police."

Waiting a few seconds, to enable Eradicate to get to his place, Tom and
the engineer stole softly toward the big double doors. Every moment the
youth expected to hear the crash of the hatchet on his prize machine. He
shivered in anticipation, but the blows did not fall.

Tom pushed open the door and stepped inside, followed by Mr. Jackson. As
they did so they saw the man standing in front of the Humming-Bird. He
again raised the little hatchet, which was like an Indian tomahawk, and
poised it for an instant over the delicate framework and planes of the
air craft. Then his arm began to descend.

"Stop!" yelled Tom, and at the same time he fired in the air.

The man turned as suddenly as though a bullet had struck him, and for a
moment Tom was afraid lest he had hit him by accident; but an instant
later the intruder grabbed up his flashlight, and holding it before him,
so that its rays shone full on Tom and Mr. Jackson, while it left him in
the shadow, sprang toward them, the hatchet still in his hand.

"Look out, Tom!" cried Mr. Jackson.

"Out of my way!" shouted the man.

Bravely Tom stood his ground. He wished now that he had a club instead
of his revolver. The would-be vandal was almost upon him. Mr. Jackson
clubbed his rifle and swung it at the fellow. The latter dodged, and
came straight at Tom.