Tom Swift and his air glider Author:Victor Appleton Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III THE HAND OF THE CZAR "then you won't take a ride with me to-day?" asked the young inventor, of the Russian, as he completed the repairs to the ... more »magneto. "I'd like to have you meet my father, and a friend of his, Mr. Damon. Most likely he'll go to Siberia with us, if his wife will let him. I'd like to talk some plans over with you." "I shall certainly call on you," answered Ivan Petrofsky, "but," he added with a smile, "I think I should prefer to take my first ride in your larger airship—the one that doesn't come down so often." "Well, perhaps it is a little easier on an amateur," admitted Tom. "If you'll come over to our house at any time I'll take you out in it, or I'll call for you." "I'll come over in a few days," answered the escaped exile. "Then I'll tell you all I know of the locality where the platinum mine is located, and we can make our plans. In the meanwhiledon't say anything about what I have told you." "Why?" asked Ned quickly. Mr. Petrofsky approached closer to the lads, and in a low voice said: "I am not sure about it, but of late I think I have been shadowed. I have seen strange men in the village near here and they have eyed me rather suspiciously. Then, too, I have surprised several men around my house. I live here all alone, you know, and do most of my own work, a woman coming in occasionally to clean. But I don't like these suspicious characters hanging about. "Who do you think they are?" asked Tom. "I'm almost afraid to think, but from my past experience I think—nay, I fear—they may be spies, or agents of the Russian government." "Spies!" cried Ned. "Hush. Not so loud," cautioned Mr. Petrof- sky. "They may even now be in hiding, especially 7 since your aeroplane landed so near my house. 10 They may see ...« less