"I wonder if they've gone away?" thought Tom."I can't hear any noise."He listened intently.It was dark and silent in the shop.Suddenly the light flashed up brighter than before, and the young inventor caught sight of a man walking around the new aeroplane, examining it carefully.He carried, as Tom could see, a large-sized electric flash-lamp, with a brillianttungsten filament, which gave a powerful light.
As the youth watched, he saw the intruder place the light on a bench, in such a position that the rays fell full upon the Humming-Bird.Then, adjusting the spring switch so that the light would continue to glow, the man stepped back and drew something from an inner pocket.
"I wonder what he's up to?" mused Tom."I wish Eradicate and Mr.Jackson would hurry back.Who can that fellow be, I wonder? I've never seen him before, as far as I know.I thought sure it was going to turn out to be Andy Foger!"Tom turned around to look into the dark yard surrounding the shed.He was anxious to hear the approach of his two allies, but there was no sound of their footsteps.
As be turned back to watch the man he could not repress a cry of alarm, for what the intruder had drawn from his pocket was a small hatchet, and he was advancing with it toward the Humming-Bird!
"He's going to destroy my aeroplane!" gasped Tom, and he raised his revolver to fire.
He did not intend to shoot at the man, but only to fire to scare him, and thus hasten the coming of Mr.Jackson and the colored man.But there was no need of this, for an instant later the two came running up silently, Eradicate with a big club.
"Whar am he?" he asked in a hoarse whisper."Let me git at him, Massa Tom!""Hush!" exclaimed the young inventor."We have no time to lose! He's in there, getting ready to chop my aeroplane to bits! Go to the back door, Rad, and if he tries to come out don't let him get away.""I won't!" declared the colored man emphatically, and he shook his club suggestively.
"Come on! We'll go in the front door," whispered Tom to the engineer."I have the key.We'll catch him red-handed, and hand him over to the police."Waiting a few seconds, to enable Eradicate to get to his place, Tom and the engineer stole softly toward the big double doors.Every moment the youth expected to hear the crash of the hatchet on his prize machine.Heshivered in anticipation, but the blows did not fall.
Tom pushed open the door and stepped inside, followed by Mr.Jackson.As they did so they saw the man standing in front of the Humming-Bird.He again raised the little hatchet, which was like an Indian tomahawk, and poised it for an instant over the delicate framework and planes of the air craft.Then his arm began to descend.
"Stop!" yelled Tom, and at the same time he fired in the air.
The man turned as suddenly as though a bullet had struck him, and for a moment Tom was afraid lest he had hit him by accident; but an instant later the intruder grabbed up his flashlight, and holding it before him, so that its rays shone full on Tom and Mr.Jackson, while it left him in the shadow, sprang toward them, the hatchet still in his hand.
"Look out, Tom!" cried Mr.Jackson."Out of my way!" shouted the man.
Bravely Tom stood his ground.He wished now that he had a club instead of his revolver.The would-be vandal was almost upon him.Mr.Jackson clubbed his rifle and swung it at the fellow.The latter dodged, and came straight at Tom.
"Look out!" yelled the engineer again, but it was too late.There was the sound of a blow, and Tom went down like a log.Then the place was in darkness, and the sound of footsteps in rapid flight could be heard outside the shed.
The intruder, after wounding the young inventor, had made his escape.
