“Whew!” Bud said. “One more foot and-”
As Dansitt’s plane lurched down the runway, Tom was white with anger. The flier’s carelessness had nearly cost his sister her life!
“That crazy pilot!” he cried. “I’ll wrap his wings around his neck!”
With a bound Tom was out of the control tower. He leaped down the steps and ran up the field toward Dansitt’s plane which was taxiing in.
12 TOM SWIFT AND HIS JETMARINE
Suddenly a man raced toward the craft from the opposite direction. As it stopped, the door opened and the stranger quickly climbed inside. Tom, running at top speed, was only a dozen yards from the plane.
“What do you mean, coming in-” he cried out, but did not finish.
Without warning Dansitt’s plane shot forward, heading straight at Tom!
CHAPTER 2
A BRAZEN DENIAL
AS DANSITT’S PLANE roared toward Tom, Bud Barclay and the dispatcher stared horrified. There was no time for Tom to dodge completely out of the way!
But, as the two watched, he threw himself to the ground. The left wing tip rushed above him, missing his head by inches.
Bud, already out of the tower, rushed to his friend’s aid as Dansitt sped by and took off. As the cloud of dust raised by the exhaust cleared, Bud saw to his relief that Tom was struggling to his feet and shaking a fist at the departing plane.
“You’re all right?” Bud asked unbelievingly.
Tom coughed violently. “I’m okay,” he gasped, slapping the dust from his clothes. “But I sure have a score to settle with Dansitt!”
“I’ll say! He tried to kill you! But why?”
“There must be more to this than meets the eye.