CHAPTER VII
THE BLACK HAWK FLIES
It was with no little surprise that the news of the plight that wassaid to have befallen Andy Foger was received by Tom and hisassociates. The newspaper had quite an account of the affair, and,even allowing the usual discount for the press dispatches, it lookedas if the former bully was in rather distressing circumstances.
"He won't have to be carried very far into Africa to be in a badcountry," said the old hunter. "Of course, some parts of thecontinent are all right, and for me, I like it all, where there'shunting to be had. But I guess your young friend Foger won't carefor it."
"He's no friend of ours," declared Ned, as Tom was reading thenewspaper account. "Still, I don't wish him any bad luck, and I dohope he doesn't become the captive of the red pygmies."
"So do I," echoed the old hunter fervently. There was no news ofAndy in the papers the next day, though there were cable dispatchesspeculating on what might have happened to him and the airship. InShopton the dispatches created no little comment, and it was saidthat Mr. Foger was going to start for Africa at once to rescue hisson. This, however, could not be confirmed.
Meanwhile Tom and his friends were very busy over the Black Hawk.Every hour saw the craft nearer completion, for the young inventorhad had much experience in this sort of work now, and knew just howto proceed.
To Mr. Damon were intrusted certain things which he could wellattend to, and though he frequently stopped to bless his necktie orhis shoelaces, still he got along fairly well.
There would be no necessity of purchasing supplies in this country,for they could get all they needed in the African city of Majumba,on the western coast, where they planned to land. There the airshipwould be put together, stocked with provisions and supplies, andthey would begin their journey inland. They planned to head for BukaMeala, crossing the Congo River, and then go into the very interiorof the heart of the dark continent.
As we have described in detail, in the former books of this series,the construction of Tom Swift's airship, the Red Cloud, and as theBlack Hawk was made in a similar manner to that, we will devote butbrief space to it now. As the story proceeds, and the need arisesfor a description of certain features, we will give them to you, sothat you will have a clear idea of what a wonderful craft it was.
Sufficient to say that there was a gas bag, made of a light butstrong material, and capable of holding enough vapor, of a new andsecret composition, to lift the airship with its load. This was thedirigible-balloon feature of the craft, and with the two powerfulpropellers, fore and aft (in which particular the Black Hawkdiffered from the Red Cloud which had two forward propellers);--withthese two powerful wooden screws, as we have said, the new shipcould travel swiftly without depending on the wing planes.
But as there is always a possibility of the gas bag being punctured,or the vapor suddenly escaping from one cause or another, Tom didnot depend on this alone to keep his craft afloat. It was a perfectaeroplane, and with the gas bag entirely empty could be sentscudding along at any height desired. To enable it to rise by meansof the wings, however, it was necessary to start it in motion alongthe ground, and for this purpose wheels were provided.
There was a large body or car to the craft, suspended from beneaththe gas bag, and in this car were the cabins, the living, sleepingand eating apartments, the storerooms and the engine compartment.
This last was a marvel of skill, for it contained besides the gasmachine, and the motor for working the propellers, dynamos, gages,and instruments for telling the speed and height, motors for doingvarious pieces of work, levers, wheels, cogs, gears, tanks forstoring the lifting gas, and other features of interest.
There were several staterooms for the use of the young captain andthe passengers, an observation and steering tower, a living-room,where they could all assemble as the ship was sailing through theair, and a completely equipped kitchen.
This last was Mr. Damon's special pride, as he was a sort of cook,and he liked nothing better than to get up a meal when the craft wastwo or three miles high, and scudding along at seventy-five miles anhour.
In addition there were to be taken along many scientificinstruments, weapons of defense and offense, in addition to theelectric rifle, and various other objects which will be spoken of indue time.
"Well," remarked Tom Swift one afternoon, following a hard day'swork in the shop, "I think, if all goes well, and we have goodweather, I'll give the Black Hawk a trial tomorrow."
"Do you think it will fly?" asked Ned.
"There is no telling," was the answer of the young inventor. "Thesethings are more or less guesswork, even when you make two exactlyalike. As far as I can tell, we have now a better craft than the RedCloud was, but it remains to be seen how she will behave."
They worked late that night, putting the finishing touches on theBlack Hawk, and in the morning the new airship was wheeled out ofthe shed, and placed on the level starting ground, ready for thetrial flight.
Only the bare machinery was in her, as yet, and the gas bag had notbeen inflated as Tom wanted to try the plane feature first. But thevapor machine was all ready to start generating the gas whenever itwas needed. Nor was the Black Hawk painted and decorated as shewould be when ready to be sent to Africa. On the whole, she lookedrather crude as she rested there on the bicycle wheels, awaiting thestarting of the big propellers. As the stores and supplies were notyet in, Tom took aboard, in addition to Mr. Damon, Ned, his father,Mr. Jackson and Mr. Durban, some bags of sand to represent the extraweight that would have to be carried.
"If she'll rise with this load she'll do," announced the younginventor, as he went carefully over the craft, looking to see thateverything was in shape.
"If she does rise it will be a new experience for me," spoke the oldelephant hunter. "I've never been in an airship before. It doesn'tseem possible that we can get up in the air with this machine."
"Maybe we won't," spoke Tom, who was always a little diffident abouta new piece of machinery.
"Well, if it doesn't do it the first time, it will the second, orthe fifty-second," declared Ned Newton. "Tom Swift doesn't give upuntil he succeeds."
"Stop it! You'll make me blush!" cried the Black Hawk's owner as hetried the different gages and levers to see that they were allright.
After what seemed like a long time he gave the word for those whowere to make the trial trip to take their places. They did so, andthen, with Mr. Jackson, Tom went to the engine room. There was alittle delay, due to the fact that some adjustment was necessary onthe main motor. But at last it was fixed.
"Are you all ready?" called Tom.
"All ready," answered Mr. Damon. The old elephant hunter sat in achair, nervously gripping the arms, and with a grim look on histanned face. Mr. Swift was cool, as Ned, for they had made manytrips in the air. Outside were Eradicate Sampson and Mrs. Baggert.
"Here we go!" suddenly cried Tom, and he yanked over the lever thatstarted the main motor and propellers. The Black Hawk trembledthroughout her entire length. She shivered and shook. Faster andfaster whirled the great wooden screws. The motor hummed andthrobbed.
Slowly the Black Hawk moved across the ground. Then she gatheredspeed. Now she was fairly rushing over the level space. Tom Swifttilted the elevation rudder, and with a suddenness that wasstartling, at least to the old elephant hunter, the new airship shotupward on a steep slant.
"The Black Hawk flies!" yelled Ned Newton. "Now for elephant landand the big tusks!"
"Yes, and perhaps for the red pygmies, too," added Tom in a lowvoice. Then he gave his whole attention to the management of his newmachine, which was rapidly mounting upward, with a speed rivallingthat of his former big craft.
Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; Or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land Page 7