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formed where he had been standing。
〃That's the reason I want you to take umbrellas this trip；〃 insisted Mrs。
Baggert。
They complied； and were soon in the shop； where Tom explained his
battery。 The small motor was still running and had； as the lad had said；
gone the equivalent of over two hundred miles。
〃If a small battery does as well as that； what will a larger one do？〃
asked Mr。 Damon。
〃Much better； I hope；〃 replied the youth。 〃But Dad doesn't seem to
have much faith in them。〃
〃Well；〃 admitted Mr。 Swift； 〃I must say I am skeptical。 Still； I
acknowledge Tom has done some pretty good work along electrical lines。
He helped me with the positive and negative plates on the submarine； and；
maybewell； we'll wait and see；〃 he concluded。
〃If you build a car I hope you give me a ride in it；〃 said Mr。 Damon。
〃I've ridden fast in the air； and swiftly on top of； and under； the water。 Now
I'd like to ride rapidly on top of the earth。 The gasolene auto doesn't go
very fast。〃
〃I'll give you a ride that will make your hair stand up！〃 prophesied
Tom； and the time was to come when he would make good that prediction。
The little party in the machine shop talked at some length about Tom's
battery。 He showed them how it was constructed； and gave them some of
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
his ideas regarding the new type of auto he planned to build。
〃Well；〃 remarked Mr。 Swift at length； 〃if you want to keep your brain
fresh； Tom； you must get to bed earlier than this。 It's nearly twelve
o'clock。〃
〃And I want to get up early ！〃 exclaimed the lad。 〃I'm going to start to
build a larger battery to…morrow。〃
〃And I'm going to repair the airship；〃 added Mr。 Sharp。
〃Bless my night cap； I promised my wife I'd be home early to… night；
too！〃 suddenly exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃I don't fancy making the trip back
to Waterfield in my auto； though。 Something will be sure to happen。 I'll
blow out a tire； or a spark plug will get sooty on me and〃
〃It's raining harder than ever；〃 interrupted Tom。 〃Better stay here to…
night。 You can telephone home。〃 Which Mr。 Damon did。
Tom was up early the next morning； in spite of the fact that he did not
go to bed in good season； and before breakfast he was working at his new
storage battery。 After the meal he hurried back to the shop； but it was not
long before he came out； wheeling his motor…cycle。
〃Where are you going； Tom？〃 asked Mrs。 Baggert。
〃Oh； I've got to go to Mansburg to get some steel tubes for my new
battery；〃 he replied。 〃I thought I had some large enough； but I haven't。〃
Mansburg was a good…sized town； near Shopton。
〃Then I wish you'd bring me a bottle of stove polish；〃 requested the
housekeeper。 〃The liquid kind。 I'm out of it； and the stove is as red as a
cow。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed the lad； as he leaped into the saddle and pedaled off
down the road。 A moment later he had turned on the power； and was
speeding along the highway； which was in good condition on account of
the shower of the night before。
Tom was thinking so deeply of his new invention； and planning what
he would do when he had his electric runabout built； that； almost before he
knew it； he had reached Mansburg； purchased the steel tubes； and the stove
polish； and was on his way back again。
As he was speeding along on a level road； he heard； coming behind
him； an automobile。 The lad turned to one side； but； in spite of this the
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
party in the car began a serenade of the electric siren； and kept it up；
making a wild discord。
〃What's the matter with those fellows！〃 inquired Tom of himself。
〃Haven't I given them enough of the road； or has their steering gear
broken？〃
He looked back over his shoulder； and it needed but a glance to show
that the car was all right； as regarded the steering apparatus。 And it needed
only another glance to disclose the reason for the shrill sound of the siren。
〃Andy Foger！〃 exclaimed Tom。 〃I might have known。 And Sam and
Pete are with him。 Well； if he wants to make me get off the road； he'll find
that I've got as much right as he has！〃
He kept on a straight course； wondering if the red…haired； and squint…
eyed bully would dare try to damage the motor…cycle。
A little later Andy's car was beside Tom。
〃Why don't you get out of the way；〃 demanded Sam； who could
usually be depended on to aid Andy in all his mean tricks。
〃Because I'm entitled to half the road；〃 retorted our hero。
〃Humph！ A slow…moving machine like yours hasn't any right on the
road；〃 sneered Andy； who had slowed down his car somewhat。
〃I haven't； eh？〃 demanded Tom。 〃Well； if you'll get down out of that
car for a few minutes I'll soon show you what my rights are！〃
Now Andy； more than once； had come to personal encounters with
Tom； much to the anguish of the bully。 He did not relish another
chastisement； but his mean spirit could not brook interference。
〃Don't you want a race？〃 he inquired of Tom； in a sneering tone。 〃I'll
give you a mile start； and beat you！ I've got the fastest car built！〃
〃You have； eh？〃 asked Tom； while a grim look came over his face。
〃Maybe you'll think differently some day。〃
〃Aw； he's afraid to race； come on；〃 suggested Pete。 〃Don't bother with
him； Andy。〃
〃No； I guess it wouldn't be worth my while；〃 was the reply of the bully；
and he threw the second gear into place； and began to move away from the
young inventor。
Tom was just as much pleased to be left alone； but he did not want
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
Andy Foger to think that he could have matters all his own way。 Tom's
motor…cycle； since he had made some adjustments to it； was very swift。 In
fact there were few autos that could beat it。 He had never tried it against
Andy's new car； and he was anxious to do so。
〃I wonder if I would stand any chance； racing him？〃 thought the young
inventor； as he saw the car slowly pulling away from him。 〃I think I'll wait
until he gets some distance ahead； and then I'll see how near I can come to
him。 If I get anywhere near him I'm pretty sure I can pass him。 I'll try it。〃
When Andy and his cronies looked back； Tom did not appear to be
doing anything save moving along at moderate speed on his machine。
〃You don't dare race！〃 Pete Bailey shouted to him。
〃Wait；〃 was what Tom whispered to himself。
Andy's car was now some distance ahead。 The young inventor waited
a little longer； and then turned more power into his machine。 It leaped
forward and began to 〃eat up the road；〃 as Tom expressed it。 He had seen
Andy throw in the third gear； but knew that there was a fourth speed on
the bully's car。
〃I don't know whether I can beat him on that or not；〃 thought the lad
dubiously。 〃If I try； and fail； they'll laugh at me。 But I don't think I'm going
to fail。〃
Faster and faster he rode。 He was rapidly overhauling Andy's car now；
and； as they heard him approach； the three cronies turned around。
〃He's going to race you； after all； Andy！〃 cried Sam。
〃You mean he's going to try；〃 sneered Andy。 〃I'll give him all the
racing he wants！〃
In another few seconds Tom was beside the auto； and would have
passed it； only Andy opened his throttle a little more。 For a moment the
auto jumped ahead； and then； as our hero turned on still more power； he
easily held his own。
〃Aw； you can never beat us！〃 yelled Pete。
〃Of course not！〃 added Sam。
〃I'll leave him behind in a second；〃 prophesied Andy。 〃Wait until I
throw in the other gear；〃 he added to his cronies in a low voice。 〃He thinks
he's going to beat me。 I'll let him think so； and then I'll spurt ahead。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speed