He's mean enough to do a thing like
that, but I didn't think he'd have the nerve. However, I'll see if I
can learn anything about him. He may have been sneaking around, and if
he has my plans he'd ask nothing better than to make a sky racer and
beat me."

"Oh, Tom, I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Mr. Swift "I--I feel very bad about
it!"

"There, never mind!" spoke the lad, seeing that his father was looking
ill again. "Don't think any more about it, dad. I'll get back those
plans. Come, now. It's time for your medicine, and then you must lie
down." For the aged inventor was looking tired and weak.

Wearily he let Tom lead him to his room, and after seeing that the
invalid was comfortable Tom called up Dr. Gladby, to have him come and
see Mr. Swift. The doctor said his patient had been overdoing himself a
little, and must rest more if he was to completely recover.

Learning that his father was no worse, Tom set off to find Andy Foger.

"I can't rest until I know whether or not he has my plans," he said to
himself. "I don't want to make a speedy aeroplane, and find out at the
last minute that Andy, or some of his cronies, have duplicated it."

But Tom got little satisfaction from Andy Foger. When that bully was
accused of having been around Tom's house he denied it, and though the
young inventor did not actually accuse him of taking the plans, he
hinted at it. Andy muttered many indignant negatives, and called on
some of his cronies to witness that at the time the plans were taken he
and they were some distance from the Swift home.

So Tom was baffled; and though he did not believe the red-haired lad's
denial, there was no way in which he could prove to the contrary.

"If he didn't take the plans, who did?" mused Tom.

As the young inventor turned away after cross-questioning Andy, the
bully called out:

"You'll never win that ten thousand dollars!"

"What do you know about that?" demanded Tom quickly.

"Oh, I know," sneered Andy. "There'll be bigger and better aeroplanes
in that meet than you can make, and you'll never win the prize."

"I suppose you heard about the affair by sneaking around under our
windows, and listening," said Tom.

"Never mind how I know it, but I do," retorted the bully.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing," said Tom calmly. "If you come around
again it won't be healthy for you. Look out for live wires, if you try
to do the listening act any more, Andy!" And with that ominous warning
Tom tu