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it。 Besides I want to race Andy Foger； and beat him； even if I don't win the
prize。 I'm going to build that car； and it will make fast time。〃
〃Well； go ahead； Tom；〃 responded his father； after a pause。 〃Of course
you can use the shops here as much as you want； and Mr。 Sharp； Mr。
Jackson； and I will help you all we can。 Only don't be disappointed； that's
all。〃
〃I won't； Dad。 Suppose you come out to my shop and I'll show you a
sample battery I've been testing for the last week。 I have it geared to a
small motor； and it's been running steadily for some time。 I want to see
what sort of a record it's made。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
Father and son crossed the yard； and entered a shop which the lad
considered exclusively his own。 There he had made many machines； and
pieces of apparatus； and had invented a number of articles which had been
patented； and yielded him considerable of an income。
〃There's the battery； Dad；〃 he said； pointing to a complicated
mechanism in one corner
〃What's that buzzing noise？〃 asked Mr。 Swift。 〃That's the little motor I
run from the new cells。 Look here；〃 and Tom switched on an electric light
above the experimental battery； from which he hoped so much。 It
consisted of a steel can； about the size of the square gallon tin in which
maple syrup comes； and from it ran two wires which were attached to a
small motor that was industriously whirring away。
Tom looked at a registering gauge connected with it。
〃That's pretty good；〃 remarked the young inventor。 〃What is it；
Tom？〃 and his father peered about the shop。
〃Why this motor has run an equivalent of two hundred miles on one
charging of the battery！ That's much better than I expected。 I thought if I
got a hundred out of it I'd be doing well。 Dad； I believe； after I improve
my battery a bit； that I'll have the very thing I want！ I'll install a set of
them in a car； and it will go like the wind。 I'll 〃 Tom's enthusiastic
remarks were suddenly interrupted by a low； rumbling sound。
〃Thunder！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Swift。 〃The storm is coming； and Mr。 Sharp
and Mr。 Damon in the airship〃
Hardly had he spoken than there sounded a crash on the roof of the
Swift house； not far away。 At the same time there came cries of distress；
and the crash was repeated。
〃Come on； Dad！ Something has happened！〃 yelled Tom； dashing
from the shop； followed by his parent。 They found themselves in the midst
of a rain storm； as they raced toward the house； on the roof of which the
smashing noise was again heard。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER II
MR。 DAMON'S STEERING
Tom Swift was a lad of action； and his quickness in hurrying out to
investigate what had happened when he was explaining about his new
battery； was characteristic of him。 Those of my readers who know him；
through having read the previous books of this series； need not be told this；
but you who； perhaps； are just making his acquaintance； may care to know
a little more about him。
As told in my first book； 〃Tom Swift and His Motor…Cycle〃 the young
inventor lived with his father； Barton Swift； a widower； in the town of
Shopton； New York。 Mr。 Swift was also an inventor of note。
In my initial volume of this series； Tom became possessed of a motor…
cycle in a peculiar way。 It was sold to him by a Mr。 Wakefield Damon； a
wealthy gentleman who was unfortunate in riding it。 On his speedy
machine； which Tom improved by several inventions； he had a number of
adventures。 The principal one was being attacked by a number of bad men；
known as the 〃Happy Harry Gang；〃 who wished to obtain possession of a
valuable turbine patent model belonging to Mr。 Swift。 Tom was taking it to
a lawyer； when he was waylaid； and chloroformed。 Later he traced the
gang； and； with the assistance of Mr。 Damon and Eradicate Sampson； an
aged colored man who made a living for himself and his mule； Boomerang；
by doing odd jobs； the lad found the thieves and recovered a motor…boat
which had been stolen。 But the men got away。
In the second volume； called 〃Tom Swift and His Motor…Boat；〃 Tom
bought at auction the boat stolen by； and recovered from； the thieves； and
proceeded to improve it。 While he was taking his father out on a cruise for
Mr Swift's health； the Happy Harry Gang made a successful attempt to
steal some valuable inventions from the Swift house。 Tom started to trace
them； and incidentally he raced and beat Andy Foger； a rich bully。 On their
way down the lake； after the robbery； Tom； his father and Ned Newton；
Tom's chum； saw a man hanging from the trapeze of a blazing balloon
over Lake Carlopa。 The balloonist was Mr。 John Sharp and he was rescued
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
by Tom in a thrilling fashion。 In his motor…boat； Tom had much pleasure；
not the least of which was taking out a young lady named Miss Mary
Nestor； whose acquaintance he had made after stopping her runaway horse；
which his bicycle had frightened。 Tom's association with Miss Nestor
soon ripened into something deeper than mere friendship。
It developed that Mr Sharp； whom Tom had saved from the burning
balloon； was an aeronaut of note； and had once planned to build an airship。
After his recovery from his thrilling experience； he mentioned the matter
to Mr。 Swift and his son； with whom he took up his residence。 This fitted
right in with Tom's ideas； and soon father； son and the balloonist were
constructing the Red Cloud； as they named their airship。 It was finally
completed； as related in 〃Tom Swift and His Airship；〃 made a successful
trial trip； and won a prize。 It was planned to make a longer journey； and
Tom； Mr。 Sharp and Mr。 Damon agreed to go together。 Mr。 Damon was an
odd individual； who was continuously blessing some part of his anatomy；
his clothing or some inanimate object but； for all that； he was a fine man。
The night before Tom and his friends started off in their airship； the
Shop