Read "Tom Swift and His Airline Express" by Victor Appleton online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Desperation gave Tom Swift unusual strength as he lay bound and seemingly helpless in that upper story of the lonely cabin. Though the ropes about his wrists and ankles seemed very tight, he had a feeling as he strained his arms that he was going to get free. That talk he heard, floating up from the room below where, through the crack, he could see the conspirators gathered, gave him fierce energy.
"So that's their game, is it? " mused Tom, as he heard the plot to blow up the plant. "They want to put me out of the way so they will have a free hand to wreck my plant and get the plans and models of the airline express cars and airships. I don't believe they ever thought of inventing that sort of combination craft themselves. They are trying to steal my ideas. Kenny and Schlump must have hatched the plot. Oh, but I've got to get loose and warn Dad and Ned!"