Page:Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight.djvu/184

174 then he flashed it to earth to enable Mr. Damon to pick out a good landing place.

In a few moments Tom's silent airship came to rest on a little clearing in the forest, and Tom, with Ned's help, at once opened every outlet of the gas machine, a thing they had not dared do while up in the air.

"Come on, now, run, everybody!" cried Tom. "Otherwise you'll be smothered!"

They leaped from the craft, about which gathered the fumes of the powerful gas, as it hissed from the pipes. Running a hundred yards away they were safe, and could return in a few minutes.

"We're in Canada," remarked Mr. Whitford, as they came to a halt, watching the airship.

"How do you know?" asked Ned.

"As we landed I saw one of the stone boundary posts," was the answer. "We're on English territory, and we can't touch the smugglers if we should see them now."

"Well, we'll soon be back in Uncle Sam's land, declared Tom. "We can go back on board the Falcon to sleep shortly. Jove! I wish I could have caught those fellows!"

"Never mind, we'll get 'em yet," consoled Mr. Whitford.

Waiting until he was sure all the vapor had disappeared, Tom led the way back to the Falcon.