Tom Swift mysteries

I'm about to put out a stack of the old creamtone hardcovers of the Tom Swift books (which will complement the shop's collection of later editions nicely). Leafing through Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders a section caught my eye, in Chapter XI: The Vampires... enjoy!

Tom laughed quietly.
"A shadow!" he exclaimed. "Since when were you afraid of shadows, Ned?"
"I'm not afraid of ordinary shadows," answered Ned, and in his voice there was an uncertain tone. "I'm not afraid of my shadow or yours, Tom, or anybody's that I can see. But this wasn't any human shadow. It was as if a great big blob of wet darkness had been waved over your head."
"That's a queer explanation," Tom said in a low voice. "A great big blob of wet darkness!"
"But that just describes it," went on Ned, looking up and around. "It was just as if you were in a dark room, and some one waved a wet velvet cloak over your head -- spooky like!"