help, at once opened every outlet of the gas machine, a thing they had not dared do while up in the air. "Come on, now, run, 'everybody!" cried Tom. "Otherwise you'll be smothered!" They leaped from the craft, about which gath- ered the fumes of the powerful gas, as it hissed from the pipes. Running a hundred yards away they were safe, and could return in a few minutes. "We're in Canada," remarked Mr. Whitford, as they came to a halt, watching the airship. "How do you know?" asked Ned. *As we landed I saw one of the stone boundary posts," was the answer. "We're on English ter- ritory, and we can't touch the smugglers if we should see them now." "Well, we'll soon be back in Uncle Sam's land, declared Tom. "We can go back on board the Falcon to sleep shortly. Jove! I wish I could have caught those fellows!" "Never mind, we'll get 'em yet," consoled Mr. iWhitford. Waiting until he was sure all the vapor had disv appeared, Tom led the way back to the Falcon. SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS No great harm had been done, save to lose con- siderable gas, and this could be remedied. Tired and disappointed from the chase, they sought theifl bunks, and were soon asleep. In the morning Tom and Ned began work on the clogged pipes. This work was nearly accomplished by noon, when Mr. Damon, coming back from a stroll, an- nounced that they were but fifteen minutes walk from the St. Lawrence River, as he had seen th^ sparkling waters from a neighboring hill. "Let's go over and have a look at it," pro- posed Ned. "We can easily finish this when we get back. Besides, Tom, we don't want to get to our regular camp until after dark, anyhow." The young inventor was willing, and the two lads, with Mr. Whitford, strolled toward the his- toric stream. As they drew near the bank, they saw, anchored a little distance out, a small steam- er. Approaching it, as if she had just left the shore at a point near where our friends stood, was a gasolene launch, containing several men, while on shore, in front of a small shanty, stood another man. This latter individual, at the sight of Tom, Ned and Mr. Whitford, blew a shrill whistle. Those in the launch looked back. The man on shore waved a red flag in a peculiar way, almost as the soldiers in the army wig-wag signals. 176 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT In another moment the launch turned about, and put for shore, while the lone man hurried back into the hut. "Hum !" remarked Tom. " Those are queer ac- tions." "Suspicious actions, I should say," said Mr. Whitford. "I'm going to see what this means," CHAPTER XXI MR. PERIOD ARRIVES GREATLY interested in what was about to take place, and not a little suspicious, our friends stood on the bank of the river and watched the motor boat returning. As it reached a little dock in front of the hut, the man who had waved the red flag of warning came out, and talked rapidly to those in the power craft. At the same time he pointed occasionally to Tom, Ned and the government agent. "This is getting interesting," remarked Mr. Whit ford. "We may have accidentally stumbled on something important Tom." "See, they're signalling to the steamer now," spoke Ned, and, as he said this, his companions looked, and noted the man from the hut waving a white flag, in a peculiar manner. His signals were answered by those on the vessel anchored out in the stream, and, a little later, black smoke could be seen pouring from her funnel. 177 J78 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Looks as if they were getting ready to leave," spoke Tom. "Yes, we seem to have started things moving around here," observed Ned. , "Or else we have prevented them from mov- ing," remarked the custom agent. "What do you mean?" Tom wanted to know. "I mean that those men were evidently going to do something just as we arrived, and spoiled their plans. I would say they were going to land goods from that schooner. Now they are not." "What kind of goods?" asked Ned. "Well, of course I'm not sure, but I should say smuggled goods." "The smugglers!" cried Tom. "Why, they can't be smugglers, for we are on Canadian terri- tory. The river isn't the dividing line between the Dominion and the United States at this point. The St. Lawrence lies wholly in Canada here, and the men have a right to land any goods they want to, dutiable or not." "That's just it," put in Mr. Whitford. "They have the right, but they are afraid to exercise it, and that's what makes me suspicious. If they were doing a straight business they wouldn't be afraid, no matter who saw them. They evidently, recognize us, by description, if by no other means, and they know we are after smugglers. That's MR. PERIOD ARRIVES 179 why they stopped the bringing of goods from that vessel to shore. They want to wait until we are gone." "But we couldn't stop them from landing goods, even if they know we are working for Uncle Sam," declared Tom. "That's very true, but it is evidently their in- tention, not only to land goods here, which they have a perfect right to do, but to send them into the United States, which they have not a right to do without paying the duty." "Then you really think they are the smug- glers?" asked Ned. "I'm pretty sure of it. I think we have stum- bled on one of the places where the goods are landed, and where they are loaded into the air- ships. This is the best luck we could have, and it more than makes up for not catching the rascals last night. Now we know where to get on their trail." "If they don't change the place," observed Torn, "Oh, of course, we've got to take that chance." "Here's one of them coming over to speak to us, I guess," remarked Tom in a low voice, as he observed the man, who had waved the flag ap- proaching. There was no doubt of his intention for, as soon as he came within talking distance, the stranger called out : TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT. "What are you fellows doing here?" "Looking at the river," replied Mr. Whitford, calmly. "Well, you'd better find some other place for a view. This is private property, and we don't like trespassers. Get a move on get out!" "Are we doing any harm?" asked the agent "I didn't say you were. This is our land, and we don't like strangers snooping around. That's all." "Particularly when you are going to land some goods." "What do you mean?'* gasped the man. "I guess you know well enough," was Mr. Whitford's reply. The man suddenly turned, and gave a shrill whistle. Instantly, from the hut, came several men who had been in the motor boat. One or two of them had weapons. "I guess you'd better go now," said the first man sharply. "You're not in the United States now, you know." "It's easy to see that, by the politeness of the residents of this section," put in Tom. "None of your back talk! Get away from here!" cried the man. "If you don't go peace- ably " > "Oh, we're going," interposed Mr. Whitford MR. PERIOD ARRIVES i8l calmly. "But that isn't saying we won't come back. Come on, boys. We'll get over on Uncle Sam's territory." The group of men stood silently watching them, as they filed back through the woods. "What do you make of it?" asked Tom of the agent. "I'm positive that I'm (right, and that they're the smugglers. But I can't do anything on this side of the line. If ever I can catch them across the border, though, there'll be a different story; to tell" "What had we better do?" inquired Ned. *Go back to our airship, and leave for Logans- ville. We don't need to land until night, though, but we can make a slow trip. Is the gas machine all right again, Tom?" "Practically so. If that hadn't gone back on me we would have had those fellows captured by this time." "Never mind. We did our best." It did not take Tom and his chum long to com- plete the repairs, and soon they arose in the air. "Let's take a flight over where those fellows are, just to show them what we can do," proposed Ned, and Tom and Mr. Whitford agreed to it Soon they were circling over the hut. The launch was just starting out again, when a cry from the TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT man who seemed to be a sort of guard, drew the attention of his confederates to the noiseless air- ship. Once more the launch was turned about, and sent back to shore, while those in it shook their fists at Tom and his friends. "We can play tag with 'em up here!" chuckled Ned. "There's the small vessel that pulled up anchor a while ago," remarked Mr. Whitford, pointing to the vessel which had steamed around a wooded point. "They thought we had gone for good, and they were getting ready to land the stuff. Well, we'll know where to head for next time, when we watch for the smugglers at night." Realizing that nothing more could be done, Tom sent his airship toward the camp, just out- side of Logansville. But he did not land until after dark, when, making out the spot by means of the electric lights, which were set aglow auto- matically at dark, he descended. "We won't try anything to-night," said Mr. Whitford. "I doubt if the smugglers will them- selves, after their experience last night I'll get into town, see some of my men, and come out here to-morrow night again." Tom and Ned spent the following day in going carefully over the Falcon, making some slight MR. PERIOD ARRIVES 783 repairs. The great searchlight was cleaned and adjusted, and then, as dusk came on once more Tom remarked: "Well, we're ready for 'em any time Mr. iWhitford is." Hardly had he spoken than the tramp of horses' feet was heard coming along the bridle path through the woods, and a voice was heard to ex- claim : "There, now, I understand it perfectly! You 'don't need to say another word. I know it may be against the regulations, but I can fix that. I'm the busiest man in the world, but I just had to come up here and see Tom Swift It's costing me a thousand dollars, but the money is well spent. Now don't interrupt me! I know what you're going to say! That you haven't time to bother with moving pictures. But you have! I must have some moving pictures of your chase after the smugglers. Now, don't speak to me, I know all about it. You can't tell me anything. I'll tallc to Tom. Are we most there?" "Yes, we're here," answered Mr. Whitford's voice, and Tom fancied the government agent was a bit puzzled by his strange companion. "Bless my shoe string!" gasped Mr. Damon. "Him picture man!" cried Koku. *Mr. Period!" exclaimed Tom. "I wonder TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT what he is doing here?" and the next moment the excitable little man, for whom Tom had run so many risks getting marvelous moving pictures, with the wizard camera, entered the clearing where the airship was anchored. CHAPTER XXII HOVERING O'ER THE BORDER , Tom, you see I couldn't get along with- out you," exclaimed Mr. Period, as he rushed, forward and grasped Tom's hand, having alighted in rather an undignified manner from the horse that he had ridden. "I'm after you again." "So I see," remarked our hero. "But I'm afraid I can't " "Tut! Tut! Don't say that," interrupted the moving picture man. "I know what you're go- ing to say. Don't do it ! Don't go back on me, [Tom! Have you the wonderful moving picture camera with you." "I have, Mr. Period, but " "Now! Now! That'll do," broke in the ex- citable little man. "If you have it, that's enough. I want you to get me some films, showing you in chase of the smugglers. They'll be great to ex- hibit in our chain of theatres." "How did you know I was here?" asked Tom. "Easily enough. I called at your house. Your 185 jg6 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT father told me where you were. I came on. It cost me a thousand dollars maybe more. I don'fl care! I've got to have those films! You'll get* them for me; won't you?" "Well, I " "That's enough! I know what you're going td say. Of course you will ! Now how soon may I expect them. They ought to make a good run, Say in a week?" "It all depends on the smugglers," said Miv Whitford. "Yes, yes! I understand, of course. I know! This friend of yours has been very kind to me, Tom. I looked him up as soon as I got to Logans* ville, and told him what I wanted. He offered to show me the way out here, and here I am. Let's have a look at the camera, to see if it's in good shape. Are you going to have a try for the smu* glers to-night?" "I think so," answered Tom. "As for the camera, really I've been so busy I haven't had time* to look at it since we started. I guess it's all right. I don't know what made me bring it along, as I didn't expect to use it." "But with your great searchlight it will be jusf the thing," suggested Ned. "Yes, I think so," added Mr. Whitford, who Had been told about the wizard instrument. HOVERING O'ER THE BORDER 187 "Bless my detective badge!" cried Mr. Damon. "It may be just the thing, Tom. You can offer moving pictures of the smugglers in court, for evidence. " "Of course!" added Mr. Period. "Now, Tom, don't disappoint me." "Well, I suppose I'll have to get the camera out, and set it up," conceded Tom with a laugh. "As you say, Mr. Damon, the pictures may come in valuable. Come, Ned, you get out the camera, and set it up, while Koku and I see to getting the ship in shape for a flight. You'll come along, Mr. Period?" "I don't know. I was thinking of going back. I'm losing about a hundred dollars a minute by being away from my business." "You'll have to go back alone," said Mr. Whit- iford, "as I have to be with Tom, in case of a capture." "Ride back alone, through those woods? Never! The smugglers might catch me, and I'm too val- uable a man to go that way! I'll take a chance in the airship." Ned busied himself over the wizard camera, which had been stored away, and Mr. Period went with the young bank clerk to look after the ap- paratus. Meanwhile Tom and Koku saw to it that the Falcon was ready for a quick flight, Mr. 3 g8 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT Damon and Mr. Whitford lending whatever aid was necessary. The horses, which the agent and Mr. Period had ridden, were tethered in the clear* ing where they could get food and water. "Did the smugglers rush anything over last night?" asked Tom. "No, we evidently had them frightened. But I shouldn't be surprised but what they made the attempt to-night. We'll go back toward the St Regis Indian reservation, where they were getting ready to unload that steamer, and hover around the border there. Something is sure to happen, sooner or later." "I guess that's as good a plan as any," agreed Tom, and in a little while they started. All that night they hovered over the border, sailing back and forth, flashing the great light at intervals to pick up the white wings of a smug- gling airship. But they saw nothing. Mr. Period was in despair, as he fully counted on a capture being made while he was present, so that he might see the moving pictures made. But it was not to be. The wizard camera was all in readiness, but there was no need to start the automatic machin- ery. For, search as Tom and his friends did for a trace of the smugglers, they could see nothing. They put on full speed, and even went as far as HOVERING O'ER THE BORDER jgg the limits of the Indian reservation, but to no pur- pose. They heard no throbbing motor, no whizz of great propellers, and saw no white, canvas wings against the dark background of the sky, as Tom's craft made her way noiselessly along. "I guess we've frightened them away," said Mr. Whitford dubiously, as it came near morn- ing, and nothing suspicious had been seen or heard. They're holding back their goods, Tom until they think they can take us unawares. Then they'll rush a big shipment over." "Then's the time we must catch them," de- clared the young inventor. "We may as well go back now." "And not a picture!" exclaimed Mr. Period tragically. "Well, be sure to get good ones when you do make a capture, Tom." "I will," promised the young inventor. Then, with a last sweep along the border he turned the nose of his craft toward Logansville. He had almost reached the place, and was flying rather low over the country roads, when Ned called : "Hark! I hear something!" The unmistakable noise of a gasolene motor in operation could be distinguished. "There they are!" cried Mr. Period. "Bless my honeysuckle vine!" gasped Mr. Damon. TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT^ "The light, Ned, the light!" cried Tom. His chum flashed the powerful beam all around the horizon, and toward the sky, but nothing was visible. "Try down below," suggested Mr. Whitford. Ned sent the beams earthward. And there, in the glare, they saw a youth speeding along on a motor-cycle. In an instant Tom grabbed up binoculars and focussed them on the rider. "It's Andy Foger!" he cried. CHAPTER XXIII NED IS MISSING THERE was a period of silence, following Tom's startling announcement. There were sev- eral plate glass windows in the floor of the airship, and through these they all gazed at the youth on the motor-cycle. Only Tom, however, by the aid of the glasses, was able to make out his features. "Bless my spark plug! Andy Foger!" cried Mr. Damon. "Are you going to try to catch him?" "Get him and break chug-chug machine!" sug- gested Koku. "What do you suppose he's up to, Tom?" asked Ned. "Andy Foger speeding along at this hour of the morning," remarked Mr. Whitford. "There must be something in the wind." "Get a moving picture of him," urged Mr. Pe- riod. "I might be able to use that." "I hardly think it would be worth while," de- cided Tom. "You see Andy hasn't done any- * TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT] thing criminal, as far as we know. Of course I think he is capable of it, but that's a different thing. He may be out only on a pleasure jaunt, and he could stop us from showing the pictures, if we took them." "That's so," agreed Mr. Period. "Don't run any risks of a lawsuit. It takes up too much of my time. Never mind the pictures." "Just capture him, Tom, and see what he is 'doing," suggested Mr. Damon. "Bless my chew- ing gum! But he must be up to something." "Well, he's aware of the fact that we're watch- ing him, at all events!" exclaimed Mr. Whitford, for, at that moment, Andy, having seen the glare of the light, glanced up. They could see him look- inging at him, and, a second later, the Shopton bully steered his machine down a side road where the overhanging trees were so thick that he could not be made out, even by the powerful gleams of the great searchlight. I "He's gone!" gasped Ned. "Afraid I guess," added Mr. Damon. "That shows he was up to something wrong. Well, what are we going to do?" "Nothing, that I can see," spoke Mr. Whit- ford. "We can only go back to our camping place, and make another try. This Andy Foger may, or may not, be in with the smugglers. That's NED IS MISSING something we have yet to prove. However, we can't do anything now." In vain did Ned try to get the bully within range of the light. They could hear the sounds * of the motor cycle growing more and more faint, and then, as it was rapidly getting light, and as they did not want to be seen dropping into their camping place, they made all haste toward it, be- fore dawn should break. "Well, I can't spend any more time here," de- clared Mr. Period, when a hasty breakfast had been served. "Will you ride back with me?" asked Mr. Whitford of the moving picture man. "Will I ? Well, I guess I will ! You can't lose me ! I'm not going to be captured by those smug- glers. I'd be a valuable man for them to have as a hostage. They'd probably ask a million dollars ransom for me," and Mr. Period carefully straightened his brilliant red necktie. Soon he and Mr. Whitford were riding back to town, taking a roundabout way, as the agent always did, to throw any possible spies off the track. Everyone, even including the giant Koku was tired enough to take a sleep after dinner. It was about three o'clock when Ned awoke, and h$ TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT 'found Tom already up, and at the wireless instru- ment, which was clicking and buzzing. "Message coming?" asked the young bank clerk. Tom nodded, and clasped the receiver over his ear. A moment later he began jotting down a message. "Mr. Whitford says he has a tip that something is going to take place to-night," read the young inventor a few minutes later. "The smugglers have accumulated a big store of goods, and they are anxious to get them over the border. There are silks, laces, diamonds, and other things on which there is a high duty, or tax for bringing into the United States. He will be here early, and we must be ready for a start at once." "All right. I guess we are ready now. Say, I'm going over to that little brook, and see if I can catch a few trout for supper." "All right. Good idea. Don't be gone too long." "I won't. Say, where is my coat, anyhow? I never can seem to keep track of that, or my cap either." "Never mind. Wear mine, and you won't be delayed looking for them," so Ned donned Tom's garment and headpiece, and set out. NED IS MISSING 195 Three hours passed, and Mr. Damon prepare8 to get supper. "I wonder why Ned doesn't come back with the fish?" he said. "It's time, if we're going to cook them to-night." \ "That's right, he ought to be here," agreed Tom. "Koku take a walk over to the trout brook, and tell Mr. Ned to come here, whether he has any fish or not." , "Sure, me go, Mr. Tom!" Koku was gone perhaps five minutes, and when he came back he was much excited. "Mr. Ned he no there!" the giant cried. "But fish pole all broken, and ground all full of holes. Look like fight." Tom started for the place where he knew Ned usually went to fish. Koku and Mr. Damon fol- lowed. On reaching it our hero saw indeed that the ground was "full of holes," as the giant de- scribed the indentations made by the heels of boots and shoes. "There's been a fight here!" cried Tom. "Yes, and Ned is missing," added Mr. Damon. CHAPTER XXIV THE NIGHT RACE THE three looked at each other. For a moment they could not understand, and then, as they stood there, the meaning came to them. "The smugglers!" whispered Tom. "Of course?" agreed Mr. Damon. "And they must have taken him for you, Tom, for he had on your coat and cap. What can they have done with him?" "Taken him away, that's evident," spoke Tom. "Let's look around, and see if we can find him." They looked, but to no purpose. Ned had dis- appeared. There were the signs of a struggle, the fish rod was broken in several places, as if Ned had used it as a club, and the ground was torn up. "Bless my tin whistle!" cried Mr. Damon. "What shall we do?" ' For a moment no one knew what to say, then, as they looked at each other in silence, a voice called : "I say! What's up? What's the matter? Where are you all? Hey, Tom Swift!" 196 JTHE NIGHT RACE 197 "It's Mr. Whitford !" cried Tom. "He's just in time." Then he called in louder tones: "Here we are! In the woods by the trout brook! Come on over! Ned is gone!" There was a commotion in the bushes, the trampling of a horse, and a moment later the gov- ernment agent had joined the others. "What's this?" he cried. "Ned gone? What do you mean?" "He's missing. The smugglers have him, I'm afraid," explained Tom, and then he gave the de- tails. "It certainly looks so," agreed Mr. Whitford. "His wearing of your coat and cap fooled them. They must have spied out this camping place, and they were in hiding. When they saw Ned coming to fish they took him for you. Having failed in their attempt to damage the airship, they decided to get her captain. Probably they thought that if they did the Falcon could not be run, and they Would be safe. But they got the wrong man." "Then we must get Ned back at once!" cried Tom. "Come on, we'll start right away! Where do you think we can nab them, Mr. Whitford?" "Wait a minute," suggested the government agent. He seemed in deep thought, and paced up and down. It was clear that a great question was confronting him. 198 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Well!" exclaimed Tom impatiently, "if we're going to get Ned we must start at once." "Perhaps it would be best not to try to rescue Ned at once," said the custom house man after a pause. "What!" cried Tom. "Not rescue Ned, my best chum?" "Not at once," repeated Mr. Whitford. "Look here, Tom. I know it seems a hard thing to say, but perhaps if we proceed on our original plan, to hover over the border, and get on the trail of the smugglers, chasing them to where they land the goods in the United States, it will be best." "And not rescue Ned?" "We can best rescue him by catching the smug- glers." "Then you think " "That they have him with them on board one of their airships very likely. If we get them we'll have Ned." "Then we'll get 'em!" cried Tom with energy. "Come on back to the Falcon. We'll get ready for a big fight!" "Yes, I think they'll make a desperate effort to-night," went on the agent. "They have a lot of goods ready to rush over the border, and the fact that they tried to capture you, shows that. THE NIGHT RACE 199 they are ready to pull off a big trick. I think if we can catch them to-night, it will put an end to their operations, and, at the same time, bring Ned back to us." "Where do you think they will start to cross the line? "asked Tom. "Near the place where we saw the man waving the flags. I have information to the effect that they have a store of valuable goods there. They imagine that they have the master of the airship, and the owner of the great searchlight in their power, and that they can not be molested, so they will be bold." "But they'll soon find out that Ned isn't Tom," said Mr. Damon. "No they won't! Not if it depends on Ned!" cried Tom. "Ned is game. He'll soon get wise to the fact that they have taken him for me, and he'll carry on the deception. None of the smug- glers know me intimately." "Unless Andy Foger should be with them," suggested Mr. Damon. "Oh, Ned can fool Andy any day. Come on, Mr. Whitford. We'll get the smugglers to-night, spoil their game, and rescue Ned. Somehow, I feel that we're going to succeed. " "Bless my tin dishpan!" cried Mr. Damon. "I hope we do." ^200 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT Slowly, and with no very cheerful hearts, they filed away from the scene of Ned's capture. In spite of the fact that they did not think he would be harshly treated, they worried about him, Tom especially. A hasty supper was eaten, and then, Tom, hav* ing seen that everything aboard the ship was in good order, sent her aloft on what he hoped would be the last chase after the smugglers. He decided to have Mr. Damon steer the craft, as this was comparatively easy, once she was started on her course, while the young inventor would manage the searchlight, and start the automatic wizard camera, in case there was anything to photograph. Up and up went the Falcon, and soon she was making her way toward the St. Regis Indian res- ervation, near which it was expected the smug- glers would start. Tom put out every light, as he wanted to remain in darkness, until he could see a moving glow in the sky that would tell him of a rival airship on the wing. It did not take them long to reach the desired spot, and they hovered in the air over it, every one with tense nerves, waiting for what would happen next. Tom did not want to show his searchlight just yet, as he feared the gleam of it might stop the op- erations of the smugglers. So he waited in dark- THE NIGHT RACE 2 OE ness, approaching close to the earth in his noise- less ship several times, and endeavoring to see something through the powerful night glasses. Suddenly, from below them, came a subdued throb and hum of a motor. "There they are!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I think so," agreed Tom. He looked below. He saw two flickering lights, rather far apart. Mr. Whit ford observed them at the same moment. "There are two of them!" exclaimed the agent, "Two airships, Tom!" "So I see. Koku get out my electric rifle. We can't chase two, if they separate, so I may have to stop one. It's best to be prepared. I'm going to follow them in the dark, until they get over the border, and then I'll turn on the light and the camera. Then it will be a race to the finish." The twin lights came nearer. Tom stood with his mouth to the signal tube that communicated with Mr. Damon in the pilot house. From a side window he watched the smugglers' airships. They shot upward and then came on straight ahead, to pass to one side of him. Now they were past Tom started the wizard camera. "Half speed ahead!" the young inventor sig- nalled, and the Falcon shot forward. The night race was on. CHAPTER XXV THE CAPTURE CONCLUSION "Do You think they know we are here, Tom?" asked Mr. Whitford, as he stood at the side of the young inventor in the motor room. "I don't believe so, as yet. They can't hear us, and, unless they have pretty powerful glasses, they can't pick us up. We can soon tell how- ever, if they are aware that we are following them." "Have you made any plan about capturing them?" "No, I'm going to wait and see what turns up. I can't certainly chase two of them, if they sep- arate, and that's why I'm going to cripple one if I have to." "But won't that be dangerous? I don't want to see any of them killed, or even hurt, though they are smugglers." "And I don't want to hurt them, either. If worst comes to worst I'm going to put a few holes in the wing planes of the smaller craft. That will 202 THE CAPTURE CONCLUSION 203 cause her to lose headway, and she can't keep up. They'll have to volplane to earth, but, if they know anything at all about airships, they can do that easily, and not get a bit hurt. That will put them out of the race, and I can keep on after th* big ship. I fancy that carries the more valuable cargo." "I presume so. Well, don't bring the one to earth until you get over Uncle Sam's territory, and then maybe there will be a chance to capture them, and the goods too." "I will," promised Tom. They were still over Canadian territory, but were rapidly approach- ing the border. "I think I will send a wireless to my men in Logansville, to start out and try to pick up the crippled airship after you disable her," decided Mr. Whit ford, and as Tom agreed that this was a good plan, the wireless was soon cracking away, the government agent being an adept in its use. "I've told them we'd give another signal to tell them, as nearly as possible where we made them take to earth" he said to Tom, and the young in- ventor nodded in agreement. "Ned in them ship?" asked Koku, as he came back from the pilot house to report that Mr. Da- man was all right, and needed no help. "Yes, I think Ned is in one of them," said Toni 204 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "The big one most likely. Poor Ned a prisoner! Well, I'll soon have him away from them if nothing happens," and Tom looked about the motor room, to make sure that every piece of apparatus was working perfectly. The two airships of the smugglers were hang* ing close together, and it was evident that the larger one had to make her pace slow, so as not to get ahead of the small craft. Tom followed on relentlessly, not using half his speed, but creep- ing on silently in the darkness. "We're over the United States now," said Mr. Whitford, after a glance earthward through the binoculars. "Let 'em get a little farther over the line before you pop 'em with your electric rifle, Tom." Our hero nodded, and looked out of a side win- dow to note the progress of the smugglers. For several miles the chase was thus kept up, and then, suddenly the smaller craft was seen to swerve to one side. "They are separating!" cried Mr. Whitford, at the same time Mr. Damon called through the tube from the pilot house: "Which one shall I follow, Tom?" "The big one," the youth answered. "I'll take care of the other!" With a quick motion he flashed the current into the great searchlight, and, THE CAPTURE CONCLUSION 205 calling to Mr. Whitford to hold it so that the beams played on the small aeroplane, Tom leveled his wonderful electric rifle at the big stretch of canvas. He pressed the lever, a streak of blue flame shot out through an opened port, and, an instant later, the small craft of the smugglers was seen to stagger about, dipping to one side. "There they come!" cried Mr. Whitford. "They're done for!" "One shot more," said Tom grimly. "It won't hurt 'em!" Again the deadly electric rifle sent out its wire- less charge, and the airship slowly fluttered to- ward the earth. "They're volplaning down!" cried Tom. "That's the end of them. Now to catch the other!" "Take the lantern !" cried Mr. Whitford. "I'm going to send a wireless to my men to get after this disabled craft." Tom swung the beam of the searchlight for- ward and a moment later had picked up the big aeroplane. It was some distance in advance, and going like the wind. He heard the automatic cam- era clicking away. "They speeded her up as soon as they saw what was on!" cried Tom. "But we haven't begun to go yet!" 206 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT He signalled to Mr. Damon, who pulled over the accelerating lever and instantly the Falcon re- sponded. Now indeed the race was on in earnest. The smugglers must have understood this, for they tried all their tactics to throw the pursuing airship off the track. They dodged and twisted, now going up, and now going down, and even trying to turn back, but Tom headed them off. Ever the great beam of light shone 'relentlessly on them, like some avenging eye. They could not escape. "Are we gaining?" cried Mr. Whitford. "A little, and slowly," answered Tom. "They have a bigger load on than when we chased them before, but still they have a speed almost equal to ours. They must have a magnificent motor." Faster and faster sped on the Falcon. The other craft kept ahead of her, however, though Tom could see that, inch by inch, he was over- hauling her. "Where do they seem to be heading for?" asked the government agent. "Shopton, as near as I can make out," replied the youth. "They probably want to get there ahead of us, and hide the goods. I must prevent that. Mr. Damon is steering better than he ever did before." Tom shifted the light to keep track of the THE CAPTURE CONCLUSION smugglers, who had dipped downward on a steep slant. Then they shot upward, but the Falcon was after them. The hours of the night passed. The chase was kept up. Try as the smugglers did, they could not shake Tom off. Nearer and nearer he crept. There was the gray dawn of morning in the sky, and Tom knew, from the great speed they had traveled that they must be near Shopton. "They're slowing up, Tom!" suddenly cried Mr. Whitford who was watching them through an open port. "Yes, I guess they must have heated some of their bearings. Well, here's where I capture them, if it's ever to be. Koku, let down the grap- pling anchor." "Are you really going to capture them, Tom?" asked the custom officer. "I'm going to try," was the answer, as Koku came back to say that the anchor was dragging over the stern by a long rope. "You work the light, Mr. Whitford," cried Tom. "I'm going to relieve Mr. Damon in the pilot house. He can help you here. It will be all over in another minute." In the pilot house Tom grasped the steering levers. Then in a final burst of speed he sent his craft above, and past that of the smugglers. 2 o8 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT. Suddenly he felt a shock. It was the grappling 'anchor catching in the rail of the other air craft A shout of dismay arose from the smugglers. "You've got 'em! You've got 'em, Tom!" yelled Mr. Whitford. "Bless my hasty pudding! So he has I" gasped Mr. Damon. Changing the course of his craft Tom sent the Falcon toward the earth, pulling the other aero- plane with him. Down and down he went, and the frantic efforts of the smugglers to release themselves were useless. They were pulled along by the powerful airship of our hero. A few minutes later Tom picked out a good landing place in the dim light of the breaking dawn, and went to earth. Jamming on the brakes he leaped from the pilot house to the stern of his own craft, catching up his electric rifle. The other airship, caught by the grappling anchor at the end of a long rope, was just settling down, those in her having the good sense to shut off their power, and volplane when they found that they, could not escape. i As the smugglers' craft touched the earth, sev- eral figures leaped from her, and started to run away. "Hold on!" cried Tom. "I've got you all covered with the jelectric rifle! Don't move! THE CAPTURE-CONCLUSION 209 Kolcu, you, and Mr. Whitford and Mr. Damon take care of them. Tie 'em up." "Bless my hat band!" cried the eccentric man. "What a great capture ! Where are we ?" "Not far from Shopton," answered Tom. "But look after the prisoners." There was a cry of astonishment from Mr. Whitford as he reached the sullen occupants of the smugglers' craft. "Here are the Fogers father and son!" the agent called to Tom. "They were in it after all. Great Scott! What a surprise. And here are a lot of men whom I've been after for some time! Oh, Tom Swift, this is a capture." "What right have you to use these high-handed methods on us?" demanded Mr. Foger pompously. "Yes, dad make 'em let us go; we haven't done anything!" snarled Andy. "I guess you won't go yet a while," said the agent. "I'll have a look inside this craft. Keep 'em covered, Tom." "I will. I guess Andy knows what this rifle can do. See if Ned is a prisoner." There was a few moments of waiting during which Koku and Mr. Damon securely bound the prisoners. Then Mr. Whitford reappeared. He was accompanied by some one. TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Hello, Tom !" called the latter. "I'm all right Much obliged for the rescue." "Are you all right, Ned?" asked Tom, of his chum. "Yes, except that they kept me gagged. The men who captured me took me for you, and, after the Fogers found out the mistake, they decided to keep me anyhow. Say, you've made a great haul." And so it proved, for in the airship was a quantity of valuable silks and laces, while on the persons of the smugglers, including Mr. Foger, were several packets of diamonds. These were taken possession of by Mr. Whitford, who also confiscated the bales and packages. Ned was soon aboard the Falcon, while the prisoners, securely tied were laid in the cabin of their own craft with Koku to stand guard over them. Mr. Damon went to Shopton, which was the nearest town, for police aid, and soon the smugglers were safe in jail, though Mr. Foger protested vigorously against going. Ned explained how he had been pounced upon by two men when he was fishing, and told how without a chance to warn his friends, he had been gagged and bound and taken to the headquarters of the smugglers in Canada, just over the border. They went by carriages. Then the Fogers, who, it seemed, were hand in glove with the law viola- THE CAPTURE CONCLUSION 2 1 1 tors, saw him, and identified him. The smugglers had thought they were capturing Tom. ' "It was your coat and hat that did it, Tom," explained Ned. "I fought against being taken away, but when I happened to think if they took me for you it might be a trick against them. And it was. The Fogers didn't discover the mistake until just before we started. "They planned for a big shipment of goods last night and used two airships. I don't know what became of the other." "We've got her, and the men, too, interposed Mr. Whitford, as this conversation was taking place several hours later in the Swift home. "I just had a wire from my deputy. They got right after the damaged airship, and reached her just as the men were hiding the goods, and preparing to dismantle the craft. We have them all, thanks to you, Tom!" "And to think that the Fogers were in it all the while!" remarked Tom. "They certainly fooled us." "I'm not done with them yet," said Mr. Whit- ford. "I'm going to have another look at their house, and the gardener's home." "The Fogers were in dire straits, that's why they went in with the smugglers," explained Ned 212 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT "Though they gagged me, they didn't stop up my ears, and when they hid me in a little room on the airship, I could hear them talking together. It seems that the smugglers put up the money to buy the airships, and just happened to stumble on Andy to run the machinery for them. His father helped, too. They shared in the proceeds, and they must have made considerable, for the smuggl- ing has been going on for some time. " "Well, they'll lose all they made," declared the agent. Later he, Tom and Ned made another in- spection of the Foger premises. Down in the cellar of the gardener's house they found, behind a cunningly concealed door, a tunnel leading into the old mansion. Later it was learned that the smugglers had been in the habit of bringing goods across the border in airships, landing them in a lonely stretch of woods outside of Shopton, and later bringing them by wagon to the mansion. Inside there, in some secret rooms that had been constructed off of the main apartments, the goods would be unpacked, put in different boxes, carried through the tunnel to the gardener's house, and thence shipped as "old furniture" to various unscrupulous agents who disposed of them. The hiring of Mr. Dillon had been only a blind. Later the smugglers, in the guise of carpenters, made the desired changes. So cunningly had the THE CAPTURE CONCLUSION 213 opening of the tunnel in the cellar of the gar- dener's house been concealed, that it was only discovered after a most careful search. There is little more to tell. With the capture of the two airships, an end was put to the smug- gling operations, especially since nearly all the gang was captured. A few, those who brought the goods up the St. Lawrence, from the ocean steamers, managed to escape, but they had to go into hiding. The goods captured proved very valuable, and partly made up to Uncle Sam's treasury the losses sustained. Tom was offered a big reward, but would not take it, accepting only money for his expenses, and requesting that the reward be divided among the agents of Mr. Whitford's staff, who needed it more than Tom did. There was no difficulty about convicting the prisoners, including the Fogers, for Tom's wizard camera had taken pictures of the chase and cap- ture, and the men were easily identified. Mr. Period was quite delighted with the roll of films that Tom gave him. Some of the smugglers were sent to prison for long terms, and others, in- cluding Andy and his father, had to pay heavy fines. "Well, Tom Swift, I can't thank you enough," said Mr. Whitford, one day as he called to pay 2I 4 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT the young inventor a visit. "I'm ordered to the Pacific coast and I may have to send for you with your airship, and great searchlight." "I don't believe I'll come," laughed the lad. "I'm going to take a long rest and settle down." "He's going to get married!" exclaimed Ned, taking care to get behind a chair. "If Mr. Tom marry, he keep Koku for ser- vant? " asked the giant anxiously. "Oh, I'm not going to get married, just yet, Koku ! " exclaimed Tom, who was blushing furi- ously. "I'm going to invent something new." "Bless my fountain pen!" cried Mr. Damon, "Oh, Tom, it seems good to have you home again," said aged Mr. Swift softly. "Dat's what it do!" added Eradicate. "Boon> erang hab been monstrous lonely sence yo'-all been gone, Massa Tom." "Well, I'm going to stay home for a while," said Tom. And thus, surrounded as he is by his friends and relatives, we will take leave of Tom Swift THE END THE TOM SWIFT SERIES By VICTOR APPLETON Author of " The Don Sturdy Series." Tom Swift, known to millions of boys of this generation, is a bright ingenious youth whose inventions, discoveries and thrilling adventures are described in these spirited tales that teU of the wonderful advances in modern science. TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OP GOLD TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE TOM SWIFT AND HIS FYLING BOAT TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS TOM SWIFT CIRCLING THE GLOBE TOM SWIFT AND HIS TALKING PICTURES TOM SWIFT AND HIS HOUSE ON WHEELS TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG DIRIGIBLE TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY TRAIN TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT MAGNET TOM SWIFT AND HIS TELEVISION DETECTOR GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK THE DON STURDY SERIES' By VICTOR APPLETON Author of "The Tom Swift Series" i Every red-blooded boy will enjoy the thrilling adventures I of Don Sturdy. In company with his uncles, one a big game hunter, the other a noted scientist, he travels far and wide into the jungles of South America, across the Sahara, deep into the African jungle, up where the Alaskan volca- noes spout, down among the head hunters of Borneo and many other places where there is danger and excitement. Every boy who has known Tom Swift will at once become the boon companion of daring Don Sturdy. DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS DON STURDY CAPTURED BY HEAD HUNTERS DON STURDY IN LION LAND DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF GIANTS DON STURDY ON THE OCEAN BOTTOM DON STURDY IN THE TEMPLES OF FEAR GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK WESTERN STORIES FOR BOYS By JAMES CODY FERRIS Each Volume Complete in Itself. Thrilling tales of the great west, told primarily for boys but which will be read by all who love mystery, rapid action, and adventures in the great open spaces. The Manly boys, Roy and Teddy, are the sons of an old ranchman, the owner of many thousands of heads of cattle. The lads know how to ride, how to shoot, and how to take care of themselves under any and all circumstances. The cowboys of the X Bar X Ranch are real cowboys, on the job when required, but full of fun and daring a bunch any reader will be delighted to know. THE X BAR X BOYS ON THE RANCH THE X BAR X BOYS IN THUNDER CANYON THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER THE X BAR X BOYS ON BIG BISON TRAIL THE X BAR X BOYS AT THE ROUND-UP THE X BAR X BOYS AT NUGGET CAMP THE X BAR X BOYS AT RUSTLER'S GAP THE X BAR X BOYS AT GRIZZLY PASS THE X BAR X BOYS LOST IN THE ROCKIES THE X BAR X BOYS RIDING FOR LIFE THE X BAR X BOYS IN SMOKY VALLEY GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK THE HARDY BOYS SERIES By FRANKLIN W. DIXON Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself The Hardy Boys are sons of a celebrated American detective, and during vacations and their off time from school they help their father by hunting down clues them- selves. THE TOWER TREASURE A'dying criminal confessed that his loot had been secreted " in the tower." It remained for the Hardy Boys to clear up the mystery. THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF Mr. Hardy started to invest- igate and disappeared ! An odd tale, with plenty of excitement. THE SECRET OF THE OLD MILL Counterfeit money was in circulation, and the limit was reached when Mrs. Hardy took some from a stranger. A tale full of thrills. THE MISSING CHUMS Two of the Hardy Boys' chums disappear and are almost rescued by their friends when all are captured. A thrilling story of adventure. HUNTING FOR HIDDEN GOLD In tracing some stolen gold the trail leads the boys to an abandoned mine, and there things start to happen. THE SHORE ROAD MYSTERY Automobiles were disap- pearing most mysteriously from the Shore Road. It remained for the Hardy Boys to solve the mystery. THE SECRET OF THE CAVES When the boys reached the caves they came unexpectedly upon a queer old hermit. THE MYSTERY OF CABIN ISLAND A story of queer adventures on a rockbound island. THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY The Hardy Boys solve the mystery of the disappearance of some valuable mail. WHAT HAPPENED AT MIDNIGHT The boys follow a trail that ends in a strange and exciting situation. WHILE THE CLOCK TICKED The Hardy Boys aid in vin- dicating a man who has been wrongly accused of a crime. FOOTPRINTS UNDER THE WINDOW The Smuggling of Chinese into this country is the basis of this story in which the boys find thrills and excitement aplenty. GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK TED SCOTT FLYING STORIES By FRANKLIN W. DIXON Illustrated. Each Volume Complete in lUelf. No subject has so thoroughly caught the imagination of young America as aviation. This series has been inspired by recent daring feats of the air, and is dedicated to Lindbergh, Byrd, Chamberlin and other heroes of the skies. OVER THE OCEAN TO PARIS; or, Ted Scott's Daring Long Distance Flight. RESCUED IN THE CLOUDS; or, Ted Scott, Hero of the Air. OVER THE ROCKIES WITH THE AIR MAIL; or, Ted Scott Lost in the Wilderness. FIRST STOP HONOLULU; or, Ted Scott Over the Pacific. THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST FLYERS; or, Ted Scott Over the West Indies. SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE; or, Ted Scott On a Secret Mission. ACROSS THE PACIFIC; or, Ted Scott's Hop to Australia. THE LONE EAGLE OF THE BORDER; or, Ted Scott and the Diamond Smugglers. FLYING AGAINST TIME; or, Breaking the Ocean to Ocean Record. OVER THE JUNGLE TRAILS ; or, Ted Scott and the Missing Explorers. LOST AT THE SOUTH POLE; orl Ted Scott in Blizzard Land. THROUGH THE AIR TO ALASKA; or, Ted Scott's Search in Nugget Valley. FLYING TO THE RESCUE; or, Ted Scott and the Big Dirigible. DANGER TRAILS OF THE SKY; or, Ted Scott's Great Mountain Climb. FOLLOWING THE SUN SHADOW; or, Ted Scott and the Great Eclipse. BATTLING THE WIND; or, Ted Scott Flying Around Cape Horn. GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK THE REX LEE FLYING STORIES By THOMSON BURTIS Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself. The author of this series of exciting flying stories is an experienced aviator. He says, " During my five years in the army I performed nearly every sort of flying duty instructor, test pilot, bombing, photo- graphing pilot, etc., in every variety of ship, from tiny scout planes to the gigantic three-motored Italian Caproni." Not only has this author had many experiences as a flyer ; a list of his activities while knocking around the country includes postal clerk, hobo, actor, writer, mutton chop salesman, preacher, roughneck in the oil fields, newspaper man, flyer, scenario writer in Holly- wood and synthetic clown with the Sells Floto Circus. Having lived an active, daring life, and possessing a gift for good story telling, he is well qualified to write these adventures of a red-blooded dare-devil young American who became one of the country's greatest flyers. REX LEE; GYPSY FLYER REX LEE; ON THE BORDER PATROL REX LEE; RANGER OF THE SKY REX LEE; SKY TRAILER REX LEE; ACE OF THE AIR MAIL REX LEE ; NIGHT FLYER REX LEE'S MYSTERIOUS FLIGHT REX LEE; ROUGH RIDER OF THE AIR REX LEE ; AERIAL ACROBAT REX LEE; TRAILING AIR BANDITS REX LEE; FLYING DETECTIVE GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK 'i4 RETURN TO the circulation desk of any University of California Library or to the NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Bldg. 400, Richmond Field Station University of California Richmond, CA 94804-4698 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS 2-month loans may be renewed by calling (510)642-6753 1-year loans may be recharged by bringing books to NRLF Renewals and recharges may be made 4 days prior to due date DUE AS STAMPED BELOW FEB 1 1 2007 \ DD20 12 M 1-05