Chapter Eighteen
The Broken Bridge
Dr. Kurtz looked as grave as did Dr. Gladby when he had made anexamination of the patient. Mr. Swift was still in a semi-consciouscondition, hardly breathing as he rested on the bed where they hadplaced him after the fire.
"Vell," said the German physician, after a long silence, "vot is yourobinion, my dear Gladby?"
"I think an operation is necessary."
"Yes, dot is so; but you know vot kind of an operation alone vill safehim; eh, my dear Gladby?"
Dr. Gladby nodded.
"It will be a rare and delicate one," he said. "There is but onesurgeon I know of who can do it."
"You mean Herr Hendrix?" asked Dr. Kurtz.
"Yes, Dr. Edward Hendrix, of Kirkville. If he can be induced to come Ithink there is a chance of saving Mr. Swift's life. I'll speak to Tomabout it."
The two physicians, who had been consulting together, summoned theyouth from another room, where, with Mrs. Baggert and Mr. Jackson hehad been anxiously awaiting the verdict.
"What is it?" the young inventor asked Dr. Gladby.
The medical man told him to what conclusion he and his colleague hadarrived, adding:
"We advise that Dr. Hendrix be sent for at once. But I need hardly tellyou, Tom, that he is a noted specialist, and his services are in greatdemand. He is hard to get."
"I'll pay him any sum he asks!" burst out the youth. "I'll spend all myfortune--and I have made considerable money of late--I'll spend everycent to get my father well! Money need not stand in the way, Dr.Gladby."
"I knew that, Tom. Still Dr. Hendrix is a very busy man, and it is hardto induce him to come a long distance. It is over a hundred miles toKirkville, and it is an out-of-the-way place. I never could understandwhy Dr. Hendrix settled there. But there he is, and if we want him hewill have to come from there. The worst of it is that there are fewtrains, and only a single railroad line from there to Shopton."
"Then I'll telegraph," decided Tom. "I'll offer him his own price, andask him to rush here as soon as he can."
"You had better let Dr. Kurtz and me attend to that part of it,"suggested the physician. "Dr. Hendrix would hardly come on the requestof some one whom he did not know. I'll prepare a telegram, brieflyexplaining the case. It is the sort of an operation Dr. Hendrix is muchinterested in, and I think he will come on that account, if for noother reason. I'll write out the message, and you can have Eradicatetake it to the telegraph office."
"I'll take it myself!" exclaimed Tom, as he got ready to go out intothe night with the urgent request. "Is there any immediate danger formy father?" he asked.
"No; not any immediate danger," replied Dr. Gladby. "But the operationis imperative if he is to live. It is his one and only chance."
Tom thought only of his father as he hurried on through the night. Eventhe prospect of the great race, so soon to take place, had no part inhis mind.
"I'll not race until I'm sure dad is going to get better," he decided.With the message to the noted specialist Tom also sent one to Mr.Damon, telling him the news, and asking him to come to Shopton. Tomfelt that the presence of the odd gentleman would help him, and Mr.Damon, who first intended to stay on at the Swift home until he and Tomdeparted for Eagle Park, had gone back to his own residence to attendto some business Tom knew he would come in the morning, and Mr. Damondid arrive on the first train.
"Bless my soul!" he exclaimed with ready sympathy, as he extended hishand to Tom. "What's all this?" The young inventor told him, beginningwith the fire that had been the cause of the excitement which producedthe change in Mr. Swift.
"But I have great hopes that the specialist will be able to cure him,"said Tom, for, with the coming of daylight, his courage had returned tohim. "Dr. Gladby and Dr. Kurtz depend a great deal on Dr. Hendrix," hesaid.
"Yes, he certainly is a wonderful man. I have heard a great deal abouthim. I have no doubt but what he will cure your father. But about thefire? How did it start?"
"I don't know, but now that I have a few hours to spare before thedoctor can get here, I'm going to make an examination."
"Bless my penwiper, but I'll help you."
Tom went into the house, to inquire of Mrs. Baggert, for probably thetenth time that morning, how his father was doing. Mr. Swift was stillin a semi-conscious condition, but he recognized Tom, when the youthstood at his bedside.
"Don't worry about me, son," said the brave old inventor, as he tookTom's hand. "I'll be all right. Go ahead and get ready for the race. Iwant you to win!"
Tears came into Tom's eyes. Would his father be well enough to allowhim to take part in the big event? He feared not.
By daylight it was seen that quite a hole had been burned in theaeroplane shed. Tom and Mr. Damon, accompanied by Mr. Jackson, walkedthrough the place.
"And you say the fire broke out right after you had seen the mysteriousairship hovering over the house?" asked the eccentric man.
"Well, not exactly after," answered Tom, "but within an hour or so. Whydo you ask?"
But Mr. Damon did not answer. Something on the floor of the shed, amida pile of blackened and charred pieces of wood, attracted hisattention. He stooped over and picked it up.
"Is this yours?" he asked Tom.
"No. What is it?"
The object looked like a small iron ball, with a tube about half aninch in diameter projecting slightly from it. Tom took it.
"Why, it looks like an infernal machine or a dynamite bomb," he said."I wonder where it came from? Guess I'd better drop it in a pail ofwater. Maybe Eradicate found it and brought it here. I never saw itbefore. Mr. Jackson, please hand me that pail of water. We'll soak thisbomb."
"There is no need," said Mr. Damon, quietly. "It is harmless now. Ithas done its work. It was that which set fire to your shed, and whichcaused the stifling fumes."
"That?" cried Tom.
"Yes. This ball is hollow, and was filled with a chemical. It wasdropped on the roof, and, after a certain time, the plug in the tubewas eaten through, the chemicals ran out, set the roof ablaze, and,dripping down inside spread the choking odors that nearly prevented youfrom getting out your aeroplane."
"Are you sure of this?" asked the young inventor.
"Positive. I read about these bombs recently. A German invented them tobe used in attacking a besieged city in case of war."
"But how did this one get on my shed roof?" asked Tom.
"It was dropped there by the mysterious airship!" exclaimed the oddman. "That was why the aeroplane moved about over your place. Those init hoped that the fire would not break out until you were all asleep,and that the shed and the Humming-Bird would be destroyed before youcame to the rescue. Some of your enemies are still after you, Tom."
"And it was Andy Foger, I'll wager!" he cried. "He was in thataircraft! Oh, I'll have a long score to settle with him!"
"Of course you can't be sure it was he," said Mr. Damon, "but Iwouldn't be a bit surprised but what it was. Andy is capable of such athing. He wanted to prevent you from taking part in the race."
"Well, he sha'n't!" cried Tom, and then he thought of his invalidfather. They made a further examination of the shed, and discoveredanother empty bomb. Then Tom recalled having seen something drop fromthe mysterious aeroplane as it passed over the shed.
"It was these bombs," he said. "We certainly had a narrow escape! Oh,wait until I settle my score with Andy Foger!"
As there would be but little use for the aeroplane shed now, if Tomsent his craft off to the meet, it was decided to repair it temporarilyonly, until he returned.
Accordingly, a big tarpaulin was fastened over the hole in the roof.Then Tom put a new wing tip on in place of the one that had beenscorched. He looked all over his sky racer, and decided that it was infit condition for the coming meet.
"I'll begin to take it apart for shipment, as soon as I hear from thespecialist that dad is well enough for me to go," he said.
It was a few hours after the discove
ry of the empty bomb that Tom sawDr. Gladby coming along. The physician was urging his horse to topspeed. Tom felt a vague fear in his heart.
"I've got a message from Dr. Hendrix, Tom," he said, as he stopped hiscarriage, and approached the lad.
"When can he come?" asked the young inventor, eagerly.
"He can't get here, Tom."
"Can't get here! Why not?"
"Because the railroad bridge has collapsed, and there is no way tocome. He can't make any other connections to get here in time--in timeto do your father any good, Tom. He has just sent me a telegram to thateffect. Dr. Hendrix can't get here, and..." Dr. Gladby paused.
"Do you mean that my father may die if the operation is not performed?"asked Tom, in a low voice.
"Yes," was the answer.
"But can't Dr. Hendrix drive here in an auto?" asked the lad. "Surelythere must be some way of getting over the river, even if the railroadbridge is down. Can't he cross in a boat and drive here?"
"He wouldn't be in time, Tom. Don't you understand, Dr. Hendrix must behere within four hours, if he is to save your father's life. He nevercould do it by driving or by coming on some other road, or in an auto.He can't make the proper connections. There is no way."
"Yes, there is!" cried Tom, suddenly. "I know a way!"
"How?" asked Dr. Gladby, thrilled by Tom's ringing tones. "How can youdo it, Tom?"
"I'll go for Dr. Hendrix in my Humming-Bird."
"Going for him would do no good. He must be brought here."
"And so he shall be!" cried Tom. "I'll bring him here in my skyracer--if he has the nerve to stand the journey, and I think he has!I'll bring Dr. Hendrix here!" and Tom hurried away to prepare for thethrilling trip.