tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第10章
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woods and fields； Tom moved the lens from side to side； to get different
views。
〃Say！ This is great！〃 cried Mr。 Nestor； to whom air…riding was much of
a novelty。 〃Are you getting good pictures； Tom？〃
〃I can't tell until we develop them。 But the machine seems to be
working all right。 I'm going to sail back now； and get some views of our
own house from up above。〃
They had sailed around the town of Shopton； to the neighboring
villages； over woods and fields。 Now they were approaching Shopton
again。
〃Bless my heart！〃 suddenly exclaimed Mr。 Damon； who was looking
toward the earth； as they neared Tom's house。
〃What is it？〃 asked our hero； glancing up from the picture machine；
the registering dial of which he was examining。
〃Look there！ At your shop； Tom！ There seems to be a lot of smoke
coming from it！〃
They were almost over Tom's shop now； and； as Mr。 Damon had said；
there was considerable smoke rolling above it。
〃I guess Eradicate is burning up papers and trash；〃 was Ned's opinion。
Tom looked to where the camera pointed； he was right over his shop
now； and could see a dense vapor issuing from the door。
That isn't Eradicate！〃 cried the young inventor。 〃My shop is on fire！
I've got to make a quick drop； and save it！ There are a lot of valuable
models； and machines in there！ Send us down； Ned； as fast as she'll go！〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
CHAPTER IX
OFF FOR INDIA
〃Bless my hose reel！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； as the airship took a quick
lurch toward the earth。 〃Things are always happening to you； Tom Swift！
Your shop on fire！ How did it happen？〃
〃Look！〃 suddenly cried Ned； before Tom had a chance to answer。
〃There's a man running away from the shop； Tom！〃
All saw him； and； as the airship rushed downward it could be seen that
he was a fellow dressed in ragged garments； a veritable tramp。
〃I guess that fire didn't happen；〃 said Tom significantly。 〃It was
deliberately set。 Oh； if we can only get there before it gains too much
headway！〃
〃I like to catch that fellow！〃 exclaimed Koku； shaking his big fist at
the retreating tramp。 〃I fix him！〃
On rushed the airship； and the man who had probably started the fire；
glanced up at it。 Tom suddenly turned the lens of his Wizard Camera
toward him。 The mechanism inside； which had been stopped； started
clicking again； as the young inventor switched on the electric current。
〃What are you doing？〃 cried Ned； as he guided the airship toward the
shop； whence clouds of smoke were rolling。
〃Taking his picture；〃 replied Tom。 〃It may come in useful for
evidence。〃
But he was not able to get many views of the fellow； for the latter must
have suspected what was going on。 He quickly made a dive for the bushes；
and was soon lost to sight。 Tom shut off his camera。
〃Bless my life preserver！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃There comes your father；
Tom； and Mrs。 Baggert！ They've got buckets！ They're going to put out the
fire！〃
〃Why don't they think to use the hose？〃 cried the young inventor； for
he had his shop equipped With many hose lines； and an electrically driven
pump。 The hose！ The hose； dad！〃 shouted Tom； but it is doubtful if his
father or Mrs。 Baggert heard him； for the engine of the airship was making
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
much noise。 However； the two with the buckets looked up； and waved
their hands to those on the Flyer。
〃There's Eradicate！〃 yelled Ned。 〃He's got the hose all right！〃 The
colored man was beginning to unreel a line。
〃That's what it needs！〃 exclaimed Tom。 〃Now there's some chance to
save the shop。〃
〃We'll be there ourselves to take a hand in a few seconds！〃 cried Mr。
Damon； forgetting to bless anything。 〃The scoundrel who started this fire；
and those back of him； ought to be imprisoned for life！〃 declared Mr。
Nestor。
A moment later Ned had landed the airship within a short distance of
the shop。 In an instant the occupants of the craft had leaped out； and Tom；
after a hasty glance to see that his valuable camera was safe； dashed
toward the building crying：
〃Never mind the pails； dad！ Use the hose！ there's a nozzle at the back
door。 Go around there； and play the water on from that end。〃
Eradicate； with his line of hose； had disappeared into the shop through
the front door； and the others pressed in after him； heedless of the dense
smoke。
〃Is it blazing much； Rad？〃 cried Tom。
〃Can't see no blaze at all； Mass a Tom；〃 replied the colored man。
〃Dere's a heap of suffin in de middle ob de flo'； an' dat's what's raisin' all
de rumpus。〃
They all saw it a moment later； a smoldering heap of rags and paper on
the concrete floor of the shop。 Eradicate turned his hose on it； there was a
hissing sound； a cloud of steam arose； and the fire was practically out；
though much smoke remained。
〃Jove！ that was a lucky escape！〃 exclaimed Tom； as he looked around
when the vapor had partly cleared away。 〃No damage done at all； as far as
I can see。 I wonder what the game was？ Did you see anything of a tramp
around here？〃 he asked of his father。
〃No； Tom。 I have been busy in the house。 So has Mrs。 Baggert。
Suddenly she called my attention to the smoke coming from the door； and
we ran out。〃
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〃I seen it； too；〃 added Eradicate。 〃I was doin' some whitewashin'； an' I
run up as soon as I could。〃
〃We saw the tramp all right； but he got away；〃 said Tom； and he told
how he had taken pictures of him。 〃I don't believe it would be much use to
look for him now； though。〃
〃Me look；〃 spoke Koku significantly； as he hurried off in the direction
taken by the tramp。 He came back later； not having found him。
〃What do you think of it； Tom？〃 asked Ned； when the excitement had
calmed down； and the pile of burned rags had been removed。 It was found
that oil and chemicals had been put on them to cause a dense smoke。
〃I think it was the work of those fellows who are after my camera；〃
replied the young inventor。 〃They are evidently watching me； and when
they saw us all go off in the airship they thought probably that the coast
was clear。〃
〃But why should they start a fire？〃
〃I don't know； but probably to create a lot of smoke； and excitement；
so that they could search； and not be detected。 Maybe the fellow after he
found that the camera was gone； wanted to draw those in the house out to
the shop； so he could have a clear field to search in my room for any
drawings that would give him a dew as to how my machine works。 They
certainly did not want to burn the shop； for that pile of rags could have
smoldered all day on the concrete floor； without doing any harm。 Robbery
was the motive； I think。〃
〃The police ought to be notified；〃 declared Mr。 Nestor。 〃Develop those
pictures； Tom； and I'll take the matter up with the police。 Maybe they can
identify the tramp from the photographs。〃
But this proved impossible。 Tom had secured several good films； not
only in the first views he took； giving the spectators the impression that
they were going up in an airship； but also those showing the shop on fire；
and the tramp running away； were very plain。
The police made a search for the incendiary； but of course did not find
him。 Mr。 Period came to Shopton； and declared it was his belief that his
rivals； Turbot and Eckert； had had a hand in the matter。 But it was only a
suspicion； though Tom himself believed the same thing。 Still nothing
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could be accomplished。
〃The thing to do； now that the camera works all right； is for you to hit
the trail for India at once；〃 suggested the picture man。 〃They won't follow
you there。 Get me some pictures of the Durbar； of elephants being
captured； of tiger fights； anything exciting。〃
〃I'll do my〃 began Tom。
〃Wait； I'm not through；〃 interrupted the excitable man。 〃Then go get
some volcanoes； earthquakesanything that you think would be
interesting。 I'll keep in touch with you； and cable occasionally。 Get all the
films you can。 When will you start？〃
〃I can leave inside of two weeks；〃 replied Tom。
〃Then do it； and； meanwhile； be on your guard。〃
It was found that a few changes were needed on the camera。 And some
adjustments to the airship。 Another trial flight was made； and some
excellent pictures taken。 Then Tom and his friends prepared to take the
airship apart。 and pack it for shipment to Calcutta。 It was to go on the
same steamer as themselves； and of course the Wizard Camera would
accompany Tom。 He took along many rolls of films； enough； he thought；
for many views。 He was also to send back to Mr。 Period from time to time；
the exposed rolls of film； so they could be developed； and printed in the
United States； as Tom would not have very good facilities for this on the
airship； and to reproduce them there was almost out of the question。 Still
he did fit up a small dark room aboard the Flyer； where he could develop
pictures if he wished。
There was much to be done； but hard work accomplished it； and
finally the party was ready to start for India。 Tom said good…bye to Mary
Nestor； of course； and her father accompanied our hero from the Nestor
house to the Swift homestead； where the start was to take place。
Eradicate bade his master a tearful good…bye； and there was moisture
in the eyes of Mr。 Swift； as he shook hands with his son。
〃Take care of yourself； Tom；〃 he said。 〃Don't run too many risks。 This
moving picture taking isn
