CHAPTER III
AN ACCIDENT
"Oh, I think you're letting your imagination run away with you, Ned,"grinned Tom. "I know Mr. Stern, the president of Apex, very well, andI'm positive that he wouldn't stand for any underhanded tactics."
"I Know Mr. Stern," Grinned Tom]
"I hope you're right," said his business manager. "But you know betterthan anyone else how unscrupulous gangs have tried to steal yourinventions. At first it was Happy Harry the tramp, and the last wasDoctor Bane. No telling how many thugs were after you and your father inbetween. You'd be wise to get some extra guards."
"I think Koku is well able to handle any intruder," declared Tomconfidently. "Besides, I think you're getting excited over nothing. Youknow Mr. Damon is inclined to make mountains out of molehills."
"Koku Is Able to Handle Anyone."]
"That's all very well," persisted his friend stubbornly, "but justsuppose Mr. Damon is right in his suspicions? It'd be too late then todo anything about it."
"Don't worry, old man. My Chest of Secrets will hold its contents secureagainst any burglar's attack. Now it's late. You'd better stay todinner. Afterward, if you care to and have no other date, we can talkover some unfinished business."
The Chest Would Guard the Secrets]
"Thanks, Tom. I'll be glad to spend the evening with you."
Locking up the laboratory, the two boys walked leisurely through thewarm June twilight toward the big white house. Low in the sky hung thesilvery crescent of the new moon, while almost overhead Mars glowedbrightly.
"There's our goal, Ned," murmured Tom, pointing to the red planet. "Ifeel sure that our meteorite came from that far-off world!"
"There's Our Goal, Ned."]
"Granting that it did come from another planet," objected Ned, "I don'tget the reason why you're so sure it came from Mars. There are nineplanets circling the sun, including the earth. Ruling out the sun, itseems to me that there is but one chance in eight that you are right."
"Nine Planets Circle the Sun."]
"If it were simply a matter of chance, there'd be a lot of weight behindyour argument, Ned. But a lot of other factors enter the problem. Ishould say that the only planets where life as we know it might existare Mars and Venus. The latter I ruled out, for astronomers have foundthat it is forever covered thickly with dense clouds. Thus theinhabitants, if any, must be ignorant of any world but their own."
"What have people on the planets got to do with the question, anyhow?"asked Ned. "Huge chunks of metal break off of any heavenly body and gohurtling through space. The inhabitants don't throw them off!"
Chunks of Metal Rushing Through Space]
"But our meteor was no ordinary one as we have proved already," repliedTom. "I firmly believe that someone on another planet deliberately firedthat missile into space, hoping it would reach this world. Sincescientists agree that Mars probably is inhabited by a highly intelligentrace, that planet is a reasonable guess."
"Whew!" whistled Ned. "Such ideas are beyond me."
"Someone on Another Planet Fired the Missile."]
As he finished speaking, the boys reached the Swift residence. Theyoung inventor's father had built the handsome white house many yearsbefore his son was born. Beyond were the several buildings where theinventions of Tom Swift and his father, Barton Swift, were manufactured.
Of recent years the latter had not been active, but had put the affairsin the hands of his capable son Tom, ably assisted by Ned Newton. Theolder man now spent most of his time writing scientific books andarticles.
The Boys Reached the Swift Residence]
The boys washed as quickly as possible so as not to delay dinner, forboth possessed healthy appetites. Joining Mr. Swift in the library, theyfound him and Mr. Damon deep in a game of chess.
"Check!" cried Tom's father triumphantly, moving his king. "Got youagain, Damon!"
"Bless my pawns and castles!" exclaimed the eccentric gentleman. "You'vewon three straight games!"
Mr. Swift, Tom's Father]
"Hello, Dad!" said Tom suddenly. "I see you're up to your old tricks!"In spite of his bantering tone the young inventor was pleased that hisfather was relaxing in a friendly game.
"Your father shouldn't be in the amateur class any more, Tom!" Mr. Damongrumbled playfully. "Bless my trophy cup, but I'm afraid to play withhim!"
"Better luck next time," consoled Mr. Swift, a twinkle in his eye.
Mr. Damon left, refusing an invitation to dinner and saying that hehad to take his car to a garage for a minor repair job before startingfor his home in Waterford, a near-by town.
"Hello, Dad," Said Tom]
"How goes it with you, son?" asked Mr. Swift when Tom returned fromseeing his guest to the door. "Your new space eye, as you call it--is itworking out?"
"I think so, Dad, but wait until I get the big model built!"
Tom Saw Mr. Damon to the Door]
"Genmens, dinnah am serbed!" An old negro thrust his white-fringedhead through the library door. "An' it sho' am good!" Eradicate Sampson,so-called for his work in younger days of eradicating dirt from thehomes of Shopton, had been attached to the Swift household for manyyears and now regarded himself as one of the family.
As they sat at table the conversation of the three turned naturally toTom's latest invention. Mr. Swift had not heard yet all Tom's ideas ofthe proposed telescope and was full of eager questions.
Eradicate Sampson]
"Just how long do you think it will take to make your big disk, son?"asked Mr. Swift. "That is, if you find any more of the new material."
"The meteorite is already on board a north-bound freight steamer,"answered Tom, "and ought to get here within the next ten days. It'llrequire at least three weeks to extract all the X and cast it intoshape. Taking everything into consideration, I should say it will beat least six weeks before we can test the device. The matter dependsentirely on finding a lot of X in the planet stone. But I'm sure Ishall."
"The Meteorite Is Northbound!"]
After dinner the boys went over to the main office of the SwiftConstruction Company to clear up a number of routine business matterswhich required Tom's personal attention. He had postponed them for awhile to give more time to his new experiments.
The Boys Went to the Main Office]
"Now, young fellow, I'm not letting you get away until you've lookedover these papers!" declared Ned, pretending to threaten his chum with ayardstick. "I've been after you for a week about 'em!"
Tom dodged and pretended to be scared. "You're right, though," headmitted.
The two worked rapidly. Within an hour the seemingly endless stack ofdocuments had shrunk to a few letters and bills. Just as Ned wasreaching for one of them the telephone rang in the outer office.
The Two Worked Rapidly]
"I'll get it, Tom," his chum said.
"Sit still," replied the young inventor. "I'll switch it to my privatephone."
"Tom Swift speaking," he said into the mouthpiece a moment later. "Oh,hello, Mrs. Damon. What's that? But I don't understand. No, there mustbe some mistake!" A loud click sounded in the receiver and Tom jerkedthe instrument from his ear.
"What's wrong?" asked Ned, noting his friend's serious face.
Tom Jerked the Instrument From His Ear]
"Mr. Damon's been hurt in an auto accident. For some reason his wife isblaming it on me! Come, we must get to the hospital at once!"
"Mr. Damon's Been Hurt!"]