"Well!" cried Tom as the echoes died away. "How was it?"
"Couldn't have been better," declared Lieutenant Marbury.
"There wasn't the least shock of recoil. Tom Swift, you have
solved the problem, I do believe! Your aerial warship is a
success!"
"I'm glad to hear you say so. There are one or two little
things that need changing, but I really think I have about what
the United States Government wants."
"I am, also, of that belief, Tom. If only--" The officer
stopped suddenly.
"Well?" asked Tom suggestively.
"I was going to say if only those foreign spies don't make
trouble."
"I think we've seen the last of them," Tom declared. "Now we'll
go on with the tests."
More guns were fired, singly and in batteries, and in each case
the Mars stood the test perfectly. The double barrel had solved
the recoil problem.
For some little time longer they remained out over the sea,
going through some evolutions to test the rudder control, and
then as their present object had been accomplished Tom gave
orders to head back to Shopton, which place was reached in due
time.
"Well, Tom, how was it?" asked Mr. Swift, for though his son
had said nothing to his friends about the prospective test, the
aged inventor knew about it.
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