Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle | Page 7

a number of well-known "bird-men" who used biplanes and
monoplanes of a more or less familiar type.

The government became interested in Tom's craft, the Humming Bird,
and, as told in the ninth book of this series, Tom Swift and His Sky
Racer, they secured some rights in the invention.
And now Tom, who had done nothing for several months following the
great race--that is, nothing save to work on his new rifle--Tom, we say,
sighed for new adventures.
"Well, Tom, what is on your mind?" asked his father at the supper table
that evening. "What is worrying you?"
"Nothing is worrying me, Dad."
"You are thinking of something. I can see that. Are you afraid your
electric rifle won't work as well as you hope, when Ned comes over to
try it?"
"No, it isn't that, Dad. But I may as well tell you, I guess. I've been
reading in the paper about a big elephant hunt in Africa, and I--"
"That's enough, Tom! You needn't say any more," interrupted Mr.
Swift. "I can see which way the wind is blowing. You want to go to
Africa with your new rifle."
"Well, Dad, not exactly--that is--"
"Now, Tom, you needn't deny it," and Mr. Swift laughed. "Well, I don't
blame you a bit. You have been rather idle of late."
"I would like to go, Dad," admitted the young inventor, "only I'd never
think of it while you weren't well."
"Don't worry about me, Tom. Of course I will be lonesome while you
are gone, but don't let that stand in the way. If you want to go to Africa,
you may start to-morrow, and take your new rifle with you."
"The rifle part would be all right, Dad, but if I went I'd want to take an
airship along, and it will take me some little time to finish the Black
Hawk, as I have named my new craft."

"Well, there's no special hurry, is there?" asked Mr. Swift. "The
elephants in Africa are likely to stay there for some time. If you want to
go, why don't you get right to work on the Black Hawk and make the
trip? I'd like to go myself."
"I wish you would, Dad," exclaimed Tom eagerly.
"No, son, I couldn't think of it. I want to stay here and get well. Then I
am going to resume work on my wireless motor. Perhaps I'll have it
finished when you come back from Africa with an airship load of
elephants' tusks."
"Perhaps," admitted the young inventor. "Well, Dad, I'll think of it. But
now I'm going after my rifle, and--"
Tom was interrupted by a ring of the front-door bell, and Mrs. Baggert,
the housekeeper, who was almost like a mother to the youth, went to
answer it.
"It's Ned Newton, I guess," murmured Tom, and, a little later, his chum
entered the room.
"Oh, I guess I'm early," said Ned. "Haven't you had supper yet, Tom'"
"Yes, we're just finished. Come on out and we'll try the gun."
"And practice shooting elephants," added Mr. Swift with a laugh, as he
mentioned to Ned the latest idea of Tom.
"Say! That would he great!" cried the bank clerk. "I wish I could go!"
"Come along!" invited Tom cordially. "We'll have more fun than we
did in the caves of ice," for Ned had gone on the voyage to Alaska.
The two youths went out to the shed where the rifle gallery had been
built. The new electric weapon was out there, and Eradicate Sampson,
the colored man, who was a sort of servant and man-of-all-work about
the Swift household, had set up the scarecrow figure at the end of the
gallery.

"Now we'll try some shots," said Tom, as he took the gun out of the
case. "Just turn on a few more lights, will you, Mr. Jackson," and the
engineer, who was employed by Tom and his father to aid them in their
inventive work, did as requested.
The gallery was now brilliantly illuminated, with the reflectors
throwing the beams on the big stuffed figure, which, save for a face,
looked very much like a human being, standing at the end of the
gallery.
"I don't suppose you want to go down there and hold it, while I shoot at
it; do you, Rad?" asked Tom jokingly, as he prepared the electric rifle
for use.
"No indeedy, I don't!" cried Eradicate. "Yo'-all will hab t' scuse me,
Massa Tom. I think I'll be goin' now."
"What's your hurry?" asked Ned, as he saw the colored man hastily
preparing to leave the improvised gallery.
"I spects I'd better fro' down some mo' straw fo' a bed fo' my mule
Boomerang!" exclaimed Eradicate, as he hastily slid out of the door,
and shut it after