had been unable to find out who it was that had attempted once before to
damage the monoplane, but he suspected it was the ill-favored man who
was working with Andy.

As for Mr. Swift, at times he seemed quite well, and again he required
the services of a physician.

"You will have to be very careful of your father, Tom," said Dr. Gladby.
"Any sudden shock or excitement may aggravate his malady, and in that
case a serious operation will be necessary."

"Oh, we'll take good care of him," said the lad; but he could not help
worrying, though he tried not to let his father see the strain which he
was under.

It was some days after this, and lacking about a week until the meet was
to open, when a peculiar thing happened. Tom had given his Humming-Bird
a tryout one day, and had then begun to make arrangements for taking it
apart and shipping it to Eagle Park. For he would not fly to the meet in
it, for fear of some accident. So big cases had been provided.

"I'll take it apart in the morning," decided Tom, as he went to his
room, after seeing to the burglar alarm, "and ship her off. Then Mr.
Damon and I will go there, set her up, and get ready to win the race."

Tom had opened all the windows in his room, for it was very warm. In
fact it was so warm that sleep was almost out of the question, and he
got up to sit near the windows in the hope of feeling a breeze.

There it was more comfortable, and he was just dozing off, and beginning