THE TRY OUT
Once the current was cut off it was safe to approach the body of the young inventor.Mr Sharp stooped over and lifted Tom's form from the floor, for Mr.Swift was too excited and trembled too much to be of any service.Our hero was as one dead.His body was limp, after that first rigid stretching out, as the current ran through him; his eyes were closed, and his face was very pale.
"Is--is there any hope?" faltered Mr.Swift.
"I think so," replied the balloonist."He is still breathing- faintly.We must summon a doctor at once.Will you telephone for one, while I carry him in the house?"As Mr.Sharp emerged from the shop, bearing Tom's body, an automobile drew up in front of the place.
"Bless my soul!" exclaimed a voice."Tom's hurt! How did it happen? Bless my very existence!""Oh, Mr.Damon, you're just in time!" exclaimed Mr.Sharp, "Tom's had a bad shock.Will you go for a doctor in your auto?""Better than that! Let me take Tom in the car to Dr.Whiteside's office," proposed the eccentric man."It will be better that way.""Yes, yes," agreed Mr.Swift eagerly."Put Tom in the auto!""If only it doesn't break down," added Mr.Damon fervently."Bless my spark plug, but it would be just my luck!"But they started off all right, Mr.Swift riding in front with Mr.Damon, and Mr.Sharp supporting Tom in the tonneau.Only a little fluttering of the eyelids, and a slow, faint breathing told that Tom Swift still lived.
Mr.Damon never guided a car better than he did his auto that day.Several speed laws were broken, but no one appeared to stop them, and, in record time they had the young inventor at the physician's house.Fortunately Dr.Whiteside was at home, and, under his skillful treatment Tom was soon out of danger.His heart action was properly started, and then it was only a question of time.As the doctor had plenty of room itwas decided to let the lad remain that night, and Tom was soon installed in a spare bedroom, with the doctor's pretty daughter to wait on him occasionally.
"Oh, I'm all right," the youth insisted, when Miss Whiteside told him it was time for his medicine."I'm all right.""You're not!" she declared."I ought to know, for I'm going to be a nurse, some day, and help papa.Now take this or I'll have to hold your nose, as they do the baby's," and she held out a spoonful of unpleasant looking mixture, extending her dainty forefinger and thumb of her other hand, as if to administer dire punishment to Tom, if he did not obey.
"Well, I give in to superior strength," he said with a laugh, as he noted, with approval, the laughing face of his nurse.
Then he fell into a deep sleep, and was so much better the next morning that he could be taken home in Mr.Damon's auto.
"But mind, no hard work for three or four days," insisted the physician."I want your heart to get in shape for that big race you were telling me about.The shock was a severe strain to it."Tom promised, reluctantly, and, though he did no work, his first act, on reaching home, was to go out to the shop, to inspect the battery and motor.To his surprise the motor was running for the lad had established the connection, in spite of his shock and his father and Mr.Sharp had decided to let the machinery run until he came back.
"And look at the record it's made!" cried Tom delightedly as he glanced at the gauge "Better than I figured on.That battery is a wonder.I'll have the fastest electric runabout you ever saw.""If the wires don't get crossed again," put in Mr.Sharp."You'd better make an examination, Tom," and, for the first time, the young inventor learned how he had been shocked.
"Crossed wires! I should say they were crossed!" he exclaimed as he looked at the switches and copper conductors."Somebody has been tampering with them.No wonder I was shocked!""Who did it?" asked Mr.Sharp.
Tom considered for a moment, before answering.Then he said:
"I believe it was Addison Berg.He must have wanted to do somedamage, to get even with us for getting that treasure away from him." "Berg?" questioned the balloonist, and Tom told of the night he hadbeen tripped into the brook, and exhibited the watch charm he had secured.Mr.Sharp recognized it at once.A further examination confirmed the belief that the submarine agent had sneaked into Tom's workshop, and had altered the wires.
"They were all right when I came out of the shop that night," declared Tom."I left the old connections just as I thought I had arranged them, and only added the new ones, when I went to try my battery.The old connections were crossed, but I didn't notice it.Then when I turned on the current I got the shock.I don't s'pose Berg thought I'd be so nearly killed.Probably he wanted to burn out my motor, and spoil it.If it was Andy Foger I could understand it, but a man like Berg--""He's probably wild with anger because his submarine got the worst of it in the race for the gold," interrupted the balloonist."Well, we'll have to be on our guard, that's all.What was the matter with Eradicate, that he didn't see him enter the shop?""Rad went to a colored dance that night," said Tom."I let him off.But after this I'll have the shop guarded night and day.My motor might have been ruined, if that first charge hadn't gone through my body instead of into the machinery." The improper connections were soon removed and others substituted.
