CHAPTER XXV
A JOY RIDE
The metal cage slowly descended on its chain of iron from the interior of the dirigible. The great airship hovered almost motionless over the perilous scene below, with the forests blazing all about and the hotel wrapped in flames that were rapidly devouring it. Only on the ball field was there a temporary place of safety.
“Look! Look!” cried the hotel guests and the servants, when they saw the descending cage. “What is it?”
“Will it put out the fire?” some wanted to know.
“That is Tom’s plan to save us!” cried Mr. Swift. “Don’t rush now!” he advised, as a nervous movement was observed in the crowd. “I see a board with some instructions painted on it. We must follow his directions if we are to be saved!”
Lower and lower came the cage like an elevator out of its well. The airship swayed slightly, but Tom Swift had set the motors to hold it almost stationary in the wind.
“Steady on the windlass!” ordered Tom from the control cabin of the Silver Cloud as, looking down, he observed the progress of the metal cage toward earth.
“Steady she is!” answered Ned.
The crew was on the alert, every man at his station and Koku and the dwarf working together as if they had never quarreled.
With a little jar, the cage touched the earth. There was a rush of frightened men, women, and children toward it, but Mr. Damon, for once rising to the occasion, took charge and ordered them all back.
“Let me read what this says!” he cried, pointing to the sign Tom had fastened to the cage, for there was no time to drop a portable telephone and it was impossible to hear voices between the airship and earth because of the crackle of flames and the screams and cries of the imperiled people.
Mr. Damon read the instructions on the board.
Eight passengers at a time in the metal cage. No more! We will save you all in turn!
“Eight only! Eight!” cried Mr. Damon.
“Then of that eight must be Tom Swift’s wife and his father!” shouted Mr. Thorndyke.
“Yes! Yes!” cried many in the crowd. “That’s only fair!”
So Mary, Mr. Swift, and then Mary’s father and mother were directed into the cage. There was room for four more, and Mr. Damon was about to pick out four from the most hysterical of the women and children, to get them away from alarming the others, when Mary asked that Mrs. Jardine and her son and daughter be taken up in the first ascent. A little girl was then put in and a signal was given from below to those on the Silver Cloud to indicate that the cage was filled.
“Up with it!” cried Tom. “Quick!”
The chain wound up on the electric windlass. Slowly the cage with its living freight arose above the ever narrowing ring of fire.
Slowly, but surely and carefully, the cage went up and up until it disappeared within the dirigible through the door in the bottom. Tom was in the windlass room as the cage was caught and held fast. In a moment the safety door was opened.
“Mary!” cried Tom, clasping his wife in his arms.
“Tom!” she sobbed. “I knew you would save us! But there are more down there and the fire is gaining fast!”
“I know!” cried Tom, as he clasped his father’s hands. “I will save them all!”
“Tom Swift, my boy!” cried Mr. Nestor, with a choking voice. “This is the biggest thing you have ever done!”
“It isn’t done yet,” said the young inventor grimly. “We have a long haul ahead of us!”
Then, as he saw the last of the passengers come out of the cage, he ordered the machinery again set in motion.
Mr. Jardine clasped his wife in his arms and held his children close to him as he said:
“You owe your lives to Tom Swift! Never forget that!”
Mrs. Jardine and her son and daughter turned to Tom to overwhelm him with their thanks, but he modestly disclaimed them.
“Where’s Mr. Damon?” Tom asked suddenly.
“He said he wouldn’t come up until the last,” reported Mary. “He and Mr. Thorndyke.”
“A hotel manager true to the tradition of a captain and his ship,” murmured Ned, who led the rescued ones to a cabin where they could rest and recover their nerves.
“Are you all right, Mary?” Tom asked, as he went back to see that the windlass machinery was working well.
“All right, Tom dear,” she answered. “You came just in time.”
“I hope so,” he murmured.
Again the metal cage descended, was quickly filled and hauled up. In this way the work went on until six loads had been taken aboard the Silver Cloud. Then came a new problem.
“We’re loaded almost to capacity, Tom,” stated Ned, as the dirigible began to settle. “What are we going to do?”
“We’ll have to fly to a place of safety—where the fire isn’t threatening or where it has burned out,” Tom answered. “There we’ll unload these folks and come back to take on another load until we’ve saved them all.”
“Got to work fast!” commented Ned, as he saw the raging fire below.
“And we will!” echoed Tom.
There was almost a groan of despair from those still in the safety area of the ball field when they saw the blazing hotel and witnessed the departure of the dirigible. But Tom wrote and dropped a message which said:
“Cheer up! We will soon be back!”
The young inventor was as good as his word. Circling over the blazing forest, Tom, in the control cabin of the airship, saw a large tract on the mountain side, a cleared plateau near a small lake in which a little water yet remained.
“We’ll land our passengers there, Ned!” Tom cried, and they were quickly transferred by the cage to a place where fire might rim them around at a safe distance but where, because of almost bare earth, there would be no danger of creeping flames.
Then the big dirigible was hurried back to the rescue work. Those in the Silver Cloud worked furiously, lowering and hauling up the loaded cage with eight at a time, while the airship hovered over the burning forest and the fire-swept hotel, now doomed to destruction. In the second cage load were the puppet master and his wife, with some of the marionettes clasped in their arms.
Another trip to the safety plateau near the little lake, another voyage back to the almost despairing ones on the ball field, until at last every soul, women, children, and men, with Mr. Damon and Mr. Thorndyke in the last cageful, had been saved.
Then such a ringing cheer as went up for Tom Swift and his big dirigible! It echoed even above the crackle and roar of the flames.
But the plight of the rescued ones would yet have been hard had it not been for the brave fire wardens and their men.
These intrepid workers, fighting desperately, at last turned the tide of mounting flames until there was a safe path down the mountain, and there, at the edge of the burned district, autos met the refugees and took them to safety.
“What about that hotel?” asked the chief warden, as he greeted Tom Swift, who, having temporarily anchored his airship, climbed down a Jacob’s ladder to see how Mary, his father, and the other rescued ones were.
“Looks to me like a complete loss,” Tom said. “But we got everybody out. Say, what made this fire gain such headway?” he asked.
“Gasoline and oil,” was the answer.
“Do you mean a filling station exploded?”
“No. A crazy man held me up, socked me on the bean, saturated the woods with gas and oil from my delivery auto, and set fire to it,” said the wounded driver who was among those rescued.
“Who?” cried Tom, with righteous wrath. “That fellow ought to be hanged!”
“It was that mad gardener, Cosso Tobini,” reported the warden. “But he’ll never hang.”
“Why?”
“He was burned to death in the fire he set. We found his charred body in a puddle of water where he threw himself after he found himself ablaze, I suppose. Near him was a tin box containing a letter in which he said he set the fire to revenge himself on the hotel manager.”
“What a terrible revenge,” Tom murmured.
“It would have been more terrible but for you, Mr. Swift,” said the fire warden. “You deserve a congressional medal of honor.”
“Oh, cut that out!” answered Tom lightly. “I’m satisfied—with this!” and he put his arm around his wife.
“I suppose all my pretty things are burned in that hotel,” sighed Mary later, when she and her family and some other passengers who had decided to travel that way, were voyaging in the Silver Cloud.
It was headed for Shopton. The remaining refugees were being cared for at resorts lower down the mountain, well away from the blazing forest, the fire now, however, almost extinguished.
“Well,” Tom said, “I’m afraid there can’t be much left.”
Later, however, it was found that the main part of the hotel did not burn, for the reason that two great water tanks on the wing which first caught fire fell and put out the blaze. The fire wardens and their men did the rest. But the hotel was not fit to be used. Mary and many others, however, were glad to get back most of their possessions.
As was to be expected, the papers the next day were filled with stories of the great fire and Tom Swift’s exploit with his big dirigible. The Swift Construction Company and the Jardine concern were spoken of as having added much to the science of air navigation by the construction of such a ship, while a great deal was said of Tom’s ingenuity in rigging the metal cage. Tom was delighted with the prowess of his craft. Only in that way could the many lives have been saved.
“Well, Mr. Swift, did I come through clean?” asked the dwarf several days later when the exciting experience was something of a memory.
“Yes, you did, Chock,” was the answer. “I am glad I trusted you. But I hope this doesn’t mean that you and Koku are going to resume hostilities now the danger is over.”
“Oh, no. We’re good friends,” chuckled the dwarf.
“Little man sometimes good as um big man,” was Koku’s contribution to burying the war hatchet. And from then on the two extremes of life were good friends.
“I said, Tom Swift,” remarked Lawrence Jardine, when they were talking over the matter several days later, “that I would do anything in the world for you if you would save my wife and children. You did. As a memento of this, I want you to accept my check for all you spent over and above what my brother advanced on the construction of the big dirigible. Then the ship is yours absolutely.”
“I can’t accept an offer like that,” Tom said. “Why can’t the original contract be carried out? Where is your brother Martin? He and you and I ought to get together on this.”
“I don’t know where Martin is!” said Lawrence, rather bitterly. “He acted the fool and almost plunged me into bankruptcy. If I ever see him again——”
“Will you forgive him?” asked a voice suddenly from the hall outside Tom’s private office, and Martin Jardine, no longer the gay, careless character he had been, walked in. He was so serious he was not even smoking.
For a moment Lawrence Jardine stood looking at his brother. But when Martin held out his hand pathetically and again murmured something about forgiveness, Lawrence was not proof against this.
“All right,” he agreed. “We’ll let bygones be bygones. But why did you try to involve that dwarf with you, Martin?”
“I don’t know. Because I was a fool, I guess. We both were, but I couldn’t let him come through clean and not do so myself. I’ll make it all up to you, Larry!”
“All right, Marty!”
The two brothers were reconciled, and Tom Swift left them alone for a little while. But he was soon called back to the office, for the now reunited Jardine firm members wanted to reestablish the contract Lawrence had repudiated, and this was soon done.
“Then you will take over the Silver Cloud as you originally agreed to?” Tom asked.
“When she is finished,” said Martin, and his brother nodded assent.
“She’s finished now, except for a few repairs and fitting up some of the passenger cabins,” Tom said. “You can have her next week.”
“Then here’s a check in full settlement,” said Lawrence. “But I’ll only sign it on one condition.”
“What’s that?” asked Tom.
“That you and yours, I and mine, and brother Martin will have a joy ride in the big dirigible,” was the stipulation. “I’d like to take a long voyage away from fire and smoke. I had enough of that up on Mt. Camon,” for Lawrence had been among the volunteers and had done valiant work in saving many.
“That suits me,” Tom said. “Provided my wife will go.”
Mary accepted gladly, so the summer ended in a glorious outing in which they sailed over half the United States in the Silver Cloud to the no small wonder of many cities over which they soared. Mr. Swift’s health improved so much that he was able to go along, and among the guests were Ned Newton and Helen Morton—as an engaged couple.
THE END
This Isn’t All!
Would you like to know what
became of the good friends you
have made in this book?
Would you like to read other
stories continuing their adventures
and experiences, or other books
quite as entertaining by the same
author?
On the reverse side of the wrapper
which comes with this book,
you will find a wonderful list of
stories which you can buy at the
same store where you got this book.
Don’t throw away the Wrapper
Use it as a handy catalog of the books
you want some day to have. But in
case you do mislay it, write to the
Publishers for a complete catalog.
THE TOM SWIFT SERIES
By VICTOR APPLETON
Uniform Style of Binding. Individual Colored Wrappers.
Every Volume Complete in Itself.
Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift
is a bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make
the most interesting kind of reading.
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT
TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS
TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER
TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE
TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER
TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON
TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH
TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS
TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER
TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS
TOM SWIFT CIRCLING THE GLOBE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS TALKING PICTURES
TOM SWIFT AND HIS HOUSE ON WHEELS
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG DIRIGIBLE
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
THE DON STURDY SERIES
By VICTOR APPLETON
Author of “The Tom Swift Series”
Every red-blooded boy will enjoy the thrilling adventures
of Don Sturdy. In company with his uncles, one a big
game hunter, the other a noted scientist, he travels far and
wide—into the jungles of South America, across the Sahara,
deep into the African jungle, up where the Alaskan volcanoes
spout, down among the head hunters of Borneo and
many other places where there is danger and excitement.
Every boy who has known Tom Swift will at once become
the boon companion of daring Don Sturdy.
DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY
DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS
DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD
DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE
DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES
DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS
DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS
DON STURDY CAPTURED BY HEAD HUNTERS
DON STURDY IN LION LAND
DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF GIANTS
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
THE RADIO BOYS SERIES
(Trademark Registered)
By ALLEN CHAPMAN
Author of the “Railroad Series,” Etc.
Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.
Here is a series that gives full details of radio work
both in sending and receiving—how large and small sets
can be made and operated, and with this real information
there are the stories of the radio boys and their adventures.
Each story is a record of thrilling adventures—rescues, narrow
escapes from death, daring exploits in which the radio
plays a main part. Each volume is so thoroughly fascinating,
so strictly up-to-date, and accurate that all modern
boys will peruse them with delight.
Each volume has a foreword by Jack Binns, the well
known radio expert.
THE RADIO BOYS FIRST WIRELESS
THE RADIO BOYS AT OCEAN POINT
THE RADIO BOYS AT THE SENDING STATION
THE RADIO BOYS AT MOUNTAIN PASS
THE RADIO BOYS TRAILING A VOICE
THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FOREST RANGERS
THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE ICEBERG PATROL
THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FLOOD FIGHTERS
THE RADIO BOYS ON SIGNAL ISLAND
THE RADIO BOYS IN GOLD VALLEY
THE RADIO BOYS AIDING THE SNOWBOUND
THE RADIO BOYS ON THE PACIFIC
THE RADIO BOYS TO THE RESCUE
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
WESTERN STORIES FOR BOYS
By JAMES CODY FERRIS
Individual Colored Wrappers and Illustrations by
WALTER S. ROGERS
Each Volume Complete in Itself.
Thrilling tales of the great west, told primarily for
boys but which will be read by all who love mystery,
rapid action, and adventures in the great open spaces.
The Manly Boys, Roy and Teddy, are the sons of
an old ranchman, the owner of many thousands of
heads of cattle. The lads know how to ride, how to
shoot, and how to take care of themselves under any
and all circumstances.
The cowboys of the X Bar X Ranch are real cowboys,
on the job when required but full of fun and
daring—a bunch any reader will be delighted to know.
THE X BAR X BOYS ON THE RANCH
THE X BAR X BOYS IN THUNDER CANYON
THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER
THE X BAR X BOYS ON BIG BISON TRAIL
THE X BAR X BOYS AT THE ROUND-UP
THE X BAR X BOYS AT NUGGET CAMP
THE X BAR X BOYS AT RUSTLER’S GAP
THE X BAR X BOYS AT GRIZZLY PASS
THE X BAR X BOYS LOST IN THE ROCKIES
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
THE HARDY BOYS’ SERIES
By FRANKLIN W. DIXON
Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.
The Hardy Boys are sons of a celebrated American detective, and during vacations and their off time from school they help their father by hunting down clues themselves.
THE TOWER TREASURE
A dying criminal confessed that his loot had been secreted “in the tower.” It remained for the Hardy Boys to make an astonishing discovery that cleared up the mystery.
THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF
The house had been vacant and was supposed to be haunted. Mr. Hardy started to investigate—and disappeared! An odd tale, with plenty of excitement.
THE SECRET OF THE OLD MILL
Counterfeit money was in circulation, and the limit was reached when Mrs. Hardy took some from a stranger. A tale full of thrills.
THE MISSING CHUMS
Two of the Hardy Boys’ chums take a motor trip down the coast. They disappear and are almost rescued by their friends when all are captured. A thrilling story of adventure.
HUNTING FOR HIDDEN GOLD
Mr. Hardy is injured in tracing some stolen gold. A hunt by the boys leads to an abandoned mine, and there things start to happen. A western story all boys will enjoy.
THE SHORE ROAD MYSTERY
Automobiles were disappearing most mysteriously from the Shore Road. It remained for the Hardy Boys to solve the mystery.
THE SECRET OF THE CAVES
When the boys reached the caves they came unexpectedly upon a queer old hermit.
THE MYSTERY OF CABIN ISLAND
A story of queer adventures on a rockbound island.
THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY
The Hardy Boys solve the mystery of the disappearance of some valuable mail.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
TRANSCRIBER NOTES
Misspelled words and printer errors have been corrected.
Inconsistencies in punctuation have been maintained.
A cover was created for this eBook.