As the days passed, Tom, with the help of his father, whose health was
slightly better, and with the aid of Mr. Jackson, began work on the
speedy little sky racer.

As you boys are all more or less familiar with aeroplanes, we will not
devote much space to the description of the new one Tom Swift made. We
can describe it in general terms, but there were some features of it
which Tom kept a secret from all save his father.

Suffice it to say that Tom had decided to build a small air craft of the
single-wing type, known as the monoplane. It was to be a cross between
the Bleriot and the Antoinette, with the general features of both, but
with many changes or improvements.

The wings were shaped somewhat like those of a humming-bird, which, as
is well known, can, at times, vibrate its wings with such velocity that
the most rapid camera lens cannot quite catch.

And when it is known that a bullet in flight has been successfully
photographed, the speed of the wings of the humming-bird can be better
appreciated.

The writer has seen a friend, with a very rapid camera, which was used
to snap automobiles in flight, attempt to take a picture of a
humming-bird. He got the picture, all right, but the plate was blurred,
showing that the wings had moved faster than the lens could throw them
on the sensitive plate.

Not that Tom intended the wings of his monoplane to vibrate, but he