With a series of explosions, like those of a machine gun, the
motor started, and further talk was out of the question. Tom
turned on more gas. The propellers became almost invisible blades
of light and shadow, and the aeroplane began moving over the
grassy field. The mechanic had sprung out of the way, pulling Mr.
Damon with him.

"Come back! Come back! Wait a minute, Tom Swift! Bless my pansy
blossoms, I want to tell you something!" cried the little man.

But Tom Swift was away and out of hearing. He had started on
his sky ride with Mary Nestor.



CHAPTER II
A NEW IDEA


Any one who has taken a flight in an aeroplane or gone up in a
balloon, will know exactly how Mary Nestor felt on this, her
first sky ride of any distance. For a moment, as she looked over
the side of the machine, she had a distinct impression, not that
she was going up, but that some one had pulled the earth down
from beneath her and, at the same time, given her a shove off
into space. Such is the first sensation of going aloft. Then the
rush of air all about her, the slightly swaying motion of the
craft, and the vibration caused by the motor took her attention.
But the sensation of the earth dropping away from beneath her
remained with Mary for some time.