[Ill.u.s.tration: A Business Card]

Tom immediately called the home of Mr. Stern, head of the gla.s.s works, to whom he related the occurrence. The executive was shocked and very indignant at the thought of there being a criminal among his employees and promised to investigate thoroughly.

"I hope you don't think I had anything to do with this, Mr. Swift!" the man exclaimed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Executive Was Shocked]

"Not in the least, sir. But if you turn up any clues, I hope you'll let me know."

"I most a.s.suredly will. You may count on my help."

An early hour next day found Tom and Ned flying south over the sandy coast of New Jersey. Every inch of the "Winged Arrow" had been thoroughly inspected, but no other signs of damage had been discovered.

Even so, the young business manager sat a bit uneasily in his seat as he peered out anxiously at the broad wings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tom and Ned Flew South]

"Afraid they'll drop off, old man?" grinned Tom. "Don't worry. We X-rayed 'em and no struts have been filed nor any time-bombs planted!"

"Huh, I was just looking at the weather," grunted Ned indignantly. He was secretly relieved, for he had been pondering how easily a charge of dynamite could have been secreted aboard ship. "How soon do you think we'll reach Delaware Bay?"

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ned Was Uneasy]

"Within the next twenty minutes," answered his chum, glancing at the instrument board. "Mr. Britten is to meet us at a dock near Lewes."

Less than half an hour later the pontoons of the "Winged Arrow" were plowing through the waters of Delaware Bay toward a near-by pier. A wharf attendant caught the line Ned threw him and the ship was moored securely to a stout post.

As Tom and his companion climbed up, a grizzled-looking old man hailed them in a voice that seemed well able to travel from quarterdeck to fo'c'sle even in the teeth of a hurricane.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Plane Plowed Through the Waters]

"Ahoy there!" he bellowed, though scarcely twenty feet away. "Are you young Swift and company?"

"Right you are. Captain Britten, I take it?"

Vastly flattered by the t.i.tle, the red-faced old seaman warmly shook hands with the boys. "Correct ye are, me lad. Your good father tells me you need a bit o' salvagin' done an' I'm the man as'll do it proper!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: Captain Britten, the Grizzled Old Man]

"Good for you, Captain!" said Tom. "That's exactly what my father said.

And now, have you your equipment handy? If it's not too heavy we can load it aboard the plane right away. Oh, and I want to introduce my good friend here, Ned Newton."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I Want to Introduce My Friend."]

"Glad to meet ye, shipmate! As for my salvagin' outfit, it's aboard ship. We'll pick up my old barge, the 'Elizabeth B.,' but I calls her the 'Betsy B.,' at Key West, where I keeps her anch.o.r.ed. She's in a manner o' speakin' my winter home." Captain Britten picked up a huge, battered old suitcase. "If your flyin' machine is ready, so am I!"

The old man was obviously a trifle eccentric, but both boys were warmly attracted to him by his sincere and friendly manner. Besides, as Tom noted, there was a certain air of competence about him, as if he was well able to tackle and solve the hardest of problems in his line.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Captain Britten Carried His Suitcase]

"Let's go, then!" proposed Ned, motioning to the attendant to cast off and handing him a coin at the same time.

Listening to a number of quaint seafaring expressions from old Captain Britten, who was starting his first voyage into the upper air, Tom sent the big craft roaring above the smooth water toward Shopton.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tom Sent the Big Craft Roaring]

"How do you like flying, Captain Britten?" Ned asked. "Ever been up?"

"Well, I guess it's all right," rumbled the salvaging expert, looking down at the sea dubiously. "But to tell you the truth, I'm more at home ON the water than OVER it!"

In a short time the nose of the "Winged Arrow" turned inland as Tom set his course direct for home. When they were nearing Shopton, the young inventor, intending to come down on solid ground, grasped the device which lowered the landing wheels. It seemed to work very stiffly, he thought, so he leaned over farther to exert more force. Suddenly there came a snapping noise.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Plane Turned Inland]

"What's up, Tom?" called Ned, hearing the noise and seeing his chum fumbling with the now useless mechanism.

"Landing gear out of commission. But there's no need to worry as we can descend on Lake Carlopa easily with the pontoons."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Landing Gear out of Commission."]

"By George!" exclaimed Ned Newton, banging his fist on the instrument panel. "Ten to one this is the work of the same scoundrel who bored holes in the floats. If I could get my hands on--"

"I hope you'll be in a condition to do so," cut in Tom in an oddly strained voice. "Take a look at the fuel gauge."

"It--it says zero! But that's impossible. We saw the tanks filled last night."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Look at the Fuel Gauge."]

"Sure, and when we took off this morning the gauge showed they were still full. Someone tampered with the pointer of the instrument and all but drained the gas containers when they wrecked the landing gear. Just now you dislodged the jammed needle when you struck the instrument board with your fist."

"Then we're in a pretty bad way, eh, Tom?" asked Captain Britten calmly.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "We're in a Pretty Bad Way?"]

"I'll say," replied young Swift grimly. "We can't hope to reach Carlopa and there is nothing beneath us now but thick woodland. No question about it. A crack-up is the next thing on the program!"

As he finished speaking, the starboard motor emitted a groaning cough and stopped. The port engine might run for another five minutes or it might give out within the next five seconds!

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Starboard Engine Stopped]

CHAPTER VI

TOM DRUGGED!

Tom had headed the ship up at a steep angle so as to get as much alt.i.tude as possible before the other motor should stop. But he knew in his heart that he could not hope to glide so heavy a plane as far as the lake.