Tom on his part turned to take a look at the man inside. There would be no time to spare to try to mend his wounds, but something seemed to draw him forward as with invisible cords. Afterwards Tom often asked himself how he could have attempted to struggle against this magnet that was causing him to pay attention to the man, when by rights all his thoughts should have been given to securing what they had come after.
He heard Jack give a yell of delight, and caught the words:
“It’s all right, Tom! Never hurt the tank in the least! And, say, I guess we’re in great luck, because there are fully three gallons in it!”
Tom heard these exclamations, but they seemed to beat in his ears faintly. There was a reason for his attention being riveted in another quarter.
A strange thing had come to pass. He had arrived at the front of the wrecked car and leaned over the better to see within. After striking a small tree and cutting it clean off the heavy car had itself doubled up, so that it could never again be of any use save for the scrap heap. Such a blow was likely to give the occupant a severe jolt. Tom anticipated finding that the man had received bruises in plenty, and perhaps might also be suffering from a broken arm.
He thought he heard a perceptible groan as he came up, though the outcries from Jack rather put a damper on all other sounds. The leather covers had broken loose from the shock of the collision, and were flapping in the breeze. Tom put out his hand to drag them aside so that he might have an unobstructed view of the interior.
Just then a white face was protruded from within. Tom started as though he could not believe his eyes. It was uncanny—such a meeting, and under dramatic conditions at that!
For the face was that of the one man in all Germany whom he wanted to run across—no other than Adolph Tuessig, the spy who had robbed his father of his priceless invention, the secret of an airplane stabilizer!
CHAPTER XXV
MENTIONED FOR PROMOTION—CONCLUSION
Tom rubbed his eyes as though he thought he must be dreaming; but when he looked again he saw the same evil face and mocking eyes. Fancy what Adolph Tuessig on his part must have thought on discovering who it was to whom he owed his latest misfortune!