Mr. Damon was leaning far over the edge of the railing, with nothing
between him and the earth a thousand feet below. He seemed to have
lost his balance and had toppled forward, being doubled up on the iron
pipe railing, his hands hanging limply over. Then, as Tom cried to Mr.
Sharp to shut off the motor, the lad saw that, hanging to the blade of
the propeller, and being whirled around in its revolutions, was a part
of Mr. Damon's red scarf.

"Hurry! Hurry, Mr. Sharp!" yelled Tom, not daring to let go the
steering wheel, for fear the ship would encounter a treacherous
current and tilt. "Hurry to Mr. Damon!"

"What's the matter?" asked the balloonist.

"He's dead-or unconscious-hanging over the railing. He seems to be
slipping! Hurry, or it will be too late!"



Chapter 14 - Andy Gives The Clue



When Mr. Swift followed the chief of police and the constable to the
town hall his mind was filled with many thoughts. All his plans for
revolutionizing submarine travel, were, of course, forgotten, and he
was only concerned with the charge that had been made against his son.
It seemed incredible, yet the officers were not ones to perpetrate a
joke. The chief and constable had driven from town in a carriage, and
they now invited the inventor to ride back with them.