A few minutes later Tom picked out a good landing place in the dim light of the breaking dawn, and went to earth.  Jamming on the brakes he leaped from the pilot house to the stern of his own craft, catching up his electric rifle.  The other airship, caught by the grappling anchor at the end of a long rope, was just settling down, those in her having the good sense to shut off their power, and volplane when they found that they could not escape.

As the smugglers’ craft touched the earth, several figures leaped from her, and started to run away.

“Hold on!” cried Tom.  “I’ve got you all covered with the electric rifle!  Don’t move!  Koku, you, and Mr. Whitford and Mr. Damon take care of them.  Tie ’em up.”

“Bless my hat band!” cried the eccentric man.  “What a great capture!  Where are we?”

“Not far from Shopton,” answered Tom.  “But look after the prisoners.”

There was a cry of astonishment from Mr. Whitford as he reached the sullen occupants of the smugglers’ craft.

“Here are the Fogers—­father and son!” the agent called to Tom.  “They were in it after all.  Great Scott!  What a surprise.  And here are a lot of men whom I’ve been after for some time!  Oh, Tom Swift, this is a capture.”

“What right have you to use these high-handed methods on us?” demanded Mr. Foger pompously.

“Yes, dad make ’em let us go; we haven’t done anything!” snarled Andy.

“I guess you won’t go yet a while,” said the agent.  “I’ll have a look inside this craft.  Keep ’em covered, Tom.”

“I will.  I guess Andy knows what this rifle can do.  See if Ned is a prisoner.”

There was a few moments of waiting during which Koku and Mr. Damon securely bound the prisoners.  Then Mr. Whitford reappeared.  He was accompanied by some one.

“Hello, Tom!” called the latter.  “I’m all right.  Much obliged for the rescue.”

“Are you all right, Ned?” asked Tom, of his chum.

“Yes, except that they kept me gagged.  The men who captured me took me for you, and, after the Fogers found out the mistake, they decided to keep me anyhow.  Say, you’ve made a great haul.”

And so it proved, for in the airship was a quantity of valuable silks and laces, while on the persons of the smugglers, including Mr. Foger, were several packets of diamonds.  These were taken possession of by Mr. Whitford, who also confiscated the bales and packages.

Ned was soon aboard the Falcon, while the prisoners, securely tied were laid in the cabin of their own craft with Koku to stand guard over them.  Mr. Damon went to Shopton, which was the nearest town, for police aid, and soon the smugglers were safe in jail, though Mr. Foger protested vigorously against going.

Ned explained how he had been pounced upon by two men when he was fishing, and told how without a chance to warn his friends, he had been gagged and bound and taken to the headquarters of the smugglers in Canada, just over the border.  They went by carriages.  Then the Fogers, who, it seemed, were hand in glove with the law violators, saw him, and identified him.  The smugglers had thought they were capturing Tom.