I can't answer you now."
The tanks were filled. Tom gave a hasty look to his machine, and,
bidding his new friends fairwell, he and Mr. Damon took their places
aboard the Humming-Bird. The little craft rose in the air, and soon they
had left Eagle Park far behind. Eagerly Tom strained his eyes for a
sight of his home town, though he knew it would be several hours ere he
could hover over it.
Would he be in time? Would he be in time? That question came to him
again and again.
For a time the Humming-Bird skimmed along as though she delighted in the
rapid motion, in slipping through the air and sliding along on the
billows of wind. Tom, with critical ears, listened to the hum of the
motor, the puffing of the exhaust, the grinding of the gear wheels, and
the clicking of the trips, as valve after valve opened or closed to
admit the mixture of air and gasoline, or closed to give the compression
necessary for the proper explosion.
"Is she working all right?" asked Mr. Damon, anxiously, and, such was
the strain on him that he did not think to bless anything.
Pages:
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216