CHAPTER XVI
THE FALL OF THE ANTHONY
Had it not been for what was at stake, the race between the two bigairships would have been an inspiring one to those aboard Tom'scraft. As it was they were too anxious to overcome the unfairadvantage taken by Andy to look for any of the finer points in thecontest of the air.
"There's no denying that he's got a pretty good craft there,"conceded Tom, as he watched the progress of his rival. "I neverthought Andy Foger could have done it."
"He didn't do very much of it," declared Ned. "He hired the bestpart of that made. Andy hasn't any inventive ideas. He probably saidhe wanted an airship, and his dad put up the money and hired men tobuild it for him. Andy, Sam and Pete only tinkered around on it."
Later Tom and his chum learned that this was so--that Mr. Foger hadengaged the services of an expert to make the airship. This man hadbeen taken to Sitka with the Fogers, and had materially aided themin re-assembling the craft.
"Do you think he can beat us?" asked Ned, anxiously.
"No!" exclaimed Tom, confidently. "There's only one craft that canbeat my RED CLOUD and that's my monoplane the BUTTERFLY. But I havein mind plans for a speedier machine than even the monoplane.However I haven't any fear that Andy can keep up to us in thiscraft. I haven't begun to fly yet, and I'm pretty sure, from the wayhis is going, that he has used his limit of speed."
"Then why don't you get ahead of him?" asked Mr. Damon. "Bless mytape-measure! the way to win a race is to beat."
"Not this kind of a race," and the young inventor spoke seriously."If I got ahead of Andy now, he'd simply trail along and follow us.That's his game. He wants me to be the path-finder, for, since Icast a doubt on the correctness of the map, a copy of which hestole, he isn't sure where he's going. He'd ask nothing better thanto follow us."
"Then what are you going to do if you don't get ahead of him?" askedNed.
"I'm going to press him close until night," answered Tom, "and whenit's dark, I'm going to shoot ahead, and, by morning we'll be so faraway that he can't catch up to us."
"Good idea! That's th' stuff!" cried Abe with enthusiasm.
"He's a sneak!" burst out Mr. Damon. "I'd like to see him leftbehind."
Tom carried out his plan. The remainder of the day he hung just onAndy's flank, sometimes shooting high up, almost out of sight, andagain coming down, just to show what the RED CLOUD could do whenpressed.
As for those aboard the ANTHONY, they seemed to be trying toincrease their speed, but, if that was their object they did nothave much success, for the big, clumsy triplane only labored along.
"I wonder who he's got with him?" said Ned, as darkness was closingdown. "I can't make out any one by this glass. They stick prettyclosely to the cabin."
"Oh, probably Andy's father is there," said "and, perhaps, some ofMr. Foger's acquaintances. I guess Mr. Foger is as anxious to getthis gold as Andy is."
"He certainly needs money," admitted Ned. "Jove! but I hope we beathim!"
But alas for Tom's hopes! His plan of waiting until night and thenputting on such speed as would leave Andy behind could not becarried out. It was tried, but something went wrong with the mainmotor, and only half power could be developed. Tom and Ned laboredover it nearly all night, to no effect, and through the hours ofdarkness they could see the lights from the cabin of the ANTHONYgleaming just ahead of them. Evidently the bully's airship could notmake enough speed to run away from the RED CLOUD, or else it was theplan of the Foger crowd to keep in Tom's vicinity.
The direction held by Andy's craft was a general northwestern one,and Tom knew, in time, and that very soon, it would bring theANTHONY over the valley of gold. Evidently Andy was placing somefaith in his copy of the stolen map.
"Once I get this motor in shape I'll soon pull away from him,"announced Tom, about four o'clock that morning, while he and Ned,aided by Mr. Damon, were still laboring over the refractory machine.
"What are you going to do?" asked Ned.
"It's too late to carry out my original plan," went on Tom. "We'regetting so near the place now that I want to be there ahead of everyone else. So as soon as we can, I'm going to push the RED CLOUD forall she's worth, and get to the valley of gold first. If possessionis nine points of the law, I want those nine points."
"That's the way to talk!" cried Abe. "Once we git on th' ground wekin hold our own!"
It was breakfast time before Tom had the motor repaired, and hedecided to have a good meal before starting to speed up his craft.He felt better after some hot coffee, for he and the others wereweary from their night of labor.
"Now for the test!" he cried, as he went back to the engine-room."Here's where we give Andy the go-by, and I don't think he can catchus!"
There was an increasing hum to the powerful motor, the greatpropellers whirled around at twice their former number ofrevolutions, and the airship suddenly shot ahead.
Those on the ANTHOMY must have been watching for some such move asthat, for, no sooner had Tom's craft begun to creep up on his rivalthan the forward craft also shot ahead.
But the airship was not built that could compete with Tom's. Like aracer overhauling a cart-horse, the RED CLOUD whizzed through theair. In a spirit of fun the young inventor sent his machine within afew feet of Andy's. He had a double purpose in this, for he wantedto show the bully that he did not fear him, and he wanted to see ifhe could discover who was aboard.
Tom did catch a glimpse of Andy and his father in the cabin of theANTHONY, and he also saw a couple of men working frantically overthe machinery.
"They're going to try to catch us!" called Tom to Ned.
This was evident a moment later, for, after the RED CLOUD had forgedahead, her rival made a clumsy attempt to follow. The ANTHONY didshow a burst of speed, and, for a moment Tom was apprehensive lesthe had underrated his rival's prowess.
Suddenly Ned, who was looking from a projecting side window of thepilothouse, back toward Andy's ship, cried out in alarm.
"What's the matter?" shouted Tom.
"The airship--Andy's--two of the main wings have collapsed!"
Tom looked. It was but too true. The strain under which the ANTHONYhad been put when the machinists increased the speed, had been toomuch for the frame. Two wings broke, and now hung uselessly down,one on either side. The ANTHONY shot toward the snow-covered earth!
"They're falling!" cried Mr. Parker.
"Yes," added Tom, grimly, "the race is over as far as they areconcerned."
"Bless my soul! Won't they be killed?" cried Mr. Damon.
"There's not much danger," replied the young inventor. "They canvol-plane back to earth. That's what they're doing," he added amoment later, as he witnessed the maneuver of the crippled craft."They're in no danger, but I don't believe they'll get to the valleyof gold this trip!"
Tom was soon to learn how easily he could be mistaken.