Chapter VII
The Man with Big Feet
The consultation in the private office of the Swift ConstructionCompany after the departure of Mr. Richard Bartholomew between the twoSwifts and Ned Newton had more to do with a vision of the future thanwith mere present finances.
"I expect you know just about how you are going to work on this newinvention, Tom?" suggested the financial manager, and Tom's chum.
"Haven't the first idea," rejoined the young inventor, promptly.
"What do you mean?" ejaculated Ned. "You talked just now as though youknew all about electric locomotives."
"I know a good deal about those that have been built, both under theJandel patent and those built for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul inthe great Philadelphia shops.
"But when you ask me if I know how I am going to improve on thosepatents so as to make my locomotive twice as speedy and quite aspowerful as those other locomotives--well, I've got to tell you flatthat I have not as yet got the first idea."
"Humph!" grumbled Ned. "You say it coolly enough."
"No use getting all heated up about it," returned his friend. "I havegot to consider the situation first. I must look over the field ofelectrical invention as applied to motive power. I must study thingsout."
"I don't just see myself," Ned Newton remarked thoughtfully, "why thereshould be such a great need for the electrification of locomotives,anyway. Those great mountain-hogs that draw most of the mountainrailroad trains are very powerful, aren't they? And they are speedy."
"Locomotives that use coal or oil have been developed about as far asthey can be," said Mr. Swift, quietly. "A successful electriclocomotive has many advantages over the old-time engine."
"What are those advantages?" asked the business manager, quickly. "Iconfess, I do not understand the matter, Mr. Swift."
"For instance," proceeded the old gentleman, "there is the coalquestion alone. Coal is rising in price. It is bulky. Using electricityas motive power for railroads will do away with fuel trains, tenders,coal handling, water, and all that. Of course, Mr. Bartholomew willgenerate his electricity from water power--the cheapest power on earth."
"Humph! I've got my answer right now," said Ned Newton. "If there is noother good reason, this is sufficient."
"There are plenty of others," drawled Tom, smiling. "Good ones. Forinstance, heat or cold has nothing to do with the even running of anelectric locomotive. It can bore right through a snowbank--a thing asteam engine can't do. It runs at an even speed. Really, grade shouldhave nothing to do with its speed. There is a fault somewhere in theconstruction of the Jandel machine or the H. & P. A. would have littletrouble with those locomotives on its grades.
"Then, all you have to do to start an electrified locomotive is to turna handswitch. No stoking or water-boiling. Does away with the fireboy.One man runs it!"
"Why!" cried Ned, "I never stopped to think of all these things."
"No ashes to dump," went on Tom. "No flues to clean, no boilers toinspect, and none to wear out. And they say that on the Chicago,Milwaukee & St. Paul, at least, their freight locomotives handle twicethe load of a steam locomotive at a greatly reduced cost."
"Sounds fine. Don't wonder Mr. Bartholomew is eager to electrify hisentire tine."
"On the side of passenger traffic," continued Tom Swift, "the electriclocomotive is smokeless, noiseless, dirtless, and doesn't jerk thecoaches in either stopping or starting. And in addition, the electriclocomotive is much easier on track and roadbed than the old 'ironhorse' driven by steam generated either from coal or oil."
"It is a great field for your talents, Tom!" cried Ned, warmly.
"It is a big job," admitted Tom, and he said this with modesty. "Idon't know what I may be able to do--if anything. I would not feelright in taking Mr. Bartholomew's twenty-five thousand dollars fornothing."
"Quite right, my boy," said Mr. Swift, approvingly.
"Never mind that," said the financial manager, rather grimly. "It washis own offer and his risk. That twenty-five thousand comes to ouraccount."
Tom laughed. "All business, Ned, aren't you? But there is more thanbusiness for the Swift Construction Company in this. Our reputation forfair dealing as well as for inventive powers is linked up with thiscontract.
"I want to show the Jandel people--to say nothing of the biggerfirms--that the Swifts are to be reckoned with when it comes toelectric invention. Other roads will be electrifying their lines asfast as it is proved that the electric-driven locomotive has the bulgeon the steam-driven.
"In the case of the Hendrickton & Pas Alos there are very steep gradesto overcome. Supposedly an electric motor-drive should achieve the samespeed on a hill as on the level. But there is the weight of the trainto be counted on.
"The H. & P. A. has a two per cent. grade in more than one place. Mr.Bartholomew confessed as much to me last night. The electric-drivenlocomotive of the powerful freight type, which the Jandel people builtfor Mr. Bartholomew, can make about sixteen miles an hour on thosegrades, although they can hit it up to thirty miles an hour on leveltrack.
"His passenger locomotives turn off a mile a minute and more, on thelevel road; but they can not climb those steep grades at a muchlivelier pace than the freight engines. That is why he is talking abouttwo-mile-a-minute locomotives. He must get a mighty speedy locomotive,for both freight and passenger service, to keep ahead of MontagneLewis's rival road, the Hendrickton & Western."
"You don't suppose it can be done, do you?" demanded Ned. "Thetwo-mile-a-minute locomotive, I mean, Tom."
"That is the target I am to aim for," returned his friend, soberly. "Atany rate, I hope to improve on the type of locomotive Mr. Bartholomewis now using, so that the hundred thousand dollars bonus will come ourway as well as this first twenty-five thousand."
"That wouldn't pay for one engine, would it?" cried Ned.
"Nor is it expected to. The bonus has nothing to do with payment forany model, or patent, or anything of the kind. To tell you the truth,Ned, I understand those big locomotives used by the Chicago, Milwaukee& St. Paul cost them about one hundred and twelve thousand dollarseach."
"Whew! Some price, I'll tell the world!" murmured the youthfulfinancial manager of the Swift Construction Company.
When the conference was over, and Tom had been through the workshop tooverlook several little jobs that were in process of completion by histrusted mechanics, it was lunch time. He left word that he would not beback that day, for this new task he was to attack was not to beapproached with any haphazard thought.
Tom knew quite as well as his father knew that the idea of improvingthe Jandel patent on electric locomotives was no small thing. TheJandel people had claimed that their patent was the very last word inelectric motor-power. And Tom was quite willing to acknowledge that insome ways this claim was true.
But in invention, especially in the field of electric invention, whatis the last word today may be ancient history tomorrow.
It was because this field is so broad and the possibility ofimprovement in every branch of electrical science so exciting, that Tomhad accepted Mr. Bartholomew's challenge with such eagerness.
Tom went back to the house for lunch, and as he joined his father inthe dining room he remarked to Eradicate:
"I want the electric runabout brought around after lunch. I am going toWaterfield. Tell Koku, will you, Rad?"
"Tell that crazy fellow?" demanded the old colored man heatedly. "Whyshould I tell him, Massa Tom? Ain't I able to bring dat runabout out o'de garbarge? Shore I is!"
"You can't do everything, Rad," said Tom, soberly. "That is humanlyimpossible."
"But dat Koku can't do nothin' right. Dat's inhumanly possible, MassaTom."
"Give him a chance, Rad. I have to take Koku with me this afternoon.You must give your attention to the house and to father."
"Huh! Umm!" grunted Eradicate.
Rad was jealous of anybody who waited on Tom besides himself.Yet he was proud of responsibility,
too. He teetered between the prideof being in charge at home and accompanying his young master, andfinally replied:
"Well, in course, you ain't going to be gone long, Massa Tom. And yo'father does like to get his nap undisturbed. And he'll want his pot o'tea afterwards. So I'll let dat irresponsible Koku go wid yo'. But yo'got to watch him, Massa Tom. Dat giant don't know what he's about halfde time."
As Koku was not within hearing to challenge that statement, things wentall right. When Tom came out of the house after eating, he found hisvery fast car waiting for him, with the giant standing beside it at thecurb.
"Get in at the back, Koku," said Tom. "I am going to take you with me."
"Master is much wise," said Koku. "That man with big feet will not hurtMaster while Koku is with him."
To tell the truth Tom had quite forgotten the supposed spy that hadattacked him the night before. He needed Koku for a purpose other thanthat of bodyguard. But he made no comment upon the giant's remark.
They stopped at one of the gates of the works, and Tom instructed Kokuto bring out and put into the car certain boxes and tools that hewished to take with him. Then he drove on, taking the road toWaterfield.
This way led through farmlands and patches of woods, a rough country inpart. A mile out of the limits of Shopton the road edged a deep valley,the sidehill sparsely wooded.
Almost at once, and where there was not a dwelling in sight, they saw afigure tramping in the road ahead, a big man, roughly dressed, andwearing a broad-brimmed hat. Somehow, his appearance made Tom reducespeed and he hesitated to pass the pedestrian.
The man did not hear the runabout at first; or, at least, he did notlook over his shoulder. He strode on heavily, but rapidly. Suddenly theyoung inventor heard the giant behind him emit a hissing breath.
"Master!" whispered the giant.
"What's up now?" demanded Tom, but without glancing around.
"The big feet!" exclaimed Koku.
The giant's own feet were shod with difficulty in civilized footgear,but compared with his other physical dimensions his feet did not seemlarge. The man ahead wore coarse boots which actually looked too bigfor him! Koku started up in the back of the car as the latter drewnearer to the stranger.
The man looked back at last and Tom gained a clear view of hisfeatures--roughly carved, dark as an Indian's, and holding a grimexpression in repose that of itself was far from breeding confidence.In a moment, too, the expression changed into one of active emotion.The man glared at the young inventor with unmistakable malevolence.
"Master!" hissed Koku again. "The big feet!" The fellow must have seenKoku's face and understood the giant's expression. In a flash he turnedand leaped out of the roadway. The sidehill was steep and broken here,but he went down the slope in great strides and with every appearanceof wishing to evade the two in the motor-car.
The giant's savage war cry followed the fugitive. Koku leaped from themoving car. Tom yelled:
"Stop it, Koku! You don't know that that is the man."
"The big feet!" repeated the giant. "Master see the red mud dried onBig Feet's boots? That mud from Master's garden."
Again Koku uttered his savage cry, and in strides twice the length ofthose of the running man, started on the latter's trail.