He pushed his way through the crowd. He saw Andy standing near the
curious biplane, which type of air craft it nearest resembled, though it
had some monoplane features. On the side was painted the name:
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Andy caught sight of Tom Swift.
"I'm going to beat you!" the bully boasted, and I haven't a machine like
yours, after all. You were wrong."
"So I see," stammered Tom, hardly knowing what to think. "What did you
do with my plans then?"
"I never had them!"
Andy turned away, and began to assist the men he had hired to help him.
Like all the others, his machine had two seats, for in this race each
operator must carry a passenger.
Tom turned away, both glad and sorry,--glad that his rival was not to
race him in a duplicate of the Humming-Bird, but sorry that he had as
yet no track of the strangely missing plans.
"I wonder where they can be?" mused the young inventor.
Then came the firing of the preliminary gun. Tom rushed back to where
Mr. Damon stood waiting for him.
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