At last the day came when the big government test was to be
made. Tom had completed his Air Scout and had refined it to a
point where even his critical judgment was satisfied. All that
remained now was to give Mr. Terrill a chance to see how silently
the big craft could fly, and to this end a flight was arranged.
Tom had put the silencer on a larger machine than the one he
and Jackson had used. It held three easily, and, on a pinch, four
could be carried. Tom's plan was to take Mr. Damon and Mr.
Terrill, fly with them for some time in the air, and demonstrate
how quiet his new craft was. Then, by contrast, a machine without
the muffler and the new motor with its improved propellers would
be flown, making as much noise as the usual craft did.
"I only wish," said Tom, as the time arrived for the official
government test, "that Mary could be here to see it. She was the
one who really started me on this idea, so to speak, as it was
because I couldn't talk to her that I decided to get up a silent
motor."
But Mary Nestor was too grief-stricken over her missing father
to come to the test, which was to take place late one afternoon,
starting from the aerodrome of the Swift plant.
Pages:
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223