[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.The crowd surged this way,and that.Many looked anxiously at the clock in the tower of the town hall.The gilded hands pointed to a few minutes of ten.Would the bank open itsdoors when the hour boomed out? Many were anxiously asking this question.Tom sat in his electric car, near the front of the bank.The interest of thecrowd, which under ordinary circumstances would have been centered in thequeer vehicle, was not drawn toward it.The people were all thinking of theirmoney.Suddenly one of the two doors of the bank slowly opened.There was a yell fromthe crowd, and a rush to get in.But the police managed to hold the leadersback, and then Tom saw that it was Ned Newton, who stood in the partlyopenedportal.He held up his hand to indicate silence, and a hush fell over the mob."The bank is open for business," Ned announced, "but there must be no rush.The building is not large enough to accommodate you all.If you form a line,you will be admitted in turn.The bank hopes to pay you all.""Hopes!" cried a woman scornfully."We can't eat hopes, young man, nor yet paythe rent with it.Hopes indeed!"Page 50 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlBut Ned had said all he cared to, and, with rather a white face, he went backinside.The one door remained open and, with a policeman on either side, aline of anxious depositors was slowly formed.Tom watched them crowding andsurging forward, all eager to be first to get their cash out, lest there benot enough for all.As he watched, the young inventor was aware that some was signaling to himfrom the big window of the bank.He looked more closely and saw Ned Newtonbeckoning to him, and the young cashier was motioningTom to go around to the rear, where a door of the bank opened on a smallalley.Wondering what was wanted, Tom slowly ran his machine down the sidestreet, and up the alley.No one paid any attention to him.Tom Swift And His Electric RunaboutCHAPTER XVII A RUN ON THE BANK57A porter admitted the lad, and he made his way to the private offices, wherehe knew his father and Mr.Damon would be.In the corridors he could hear the murmur of the throng andthe chink of money, as the tellers paid it out."Well, Tom, this is bad business," remarked Mr.Swift, as he saw his son.Thelad noticed that Mr.Damon was in the telephone booth."Yes, Dad," admitted Tom."It's a run, all right.What are you going to do?""The best we can.Pay out all the cash we have, and hope that before thattime, the people will come to their senses.The bank is all right if theywould only wait.But I'm afraid they won't and, after we pay out all the cashwe have, we'll have to close the doors.Then there's sure to be an unpleasantscene, and maybe some of the more hotheaded ones will advocate violence.Wehave given orders to the tellers to pay out as slowly as possible, so as toenable us to gain some time.""And all you need is money; is that it, Dad?""That's it, Tom, but we have exhausted every possibility.Mr.Damon is tryinga forlorn hope now, but, even if he is successful"Before Mr.Swift had ceased speaking, Mr.Damon fairly burst from thetelephone booth.He was much excited."I've got it! I've got it!" he cried."What?" asked Mr.Swift and Tom in the same breath."The cash, or, what's just as good, the promise of it.I called up Mr.Chase,of the Clayton National Bank, and he has agreed to take the railroadsecurities I offered him as collateral, and let me have sixty thousand dollarson them! That will give us cash enough to weather the storm.Hurrah! We're allright now.Bless my check book!""The Clayton National Bank," remarked Mr.Swift, and his voice was hopeless."It's forty miles away, Mr.Damon, and no railroad around here runs anywhere near it.No one could getthere and back with the cash today, in time to save us from ruin.It'simpossible! Our last chance is gone.""How far did you say it was, Dad?" asked Tom quickly."Forty miles there, over forty, I guess, and not very good roads.We wouldneed to have the cash here before three o'clock to be of any service to us.No, it's out of the question.The bank will have to fail!""No!" cried the young inventor, and his voice rang out through the room."I'llget the cash for you!""How?" gasped Mr.Damon."You can't get there and back in time?""Yes, I can!" cried Tom."In my electric runabout! I can make it go a hundredmiles an hour, if necessary!Probably I'll have to run slow over the bad roads; but I can do it! I know Ican.I'll get the sixty thousand dollars for you!"For a moment there was silence.Then Mr.Damon cried:Tom Swift And His Electric RunaboutPage 51 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlCHAPTER XVII A RUN ON THE BANK58"Good! And I'll go with you and deliver the securities to Mr.Chase.Come on,Tom Swift! Bless my collar button, but maybe we can yet save the old bankafter all!"CHAPTER XVIII AFTER THE CASHTom's proposal as a way out of the difficulty, and the prompt seconding of itby Mr.Damon, seemed to deprive the other bank officials, Mr.Swift included,of the power of speech for a few moments.Then, as there came to the roomwhere the scene had taken place, the sound of the mob outside, clamoring forcash, Mr.Pendergast, the president, remarked in a low voice:"It seems to be the only way.Do you think you can do it, Tom Swift?""I'm sure of it, as far as my electric car is concerned," replied the younginventor."If we get the cash I'll have it back here on time.The runabout isall ready for a fast trip.""Then don't lose any time, Tom," advised his father."Every minute counts.""Yes," added Mr.Damon."Come on.I've got the securities in my valise, and wecan bring the cash back in the same satchel.Come on, Tom."The eccentric character caught up his valise, and started from the room.Tomfollowed."Now, my son, be careful," advised his father."You know the need of haste,but don't take unnecessary risks.You'd better go out the back way, as the crowd is easily excited."Little more was said.Mr.Swift clasped his son's hand in a firm pressure, andthe bank president nervously bade the lad goodby.Then, slipping out of thebank, by the rear entrance, the porter closing the door after them, Tom andMr.Damon took their places in the electric machine."Just imagine you're racing for that threethousanddollar prize, offered by theTouring Club of America, Tom," observed Mr.Damon, as he deposited the valiseat his feet."I don't have to do that," replied the youth."I'm trying for a bigger prizethan that.I want to save the bank, and defeat the schemes of the Fogersfatherand son."Tom turned on the power, and the machine rolled out on the main street.As itturned the corner, leaving the impatient crowd of depositors, now larger thanever, behind, Mr.Damon glanced over at the new bank, and, as he did so, hecalled to Tom:"There are the Fogers now."The young inventor looked, and saw Andy and his father on the steps of the newinstitution.At the sight of the electric car, speeding along, Andy turned and spoke to hisparent.What he said seemed to impress Mr.Foger, for he started, and lookedmore intently at Tom and Mr.Damon.Then, as Tom watched, he saw the twoexcitedly conversing, and a moment later Andy ran off in the direction inwhich SamSnedecker and Pete Bailey lived."I wonder if he's up to any tricks?" thought Tom, as he turned on more power."Well, if he is, I'll soon be where he can't reach me."Tom Swift And His Electric RunaboutCHAPTER XVIII AFTER THE CASH59The young inventor did not dare send his car at full speed through the streetsof the town, and it was not until several minutes had passed that they couldgo at more than the ordinary rate
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]