Chapter XXI
The Open Switch
Meanwhile the work of electrifying another division of the Hendrickton& Pas Alos Railroad had been pushed to completion. As Mr. Bartholomewhad in the first place stated, the road controlled water rights in thehills which would supply any number of electric power stations, and hisenemies could not shut his road off from these waterfalls.
Tom had not warned his faithful servant, the giant Koku, to watch outfor Andy O'Malley in particular; the inventor knew that the giant wouldbe as cautious about any stranger as could be wished. But personallyTom was amazed that either O'Malley or some other henchman of thepresident of the Hendrickton & Western did not make an attempt toinjure the electric locomotive.
"Perhaps Mr. Bartholomew's police are really of some good," said NedNewton, when his chum mentioned his surprise on this point. "Has Kokuseen nobody lurking about at night?"
"He certainly has not seen the man he calls 'Big Feet,'" chuckled Tom."If he had spotted O'Malley, there certainly would have been anexplosion."
"Tell you what," Ned said reflectively, "the longer Lewis keeps offyou, the more suspicious I should be."
"You think he is a bad citizen, do you?"
"And then some, as the boys say out here," replied Ned. "I wouldn'ttrust that man any farther than I would a nest of hornets or a sheddingrattlesnake."
"I am inclined to believe, with you, Ned, that Lewis is hatching upsomething and is keeping mighty whist about it. I sounded Mr.Bartholomew on the idea and he, too, is puzzled."
"I guess he knows that hombre," grumbled Ned.
"Mr. Bartholomew admits that several roads have sent representatives tomake inquiries about my locomotive. They have got wind of it, and,after all, most railroads work in unison. What means progress for oneis progress for all."
"That same rule does not seem to apply in the case of the H. & P. A.and the H. & W.," remarked Ned.
"No. They are out and out rivals. And Lewis and his gang have done thisroad dirt--no two ways about that. But when I am convinced that mylocomotive has got all the speed and power contracted for, Mr.Bartholomew wants to invite a bunch of his brother railroaders to seethe tests--to ride in the Hercules Three-Oughts-One, in fact."
"How about it? You going to agree? Suppose they have some inventivesharp along who will be able to steal some of your mechanicalcontrivances--in his head, I mean," and Ned seemed quite suddenlyanxious.
"I had thought of that. But before the test I shall send my blueprintsto Washington. Our patent attorney there has already filed tentativeplans and applied for certain patents that I consider completed. Don'tfret. I'll make it impossible for anybody to steal our patents legally."
"Yes! But illegally?"
"That we cannot help in any case, and you know it," Tom said. "If someroad tries to build anything like the Hercules Three-Oughts-One for thefirst two years without arranging with the Swift Construction Company,you know that that railroad can be made to suffer in the courts, andyou are the boy, Ned, to put them over the jumps for it."
"Sure," grumbled his chum. "It's always up to me to save the day."
"Exactly," chuckled Tom. "And in your character of life saver, do lookout for anybody who looks suspicious hanging about the HerculesThree-Oughts-One. I'll take care of rival inventors. You and Koku keepyour eyes peeled for the H. & W. spies. Especially for that AndyO'Malley. I feel that he will again show up. Maybe by 'the pricking ofmy thumb' as Macbeth's witch used to remark."
Every day save Sunday the electric locomotive had some kind of try-out.On a level track Tom was sure of his monster invention's qualities; butin the hills, at a distance from the Hendrickton terminal, it wasanother matter.
The grades were steep; but the road was well ballasted. There wasplenty of power. He saw the Jandel locomotives hurry back and forthwith the local trains and realized that this rival invention was by nomeans to be despised.
It was at about this time, too, that Mr. Damon appeared in Hendrickton.Early one forenoon, when Tom and Ned were preparing to take theHercules 0001 out of the yard, and Koku was going to his lodgings toget a little sleep, Tom's eccentric friend came across the tracks,waving his cane at Tom.
"Bless my frogs and switch-targets!" he ejaculated, "I've walked a milefrom that station to get here. Where are you going with that bigcontraption? How does it work? Does it make all the speed you want, TomSwift? Bless my rails and sleepers!'
"We're going about a hundred miles out on the road to a good, stiffgrade," Tom told him, having shaken hands in welcome. "If you want to,get aboard."
"They haven't blown you up yet, or otherwise wrecked the locomotive,"remarked Mr. Damon, grinning broadly. "I'll have to write right back toyour father--and to a certain young lady who shows a remarkableinterest in your welfare--that you are all right."
"They should already be sure of that," laughed Tom. "Ned and I havekept the post-office department and the telegraph company very busy."
"They are waiting for my report," announced Mr. Damon, with confidence."And I am waiting for yours. Tell me, Tom: Is the locomotive a success?"
"It's going to be," declared the inventor, with decision.
"Bless my trolley wires!" cried Mr. Damon, "I am glad to hear that.Then you will surely pull down the extra hundred thousand dollars?"
"I believe I shall fulfill every clause of the contract Mr. Bartholomewand I signed," said Tom.
"Then it's more than a success!" cried his friend. "You have inventedanother marvel, Tom Swift!"
"Marvel or not," rejoined Tom, "I believe that the HerculesThree-Oughts-One will top anything so far built in the way of electriclocomotives."
"Hurrah!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my controller! But your father andMary Nestor will be glad to hear that!"
Mr. Damon was quite as much interested in this invention as he alwayswas in anything the young inventor worked upon. When he had once seenthe Hercules 0001 work on an up-grade he was doubly enthusiastic. Tohis sanguine mind the locomotive was already completed. He could see nopossibility of failure.
Tom, however, had to prove to his own satisfaction the success of everydetail of his invention before he was willing to tell Mr. Bartholomewthat he was ready for a public test. Mr. Damon, nor even Ned, couldscarcely see the reason for Tom's caution.
Tom's favorite try-out grade was between Hammon and Cliff City. Hecould obtain a right of way order from the train dispatcher on thatgrade, sometimes of an hour's duration. He often snaked a load ofgondolas or cattle cars up the grade, relieving both the puller andpusher steam locomotive. By this time the H. & P. A. system hadstopped using the Jandel machines on any grades. They had proved theirlack of power for such work.
"But the Hercules Three-Oughts-One shows at every test that it has thekick," Mr. Damon cried.
In his enthusiasm he was out every day with Tom and Ned. And sometimesKoku remained in the cab during the trial runs as well.
On one such occasion Tom had drawn a heavy train over the mountain,taking it down the grade beyond Cliff City to Panboro in the farthervalley. This was over a newly built stretch of the electrified road.The power station charged the trolley cables with an abundance ofcurrent, and the Hercules 0001 made a splendid trip.
"Bless my cuff-links!" ejaculated Mr. Damon, his rosy face one beamingsmile. "You couldn't expect to do better than this. You save onelocomotive on the haul, and you beat the schedule ten minutes, so thatyou had to lay by to get right of way into the yard here. Why lingerlonger, Tom?"
"I agree with Mr. Damon," Ned said. "It seems to work perfectly. Andyou have, I believe, established your required speed."
"Can't be too perfect," said the young inventor, smiling. "But I willtell Mr. Bartholomew when we get back that he can set his time for thebig test whenever he pleases. I have already sent our patent attorneyin Washington the final blueprints. Now, if nothing happens--"
"Bless my stickpin!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "What can happen now that thelocomotive is practically perfect?"
That question was answered in one way, and a most startling way, withinthe hour. Tom got right of way back over the mountain and pushed theelectric locomotive up-grade at almost top speed. He drew no train onthis occasion, and the speed made by the Hercules 0001 was reallyremarkable.
They topped the rise at Cliff City and got orders from the dispatcherto proceed on the time of Number Eighty-seven, which chanced to belate. With that release Tom might have made the entire distance of ahundred and ten miles to Hendrickton had it not been for theaccident--the unexpected something that so often happens in therailroad business.
Tom was a careful driver; the chatter of Ned and Mr. Damon did not takethe inventor's mind off his business for one instant. He was quitealert at his window, looking ahead, as Koku was at the open doorway ofthe cab.
Not a mile outside of Cliff City, and on this eastbound side of theright of way, was a long siding and a shipping point for timber. It wassometimes a busy point; but at this time of year there were nolumbermen about and no activities in the adjacent forest.
The Hercules 0001 came spinning along from the Cliff City yards, andTom Swift gave scarcely a glance to the joint of the switch ahead. Hehad been over it so many times of late, and knew that it was alwayslocked. The railroad did not even keep a man here at this season.
Suddenly Koku emitted a wild yell. He startled everybody else in thecab, as he flung his huge body more than half out of the doorway andprepared to jump--or so it seemed.
Ned shrieked a warning to the big fellow. Mr. Damon began to blesseverything in sight. But it was Tom, quite as excited as his friends,who understood what Koku shouted:
"Big Feet! Big Feet! I see um Big Feet, Master!"
The next moment he threw himself from the rapidly moving locomotive. Hemight have been killed easily enough. But fortunately he landed feetfirst in the drift beside the rails, and remained upright as he sliddown into the ditch.
Tom, glancing ahead again, saw the flash of a man in a checked Mackinawrunning up through the open wood and away from the right of way. Hecould not be sure of Andy O'Malley's figure at that distance; but hecould be pretty confident of Koku's identification.
And then, with a shock that gripped and almost paralyzed his mind, Tomsaw again the switch ahead of the pilot of the Hercules 0001. Theswitch was open, and at the speed the electric locomotive had attained,if she did not jump the rails, it seemed scarcely possible that shecould be stopped before hitting the bumper at the end of the siding!