QUEER HAPPENINGS
"Say, Tom, are you sure you're all right?" "Of course I am! What do you mean?"It was Ned Newton who asked the question, and Tom Swift who answered it.The chums were in the pilot-house of the dipping, swaying Mars, which was nosing her way into the storm, fighting on an upward slant, trying, if possible, to get above the area of atmospheric disturbance.
"Well, I mean are you sure your craft will stand all this straining, pulling and hauling?" went on Ned, as he clung to a brass hand rail, built in the side of the pilot-house wall for the very purpose to which it was now being put.
"If she doesn't stand it she's no good!" cried Tom, as he clung to the steering wheel, which was nearly torn from his hands by the deflections of the rudders."Well, it's taking a big chance, it seems to me," went on Ned, as he peered through the rain-spotted bull's-eyes of the pilot- house.
"There's no danger," declared Tom."I wanted to give the ship the hardest test possible before I formally offered her to the government.If she can't stand a blow like this she isn't what I thought her, and I'll have to build another.But I'm sure she will stand the racket, Ned.She's built strongly, and even if part of the gas bag is carried away, as it was when our propeller shattered, we can still sail.If you think this is anything, wait until we turn about and begin to fight our way against the wind.""Are you going to do that, Tom?"
"I certainly am.We're going with the gale now, to see what is the highest rate of speed we can attain.Pretty soon I'm going to turn her around, and see if she can make any headway in the other direction.Of course I know she won't make much, if any speed, against the gale; but I must give her that test.""Well, Tom, you know best, of course," admitted Ned."But to me it seems like taking a big risk."And indeed it did seem, not only to Ned, but to some of theexperienced men of Tom's crew, that the young inventor was taking more chances than ever before, and Tom, as my old readers well know, had, in his career, taken some big ones.
The storm grew worse as the day progressed, until it was a veritable hurricane of wind and rain.The warnings of the Weather Bureau had not been exaggerated.But through the fierce blow the Mars fought her way.As Tom had said, she was going with the wind.This was comparatively easy.But what would happen when she headed into the storm?
Mr.Damon, in the main cabin, sat and looked at Lieutenant Marbury, the eccentric man now and then blessing something as he happened to think of it.
"Do you--do you think we are in any danger?" he finally asked."Not at present," replied the government expert.
"You mean we will be--later?"
"It's hard to say.I guess Tom Swift knows his business, though." "Bless my accident insurance policy!" murmured Mr.Damon."I wishI had stayed home.If my wife ever hears of this--" He did not seem able to finish the sentence.
In the engine-room the crew were busy over the various machines.Some of the apparatus was being strained to keep the ship on her course in the powerful wind, and would be under a worse stress when Tom turned his craft about.But, so far, nothing had given way, and everything was working smoothly.
As hour succeeded hour and nothing happened, the timid ones aboard began to take more courage.Tom never for a moment lost heart.He knew what his craft could do, and he had taken her up in a terrific storm with a definite purpose in view.He was the calmest person aboard, with the exception, perhaps, of Koku.The giant did not seem to know what fear was.He depended entirely on Tom, and as long as his young master had charge of matters the giant was content to obey orders.
There was to be no test of the guns this time.They had worked sufficiently well, and, if need be, could have been fired in the gale.But Tom did not want his men to take unnecessary risks, nor was he foolhardy himself.
