It was about four o’clock now, and already, in the east, a light was appearing, the sun was heralding the dawn. The early birds were beginning to sing. It would soon be morning, though not yet time for the wheels to begin humming in the Swift plant.
Going back to the office, where Koku reported that a second check-up had failed to disclose the whereabouts of the young inventor, Mr. Swift called the Shopton central operator and gave her the number of the Nestor house.
There was some little delay, as was natural when a call is made at that hour of the morning, but at length Mr. Nestor’s voice was heard.
“Who? Tom? No, he isn’t here—hasn’t been here,” was the message the aged inventor received. “What’s the matter?”
There was some further talk, and Mr. Swift briefly outlined what had happened.
“Don’t alarm Mary yet,” Mr. Swift cautioned his friend. “But I fear something has happened to Tom. I wish you would come over.”
“I will!” Mr. Nestor promised. “I’ll be over as soon as I can dress.”
“Tell him I’ll call for him,” Ned said to Mr. Swift, and this message went over the wires.
It was fully light when they went down into the yard where the small auto had been left. And suddenly the silence of the dawn, made musical by the twitterings of the birds, was broken by an increasing roar and throbbing noise.
“Airship!” grunted Koku.