Up and onward soared the Blackbird. After the night of rest, though the machine was not the most comfortable bedroom in the world, the travelers were refreshed and ready for what the day might bring forth. They kept on the western trail, ascending at times to great heights, far above the clouds, where they had an unobstructed view of a vast expanse. This they scanned for a sight of the blue machine. But up to noon they had not sighted her.
“I think I’ll circle a bit,” decided Tom, as they ate a hasty lunch on board, Ned steering while Tom munched sandwiches and drank milk they had in a thermos bottle, for they had put food in the machine at the last stopping place. Then Tom managed the machine while Ned ate. As Koku was not capable of operating the Blackbird he could devote his whole attention to food—and it may be said that he did so.
About the middle of the afternoon, following his circling movements which resulted in nothing, Tom asked Ned to take the helm for a while.
“I want to get a bit of rest,” the young inventor explained.
“Sure, give me a chance to distinguish myself,” suggested Ned, who liked to handle the craft.
Tom made himself as comfortable as possible in his cockpit, and for an hour Ned guided the Blackbird, giving Koku the glasses with which to make observations. The giant had remarkable sight. But even this did not succeed in bringing into view the blue machine.
Ned presently saw trouble ahead of him in the shape of ominous black clouds, and, recognizing them as a storm and not caring to trust to his abilities in this emergency, he awakened Tom.
“It’s only a thunder shower,” said the young inventor. “Run through it, Ned.”
They had often done this, sometimes shooting up above the edge of the storm and getting into clear air higher up, and sometimes skirting the edge of the disturbance.
This time Tom Swift miscalculated the size of the storm, or else it suddenly developed larger proportions after they entered it. No sooner had the Blackbird pushed her beak into the bank of black clouds than Tom awoke to the realization that they were in considerable danger. Not only had they rashly entered the area of a thunderstorm, but a hail storm as well.