Mr.Swift is Ill
"Who was it?" asked Mr.Gunmore as Tom again entered the library."A friend of yours?""Hardly a friend," replied Tom grimly."It was a young fellow who has made lots of trouble for me in the past, and who, lately, with his father, tried to get ahead of me and some friends of mine in locating a gold claim in Alaska.I don't know what he's up to now, but certainly it wasn't any good.He's got nerve, sneaking up under our windows!""What do you think was his object?" "It would he hard to say.""Can't you find him to-morrow, and ask him?""There's not much satisfaction in that.The less I have to do with Andy Foger the better I'm satisfied.Well, perhaps it's just as well I fell, and couldn't catch him.There would have been a fight, and I don't want to worry dad any more than I can help.He hasn't been very well of late.""No, he doesn't look very strong," agreed the secretary."But I hope he doesn't get sick, and I hope no bad consequences result from the eavesdropping of this Foger fellow."Tom started for the hall, to get a brush with which to remove some of the dust gathered in his chase after Andy.As he opened the library door to go out Mr.Swift came in again.
"I saw Mrs.Baggert, Tom," he said."She wasn't out under the window, and, as you said, Eradicate isn't about.His mule is in the barn, so it couldn't have been the animal straying around.""No, dad.It was Andy Foger." "Andy Foger!""Yes.I couldn't catch him.But you'd better go lie down, father.It's getting late, and you look tired.""I am tired, Tom, and I think I'll go to bed.Have you finished your arrangements with Mr.Gunmore?""Well, I guess we've gone as far as we can until I invent the newaeroplane," replied Tom, with a smile.
"Then you'll really enter the meet?" asked the secretary eagerly.
"I think I will," decided Tom."The prize of ten thousand dollars is worth trying for, and besides that, I'll be glad to get to work again on a speedy craft.Yes, I'll enter the meet.""Good!" exclaimed Mr.Gunmore, shaking hands with the young inventor."I didn't have my trip for nothing, then.I'll go back in the morning and report to the committee that I've been successful.I am greatly obliged to you."He left the Swift home, after refusing Tom's invitation to remain all night, and went to his hotel.Tom then insisted that his father retire.
As for the young inventor, he was not satisfied with the result of his attempt to catch Andy Foger.He had no idea why the bully was hiding under the library window, but Tom surmised that some mischief might be afoot.
"Sam Snedecker or Pete Bailey, the two cronies of Andy, may still be around here, trying to play some trick on me," mused Tom."I think I'll take a look outside." And taking a stout cane from the umbrella rack, the youth sallied forth into the yard and extensive grounds surrounding his house.
While he is thus looking for possible intruders we will tell you a little more about him than has been possible since the call of the aviation secretary.
Tom Swift lived with his father, Barton Swift, in the town of Shopton, New York State.The young man had followed in the footsteps of his parent, and was already an inventor of note.
Their home was presided over by Mrs.Baggert, as housekeeper, since Mrs.Swift had been dead several years.In addition, there was Garret Jackson, an engineer, who aided Tom and his father, and Eradicate Sampson, an odd colored man, who, with his mule, Boomerang, worked about the place.
In the first volume of this series, entitled "Tom Swift and his Motor- Cycle," here was related how he came to possess that machine.A certain Mr.Wakefield Damon, an eccentric gentleman, who was always blessinghimself, or something about him, owned the cycle, but he came to grief on it, and sold it to Tom very cheaply.
