Page:Tom Swift and His Airship.djvu/11

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TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP




CHAPTER I


AN EXPLOSION


"Are you all ready, Tom?"

"All ready, Mr. Sharp," replied a young man, who was stationed near some complicated apparatus, while the questioner, a dark man, with a nervous manner, leaned over a large tank.

"I'm going to turn on the gas now," went on the man. "Look out for yourself. I'm not sure what may happen."

"Neither am I, but I'm ready for it. If it does explode it can't do much damage."

"Oh, I hope it doesn't explode. We've had so much trouble with the airship, I trust nothing goes wrong now."

"Well, turn on the gas, Mr. Sharp," advised Tom Swift "I'll watch the pressure gauge, and,

1