CHAPTER XVIII
IN A STORM
Surprise, for the moment, held Mr. Damon, Ned and Lieutenant Marburyspeechless. They looked from the heaving waters of the ocean below themto the young pilot of the Mars. He smiled at their astonishment.
"What--what does it mean, Tom?" asked Ned. "You never said you weregoing to take a trip as far as this."
"That's right," chimed in Mr. Damon. "Bless my nightcap! If I had knownI was going to be brought so far away from home I'd never have come."
"You're not so very far from Waterford," put in Tom. "We didn't makeany kind of speed coming from Shopton, and we could be back againinside of four hours if we had to."
"Then you didn't travel fast during the night?" asked the governmentman.
"No, we just drifted along," Tom answered. "I gave orders to run themachinery slowly, as I wanted to get it in good shape for the othertests that will come soon. But I told George, whom I left in chargewhen I turned in, to head for New York. I wanted to get out over theocean to try the guns with the new recoil arrangement."
"Well, we're over the ocean all right," spoke Ned, as he looked down atthe heaving waters.
"It isn't the first time," replied Tom cheerfully. "Koku, you may servebreakfast now," for the giant had been taken along as a sort of cookand waiter. Koku manifested no surprise or alarm when he found theairship floating over the sea. Whatever Tom did was right to him. Hehad great confidence in his master.
"No, it isn't the first time we've taken a water flight," spoke Ned. "Iwas only surprised at the suddenness of it, that's all."
"It's my first experience so far out above the water," observedLieutenant Marbury, "though of course I've sailed on many seas. Why,we're out of sight of land."
"About ten miles out, yes," admitted Tom. "Far enough to make it safeto test the guns with real projectiles. That is what I want to do."
"And we've been running all night?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Yes, but at slow speed. The engines are in better shape now than everbefore," Tom said. "Well, if you're ready we'll have breakfast."
The meal was served by Koku with as much unconcern as though they werein the Swift homestead back in Shopton, instead of floating near theclouds. And while it was being eaten in the main cabin, and while thecrew was having breakfast in their quarters, the aerial warship wasmoving along over the ocean in charge of George Watson, one of Tom'sengineers, who was stationed in the forward pilot-house.
"So you're going to give the guns a real test this time, is that it,Tom?" asked Ned, as he pushed back his plate, a signal that he hadeaten enough.
"That's about it."
"But don't you think it's a bit risky out over the water this way.Supposing something should--should happen?" Ned hesitated.
"You mean we might fall?" asked Tom, with a smile.
"Yes; or turn upside down."
"Nothing like that could happen. I'm so sure that I have solved theproblem of the recoil of the guns that I'm willing to take chances. Butif any of you want to get off the Mars while the test is being made, Ihave a small boat I can lower, and let you row about in that until--"
"No, thank you!" interrupted Mr. Damon, as he looked below. There wasquite a heavy swell on, and the ocean did not appear very attractive.They would be much more comfortable in the big Mars.
"I think you won't have any trouble," asserted Lieutenant Marbury. "Ibelieve Tom Swift has the right idea about the guns, and there will beso small a shock from the recoil that it will not be noticeable."
"We'll soon know," spoke Tom. "I'm going to get ready for the test now."
They were now well out from shore, over the Atlantic, but to makecertain no ships would be endangered by the projectiles, Tom and theothers searched the waters to the horizon with powerful glasses.Nothing was seen and the work of loading the guns was begun. The bombtubes, in the main cabin, were also to be given a test.
As service charges were to be used, and as the projectiles were filledwith explosives, great care was needed in handling them.
"We'll try dropping bombs first," Tom suggested. "We know they willwork, and that will be so much out of the way."
To make the test a severe one, small floating targets were firstdropped overboard from the Mars. Then the aerial warship, circlingabout, came on toward them. Tom, seated at the range-finders, pressedthe button that released the shells containing the explosives. Oneafter another they dropped into the sea, exploding as they fell, andsending up a great column of salt water.
"Every one a hit!" reported Lieutenant Marbury, who was keeping "score."
"That's good," responded Tom. "But the others won't be so easy. Wehave nothing to shoot at."
They had to fire the other guns without targets at which to aim. But,after all, it was the absence of recoil they wanted to establish, andthis could be done without shooting at any particular object.
One after another the guns were loaded. As has been explained, theywere now made double, one barrel carrying the projectile, and the othera charge of water.
"Are you ready?" asked Tom, when it was time to fire. LieutenantMarbury, Ned and Mr. Damon were helping, by being stationed at thepressure gauges to note the results.
"All ready," answered Ned.
"Do you think we'd better put on life preservers, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Nonsense! What for?"
"In case--in case anything happens."
"Nothing will happen. Look out now, I'm going to fire."
The guns were to be fired simultaneously by means of an electriccurrent, when Tom pressed a button.
"Here they go!" exclaimed the young inventor.
There was a moment of waiting, and then came a thundering roar. TheMars trembled, but she did not shift to either side from an even keel.From one barrel of the guns shot out the explosive projectiles, andfrom the other spurted a jet of water, sent out by a charge of powder,equal in weight to that which forced out the shot.
As the projectile was fired in one direction, and the water in onedirectly opposite, the two discharges neutralized one another.
Out flew the pointed steel shells, to fall harmlessly into the sea,where they exploded, sending up columns of water.
"Well!" cried Tom as the echoes died away. "How was it?"
"Couldn't have been better," declared Lieutenant Marbury. "Therewasn't the least shock of recoil. Tom Swift, you have solved theproblem, I do believe! Your aerial warship is a success!"
"I'm glad to hear you say so. There are one or two little things thatneed changing, but I really think I have about what the United StatesGovernment wants."
"I am, also, of that belief, Tom. If only--" The officer stoppedsuddenly.
"Well?" asked Tom suggestively.
"I was going to say if only those foreign spies don't make trouble."
"I think we've seen the last of them," Tom declared. "Now we'll go onwith the tests."
More guns were fired, singly and in batteries, and in each case theMars stood the test perfectly. The double barrel had solved the recoilproblem.
For some little time longer they remained out over the sea, goingthrough some evolutions to test the rudder control, and then as theirpresent object had been accomplished Tom gave orders to head back toShopton, which place was reached in due time.
"Well, Tom, how was it?" asked Mr. Swift, for though his son had saidnothing to his friends about the prospective test, the aged inventorknew about it.
"Successful, Dad, in every particular."
"That's good. I didn't think you could do it. But you did. I tell youit isn't much that can get the best of a Swift!" exclaimed the aged manproudly. "Oh, by the way, Tom, here's a telegram that came while youwere gone," and he handed his son the yellow envelope.
Tom ripped it open with a single gesture, and in a flash his eyes tookin the words. He read:
"Look out for spies during trial flights."
The message was signed with a name Tom did not recognize.
"Any bad news?"
asked Mr. Swift.
"No--oh, no," replied Tom, as he crumpled up the paper and thrust itinto his pocket. "No bad news, Dad."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that," went on Mr. Swift. "I don't liketelegrams."
When Tom showed the message to Lieutenant Marbury, that official, afterone glance at the signature, said:
"Pierson, eh? Well, when he sends out a warning it generally meanssomething."
"Who's Pierson?" asked Tom.
"Head of the Secret Service department that has charge of this airshipmatter. There must be something in the wind, Tom."
Extra precautions were taken about the shops. Strangers were notpermitted to enter, and all future work on the Mars was kept secret.Nevertheless, Tom was worried. He did not want his work to be spoiledjust when it was about to be a success. For that it was a success,Lieutenant Marbury assured him. The government man said he would haveno hesitation in recommending the purchase of Tom's aerial warship.
"There's just one other test I want to see made," he said.
"What is that?" Tom inquired.
"In a storm. You know we can't always count on having good weather, andI'd like to see how she behaves in a gale."
"You shall!" declared the young inventor.
For the next week, during which finishing touches were put on the bigcraft, Tom anxiously waited for signs of a storm. At last they came.Danger signals were put up all along the coast, and warnings were sentout broadcast by the Weather Bureau at Washington.
One dull gray morning Tom roused his friends early and announced thatthe Mars was going up.
"A big storm is headed this way," Tom said, "and we'll have a chance tosee how she behaves in it."
And even as the flight began, the forerunning wind and rain came in agust of fury. Into the midst of it shot the big aerial warship, withher powerful propellers beating the moisture-laden air.