"By golly!" cried the colored man, "ef I gits 'em I'll pinch dere noses
off!"
CHAPTER X
OFF IN THE AIRSHIP
Going from the brightly lighted shop into the darkness of the night,
illuminated as it was only by the stars, neither Tom, Ned, nor
Eradicate, could see anything at first. They had to stand still for a
moment to accustom their eyes to the gloom.
"Can you see them?" cried Tom to his chum.
"No, but I can hear them! Over this way!" yelled Ned, and then, being
able to dimly make out objects, so he would not run into them, he
started off, followed by the young inventor.
Tom could hear several persons running away now, but he could see no
one, and from the sound he judged that the spies, if such they were,
were hurrying across the fields that surrounded the shop.
It was almost a hopeless task to pursue them, but the two lads were not
the kind that give up. They rushed forward, hoping to be able to grapple
with those who had looked in the shop window, but it was not to be.
The sound of the retreating footsteps became more and more faint, until
finally they gave no clew to follow.
"Better stop," advised Tom. "No telling where we'll end up if we keep on
running. Besides it might be dangerous."
"Dangerous; how?" panted Ned.
"They might dodge around, and wait for us behind some tree or bush.
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