"They were on that table,
where you put them, when I closed my eyes for a little nap. I forgot all
about them. Are you sure they're missing?"
"They're not here!" And Tom gazed wildly about the room. "Where can they
have gone?"
"I wasn't out of my chair," said Mr. Swift, "I ought not to have gone to
sleep, but--"
Tom fairly jumped toward the long library window, the same one from
which he had leaped to pursue Andy Foger. The casement was open, and Tom
noted that the screen was also unhooked, It had been closed when he went
to get the model, he was sure of that.
"Look, dad! See!" he exclaimed, as he picked up from the floor a small
piece of paper.
"What is it, Tom?"
"A sheet on which I did some figuring. It is no good, but it was in with
the plans. It must have dropped out."
"Do you mean that some one has been in here and taken the plans of your
new aeroplane, Tom?" gasped his father.
"That's just what I mean! They sneaked in here while you were dozing,
took the plans, and jumped out of the window with them.
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