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Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers

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However the storm had not developed up to noon, when Tom, with Mr. Damon's help, served a fine meal in the dining-room. In the afternoon the speed of the ship was increased, and by night they had covered several hundred miles. Through the darkness the Red Cloud kept on, making good time. Tom got up, occasionally, to look to the machinery, but it was all automatically controlled, and an alarm bell would sound in his stateroom when anything went wrong. "Bless my napkin!" exclaimed Mr. Damon the next morning, as they sat down to a breakfast of fruit, ham and eggs and fragrant coffee, "this is living as well as in a hotel, and yet we are-- how far are we above the earth, Tom?" he asked, turning to the young inventor. "About two miles now. I just sent her up, as I thought I detected that storm Mr. Parker spoke of." "I told you it would come," declared the scientist, and there was a small hurricane below them that morning, but only the lower edge of it caught the Red Cloud, and when Tom sent her up still higher she found a comparatively quiet zone, where she slid along at good speed. That afternoon Tom busied himself about some wires and a number of complicated pieces of apparatus which were in one corner of the main cabin. "What are you doing now?" asked Mr. Jenks, who had been talking with Mr. Parker, and showing that scientist some of the manufactured diamonds. "Getting our wireless apparatus in shape," answered the lad. "I should have done it before, but I had so much to do that I couldn't get at it. I'm going to send off some messages. Dad will want to know how we are doing." As he worked away, he also made up his mind to send another message, in care of his father, for there was a receiving station in the Swift home. And to whom this message was addressed Tom did not say, but we fancy some of our readers can guess. Finally, after several hours of work, the wireless was in shape to send and receive messages. Tom pulled over the lever, and a crackling sound was heard, as the electricity leaped from the transmitters into space. Then he clamped the receiver on his ear. "All ready," he announced. "Has anybody any messages they wish sent?" For, with the courtesy of a true host he was ready to serve his guests before he forwarded his own wireless notes. "Just tell my wife that I'm enjoying myself," requested Mr. Damon. "Bless my footstool! But this is great! We're off the earth yet, connected with it." Mr. Jenks had no one to whom he wanted to send any word, but Mr. Parker wish to wire to a fellow scientist the result of some observations made in the upper air. Tom noted all the messages down, and then, when all was in readiness he began to call his home station. He knew that either his father or Mr. Jackson, the engineer, could receive the wireless. But, no sooner had the young inventor sent off the first few dots and dashes representing "S. I."--his home station call--than he started and a look of surprise came over his face. "They're calling us!" he exclaimed. "Who is?" asked Mr. Jenks. "My house--my father. He--he's been trying to get us ever since we started, but I didn't have the wireless in shape to receive messages. Oh, I hope it's not too late!" "Too late! Bless my soul, too late for what?" gasped Mr. Damon, somewhat alarmed by Tom's manner. The lad did not answer at once. He was intently listening to a series of dots and dashes that clicked in the telephone receiver clamped to his left ear. On his face there was a look of worriment. "Father has just sent me a message," he said. "It's a warning flashed through space! He's been trying to get it to me since yesterday!" "What is it?" asked Mr. Jenks, rising from his seat. "The mysterious man is aboard the airship--hidden away!" cried Tom. "That's what Eradicate was trying to call to our attention as we started off. Eradicate saw his face at a rear window, and tried to warn us! The mysterious man is a stowaway on board!" CHAPTER X - DROPPING THE STOWAWAY Tom's excited announcement startled Mr. Damon and the others as much as if the young inventor had informed them that the airship had exploded and was about to dash with them to the earth. The men leaped to their feet, and stared at the lad. "A stowaway on board!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my soul! How did he--" "Are you sure that message is straight?" asked Mr. Jenks. "Did Eradicate see the man?" "He says he did," answered Tom. "The man is hidden away on board now--probably among the stores and supplies." "Bless my tomato sauce!" exploded Mr. Damon. "I hope he doesn't eat them all up!" "We must get him out at once!" declared Mr. Jenks. "I knew something would happen on this voyage," came from Mr. Parker. "I predicted it from the first!" Tom thought considerable, but he did not answer the scientist just then. Another communication was coming to him by wireless. He listened intently. "Father says," the lad told his companions "that Eradicate only had a glimpse of the man at the last moment. He was looking from the rear store-room window--he's the same man who called on me that time--Rad remembers him very well." "Bless my shoes! What's to be done?" inquired Mr. Damon, looking around helplessly. "We must get him out, that's all," decided Mr. Jenks; with vigor. "Get him out and drop him overboard!" "Drop him overboard!" cried Mr. Parker, in horror. "Not exactly, but get rid of him," proceeded the diamond seeker. "That man is one of my enemies. He has been sent by the band of diamond makers hidden among the mountains, to spy on me, and, if possible, prevent me from seeking to discover their secret. He tried to work on Tom's Swift's fears, and frighten him from using his airship on this quest. Then, when he failed, the man must have sneaked into the shed, and hidden himself in the ship. We must get rid of him, or he may wreck the Red Cloud!" "That's so!" cried Tom. "We must try to capture him. I think we had better--" the lad paused, and again listened to the wireless message. "Father says Eradicate saw the man have a gun, so we must be careful," the young inventor translated the dots and dashes. "Bless my powder horn!" exploded Mr. Damon. "We shall have to proceed cautiously then," spoke Mr. Jenks. "If he is like any others in the gang he is a desperate man."

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