TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER
or
The Quickest Flight on Record

By
VICTOR APPLETON



CONTENTS
I The Prize Offer
II Mr. Swift Is Ill
III The Plans Disappear
IV Anxious Days
V Building the Sky Racer
VI Andy Foger Will Contest
VII Seeking a Clue
VIII The Empty Shed
IX A Trial Flight
X A Midnight Intruder
XI Tom Is Hurt
XII Miss Nestor Calls
XIII A Clash with Andy
XIV The Great Test
XV A Noise in the Night
XVI A Mysterious Fire
XVII Mr. Swift Is Worse
XVIII The Broken Bridge
XIX A Nervy Specialist
XX Just in Time
XXI "Will He Live?"
XXII Off to the Meet
XXIII The Great Race
XXIV Won by a Length
XXV Home Again--Conclusion

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER




Chapter One

The Prize Offer


"Is this Tom Swift, the inventor of several airships?"

The man who had rung the bell glanced at the youth who
answered his summons.

"Yes, I'm Tom Swift," was the reply. "Did you wish to see me?"

"I do. I'm Mr. James Gunmore, secretary of the Eagle Park
Aviation Association. I had some correspondence with you
about a prize contest we are going to hold. I believe--"

"Oh, yes, I remember now," and the young inventor smiled
pleasantly as he opened wider the door of his home. "Won't
you come in? My father will be glad to see you. He is as
much interested in airships as I am." And Tom led the way to
the library, where the secretary of the aviation society was
soon seated in a big, comfortable leather chair.

"I thought we could do better, and perhaps come to some
decision more quickly, if I came to see you, than if we
corresponded," went on Mr. Gunmore. "I hope I haven't
disturbed you at any of your inventions," and the secretary
smiled at the youth.

"No. I'm through for to-day," replied Tom. "I'm glad to
see you. I thought at first it was my chum, Ned Newton. He
generally runs over in the evening."

"Our society, as I wrote you, Mr. Swift, is planning to
hold a very large and important aviation meet at Eagle Park,
which is a suburb of Westville, New York State. We expect to
have all the prominent 'bird-men' there, to compete for
prizes, and your name was mentioned. I wrote to you, as you
doubtless recall, asking if you did not care to enter."