CHAPTER XVIII
THE PURSUIT
"What plan have you in mind?" asked Tom of Mr. Whitford, when someof the Indians had gone back to their shanties, leaving a fewstaring 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 beenairships passing overhead at frequent intervals. Of course that isnot saying that they were the smugglers, but I don't see who elsethey 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 yougoing to do when you see them overhead?"
"Take after them, of course!" exclaimed Tom. "That's what we're herefor; isn't it Mr. Whitford?"
"Yes. Do you think you can rise from the ground, and take after themin time to stand a chance of overhauling them, Tom? You know theymay go very fast."
"I know, but I don't believe they can beat the Falcon. I'd ratherwait down here than hover in the air. It isn't as dark as it was theother night, and they might see us with their glasses. Then theywould turn back, and we'd have our trouble for nothing. They'veactually got to cross the border with smuggled goods before the lawcan touch them; haven't they?"
"Yes, I couldn't arrest them on Canadian territory, or over it. I'vegot to get them on this side of the border. So perhaps it will be aswell 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 ofthe propellers carries for some distance. And then, too, I'm goingto set the searchlight to play a beam up in the air. If that getsfocused 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 groundstraight upward you know, and they won't connect it with my ship."
"But that fellow who was sneaking up when Koku caught him, may findsome way to warn them that you have come here," suggested Ned.
"He won't get much chance to communicate with his friends, while mymen have him," said Mr. Whitford significantly. "I guess we'll takea chance here, Tom."
So it was arranged. Everything on the airship was gotten ready for aquick flight, and then Tom set his great searchlight aglow oncemore. Its powerful beams cut upward to the clouds, making awonderful illumination.
"Now all we have to do is to wait and watch," remarked Tom, as hecame back from a last inspection 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 nightsat a stretch, and it was very wearying. When I got through, andcaught my man, I was more tired than if I had traveled hundreds ofmiles. Just sitting around, and waiting is tiresome work."
The others agreed with him, and then the custom officer told manystories of his experiences, of the odd places smugglers would hitupon to conceal the contraband goods, and of fights he had takenpart in.
"Diamonds and jewels, from their smallness, and from the greatvalue, and the high duty on them when brought into the UnitedStates, form the chief articles of the high class smugglers," hesaid. "In fact the ones we are after have been doing more indiamonds than anything else, though they have, of late, brought muchvaluable hand-made lace. That can be bought comparatively cheapabroad, and if they can evade paying Uncle Sam the duty on it, theycan sell it in the United States at a large profit."
"But the government has received so many complaints from legitimatedealers, who can not stand this unfair competition, that we havebeen ordered to get the smugglers at any cost."
"They are sharp rascals," commented Mr. Damon. "They seem to bemaking more 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 toairships to get goods across the border that they would not bedisturbed. But two can play at that game."
The talk became general, with pauses now and then while Tom sweptthe sky with the great searchlight, the others straining their eyesfor a sight of the smugglers' airships. But they saw nothing.
The young inventor had just paid a visit to the pilot house, to seethat his wheels and guiding levers were all right, and was walkingback toward the stern of the ship, when he heard a noise there, andthe 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 thebig 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, theIndian, comfortably sleeping.
"Here! What are you doing?" demanded Mr. Whitford, giving him avigorous shake.
"Me sleep!" murmured Big Foot. "Lemme be! Me sleep, and take ride toHappy Hunting Grounds in air-bird. Go 'way!"
"You'll have to sleep somewhere else, Big Foot," spoke the agentwith 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 theship, and soon Big Foot was snoring under the trees.
"He's a queer chap," the custom officer said. "Sometimes I thinkhe's a little off in his head. But he's good natured."
Once more they resumed their watching. It was growing more and morewearisome, and Tom was getting sleepy, in spite of himself.
Suddenly the silence of the night was broken by a distant hummingand throbbing sound.
"Hark!" 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 shutoff temporarily. An instant later a beam of light cut the darkness.The throbbing 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 apowerful biplane.
"After 'em, Tom!" shouted Mr. Whitford.
Like a bird the Falcon shot upward in pursuit noiselessly andresistlessly, the beam of the great searchlight playing on the othercraft, which dodged to one side in an endeavor to escape.
"On the trail at last!" cried Tom, as he shoved over the acceleratorlever, sending his airship forward on an upward slant, right at thestern of the smugglers' biplane.