"Drop!" he called to Mr. Damon.
The white rubber ball went to the earth like a shot. Mr. Jackson and Mr.
Swift saw it, and started their timing-watches. Tom opened the throttle
and advanced the spark. The great test was on!
The Humming-Bird trembled and throbbed with the awful speed of the
motor, like a thing alive. She seemed to rush forward as an eagle
dropping down from a dizzy height upon some hapless prey.
"Faster yet!" murmured Tom. "We must go faster yet!"
The motor was warming up. Streaks of fire came from it. The exhaust of
the explosions was a continuous roar. Faster and faster flew the frail
craft.
Around and around the air course she circled. The wind appeared to be
rushing beneath the planes and rudders with the velocity of a hurricane.
Had it not been for the face protectors they wore, Tom and Mr. Damon
could not have breathed. For ten minutes this fearful speed was kept up.
Then Tom, knowing he had run the motor to the limit, slowed it down.
Next he shut it off completely, and prepared to volplane back to earth.
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