"It's all right," he declared. "All aboard!"
"Now, do be careful," begged Mr. Swift. "Don't take too many
chances, Tom."
"I'll not."
The adventurers were in the forward part of the ship, and Tom
had taken his place at the wheels and levers in the pilot house.
As he was about to start the motor he looked toward the road, and
saw a horse and carriage. In the vehicle was a girlish figure, at
the sight of which Tom blushed and smiled. He waved his hand.
"I came to wish you good luck!" cried Mary Nestor, for it was
she in the carriage.
"Thanks!" cried Tom, leaning from the window of the pilot
house. "It was good of you to get up so early."
"Oh. I'm always up early," she informed him.
"Look out that the motor doesn't scare your horse," Tom warned
her.
"Old Dobbin doesn't mind anything," was her answer. "I'll see
that he doesn't run away with me, as long as you're not on earth
to rescue me. Good-by, Tom!"
"Good-by!" he called, and then he pulled the lever that set in
motion the motor, and whirled the great propellers about. They
whizzed around with a roar, and the Red Cloud, shivering and
trembling with the vibration, rose in the air like some great
bird.
"We're off for the West and Phantom Mountain!" called Tom to
his companions.
As the airship soared upward, Eradicate Sampson ran forward
from where he had been standing near his mule Boomerang.
Pages:
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81