Tom Swift and His Air Scout; Or, Uncle Sam's Mastery of the Sky

lways, good-natured. But the frown that had replaced the pleasant look on his face while he was talking to Mr.

he ordered. "He needn't h

nician with a cheerful grin, "and he said he wanted it don

Damon, with the privi

"though why he's putting on all

told the man on guard there to admit Ne

nk employee with that suave, formal air

suppressed grin, and he spoke as sti

the great invent

es

e, on the dotted line," and he held out a blank form, an

carry on the joke. "Is this a warrant for my arrest, or merely a testimoni

ock of Liberty Bonds, Tom, and I want you, as a personal favor to me, as a business fa

led in on the blank form, and utt

too. I'm letting you off easy. Why, I got Mary's father-Mr. Nestor-for twice what he took last time, an

e to reconsider my recent refusal of the offer of the Universal Flying Machi

ed the Liberty Bond subscription paper and put it in his p

m. "But how did you

, and have lots of money, but I wouldn't trust 'em, even if they have some government contracts.

ese flying machine people asked our bank to find out certain things about you, and, as a matter of business, we had to give the information. Sort of a commercial agency report, you

Gale or War

n the government all right, and there may be some unpleasant publicity to it later. But they're putting up a big bluff, and p

other war work, besides your war tank and other inventions. But you're such a shark on flying mac

g in large numbers. We do mostly an experimenting business here, making only one or two of a certain machine. I have told the go

I wanted to shoulder a rifle, too, but they keep me at

n't gone to the front myself. And now, as it happens, I

t is

front," Tom told his friend, and then he gave a few

will be a heap more help to the government, Tom, than working for those people, even at twenty-five thousand dollars a year. An

Tom, "but I'll try

ke his departure to solicit more subscriptions, while Mr. Damon wen

e departed, "don't forget to let me know when you

was the promise given

ed Ned. "I'm not telling you this as a bank offi

his private workshop, he wondered why it was his father

ously on a silent motor, all else was put aside. He sent a note to Mary Nestor, telling her wha

e when you're experimenting with your invention. And I shall be working so hard for the R

as he put away her letter, "an

silent motor with all the fervor he had given to the production of his

stics, I had best begin I suppose by going back to first principles, and after determining what makes an aeropla

discordant sounds which seemed to be a combination of an India

nventor as he hastily arose. "Better solve tha