"Go for Eradicate, and don't make any more noise than you can help in
waking him up," whispered Tom, for they were now close to the shed, and
might be heard.

Mr. Jackson slipped off in the darkness, and Tom drew nearer to the
building that housed his Humming-Bird. There was one window lower than
the others, and near it was a box, that Tom remembered having seen that
afternoon. He planned to get up on that and look in, before making a
raid to capture the intruder.

Tom raised himself up to the window. The light had been visible a moment
before he placed the box in position, but an instant later it seemed to
go out, and the place was in darkness.

"I wonder if they've gone away?" thought Tom. "I can't hear any noise."

He listened intently. It was dark and silent in the shop. Suddenly the
light flashed up brighter than before, and the young inventor caught
sight of a man walking around the new aeroplane, examining it carefully.
He carried, as Tom could see, a large-sized electric flash-lamp, with a
brilliant tungsten filament, which gave a powerful light.

As the youth watched, he saw the intruder place the light on a bench, in
such a position that the rays fell full upon the Humming-Bird. Then,
adjusting the spring switch so that the light would continue to glow,
the man stepped back and drew something from an inner pocket.

"I wonder what he's up to?" mused Tom. "I wish Eradicate and Mr. Jackson
would hurry back. Who can that fellow be, I wonder? I've never seen him
before, as far as I know. I thought sure it was going to turn out to be