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diff --git a/1361-0.txt b/1361-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..873c001 --- /dev/null +++ b/1361-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5575 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1361 *** + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON + +or + +The Longest Shots on Record + + +by + +Victor Appleton + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER + + I ON A LIVE WIRE + II "WE'LL TAKE A CHANCE!" + III PLANNING A BIG GUN + IV KOKU'S BRAVE ACT + V OFF TO SANDY HOOK + VI TESTING THE WALLER GUN + VII THE IMPOSSIBLE OCCURS + VIII A BIG PROBLEM + IX THE NEW POWDER + X SOMETHING WRONG + XI FAILURE AND SUCCESS + XII A POWERFUL BLAST + XIII CASTING THE CANNON + XIV A NIGHT INTRUDER + XV READY FOR THE TEST + XVI A WARNING + XVII THE BURSTING DAM + XVIII THE DOPED POWDER + XIX BLOWING DOWN THE BARRIER + XX THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS + XXI OFF FOR PANAMA + XXII AT GATUN LOCKS + XXIII NEWS OF THE MINE + XXIV THE LONGEST SHOT + XXV THE LONG-LOST MINE + + + + +TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON + + + +CHAPTER I + +ON A LIVE WIRE + + +"Now, see here, Mr. Swift, you may think it all a sort of dream, and +imagine that I don't know what I'm talking about; but I do! If you'll +consent to finance this expedition to the extent of, say, ten thousand +dollars, I'll practically guarantee to give you back five times that +sum." + +"I don't know, Alec, I don't know," slowly responded the aged inventor. +"I've heard those stories before, and in my experience nothing ever +came of them. Buried treasure, and lost vessels filled with gold, are +all well and good, but hunting for an opal mine on some little-heard-of +island goes them one better." + +"Then you don't feel like backing me up in this matter, Mr. Swift?" + +"No, Alec, I can't say I do. Why, just stop and think for a minute. +You're asking me to put ten thousand dollars into a company, to fit out +an expedition to go to this island--somewhere down near Panama, you say +it is--and try to locate the lost mine from which, some centuries ago, +opals and other precious stones came. It doesn't seem reasonable." + +"But I'm sure I can find the mine, Mr. Swift!" persisted Alec Peterson, +who was almost as elderly a man as the one he addressed. "I have the +old documents that tell how rich the mine once was, how the old Mexican +rulers used to get their opals from it, and how all trace of it was +lost in the last century. I have all the landmarks down pat, and I'm +sure I can find it. Come on now, take a chance. Put in this ten +thousand dollars. I can manage the rest. You'll get back more than five +times your investment." + +"If you find the mine--yes." + +"I tell you I will find it! Come now, Mr. Swift," and the visitor's +voice was very pleading, "you and your son Tom have made a fortune for +yourselves out of your different inventions. Be generous, and lend me +this ten thousand dollars." + +Mr. Swift shook his head. + +"I've heard you talk the same way before, Alec," he replied. "None of +your schemes ever amounted to anything. You've been a fortune-hunter +all your life, nearly; and what have you gotten out of it? Just a bare +living." + +"That's right, Mr. Swift, but I've had bad luck. I did find the lost +gold mine I went after some years ago, you remember." + +"Yes, only to lose it because the missing heirs turned up, and took it +away from you. You could have made more at straight mining in the time +you spent on that scheme." + +"Yes, I suppose I could; but this is going to be a success--I feel it +in my bones." + +"That's what you say, every time, Alec. No, I don't believe I want to +go into this thing." + +"Oh, come--do! For the sake of old times. Don't you recall how you and +I used to prospect together out in the gold country; how we shared our +failures and successes?" + +"Yes, I remember that, Alec. Mighty few successes we had, though, in +those days." + +"But now you've struck it rich, pardner," went on the pleader. "Help +me out in this scheme--do!" + +"No, Alec. I'd rather give you three or four thousand dollars for +yourself, if you'd settle down to some steady work, instead of chasing +all over the country after visionary fortunes. You're getting too old +to do that." + +"Well, it's a fact I'm no longer young. But I'm afraid I'm too old to +settle down. You can't teach an old dog new tricks, pardner. This is my +life, and I'll have to live it until I pass out. Well, if you won't, +you won't, I suppose. By the way, where is Tom? I'd like to see him +before I go back. He's a mighty fine boy." + +"That's what he is!" broke in a new voice. "Bless my overshoes, but he +is a smart lad! A wonderful lad, that's what! Why, bless my necktie, +there isn't anything he can't invent; from a button-hook to a +battleship! Wonderful boy--that's what!" + +"I guess Tom's ears would burn if he could hear your praises, Mr. +Damon," laughed Mr. Swift. "Don't spoil him." + +"Spoil Tom Swift? You couldn't do it in a hundred years!" cried Mr. +Damon, enthusiastically. "Bless my topknot! Not in a thousand +years--no, sir!" + +"But where is he?" asked Mr. Peterson, who was evidently unused to the +extravagant manner of Mr. Damon. + +"There he goes now!" exclaimed the gentleman who frequently blessed +himself, some article of his apparel, or some other object. "There he +goes now, flying over the house in that Humming Bird airship of his. He +said he was going to try out a new magneto he'd invented, and it seems +to be working all right. He said he wasn't going to take much of a +flight, and I guess he'll soon be back. Look at him! Isn't he a great +one, though!" + +"He certainly is," agreed Mr. Peterson, as he and Mr. Swift went to the +window, from which Mr. Damon had caught a glimpse of the youthful +Inventor in his airship. "A great lad. I wish he could come on this +mine-hunt with me, though I'd never consent to go in an airship. +They're too risky for an old man like me." + +"They're as safe as a church when Tom Swift runs them!" declared Mr. +Damon. "I'm no boy, but I'd go anywhere with Tom." + +"I'm afraid you wouldn't get Tom to go with you, Alec," went on Mr. +Swift, as he resumed his chair, the young inventor in his airship +having passed out of sight. "He's busy on some new invention now, I +believe. I think I heard him say something about a new rifle." + +"Cannon it was, Mr. Swift," said Mr. Damon. "Tom has an idea that he +can make the biggest cannon in the world; but it's only an idea yet." + +"Well, then I guess there's no hope of my interesting him in my opal +mine," said the fortune-hunter, with rather a disappointed smile. "Nor +you either, Mr. Swift." + +"No, Alec, I'm afraid not. As I said, I'd rather give you outright +three or four thousand dollars, if you wanted it, provided that you +used it for your own personal needs, and promised not to sink it in +some visionary search." + +Mr. Peterson shook his head. + +"I'm not actually in want," he said, "and I couldn't accept a gift of +money, Mr. Swift. This is a straight business proposition." + +"Not much straight business in hunting for a mine that's been lost for +over a century," replied the aged inventor, with a glance at Mr. Damon, +who was still at the window, watching for a glimpse of Tom on his +return trip in the air craft. + +"If Tom would go, I'd trail along," said the odd man. "We haven't done +anything worth speaking of since he used his great searchlight to +detect the smugglers. But I don't believe he'll go. That mining +proposition sounds good." + +"It is good!" cried Mr. Peterson, with fervor, hoping he had found a +new "prospect" in Mr. Damon. + +"But not business-good," declared Mr. Swift, and for some time the +three argued the matter, Mr. Swift continuing to shake his head. + +Suddenly into the room there ran an aged colored man, much excited. + +"Fo' de land sakes!" he cried. "Somebody oughter go out an' help Massa +Tom!" + +"Why, what's the matter, Eradicate?" asked Mr. Swift, leaping to his +feet, an example followed by the other two men. "What has happened to +my son?" + +"I dunno, Massa Swift, but I looked up jest now, an' dere he be, in dat +air-contraption ob his'n he calls de Hummin' Burd. He's ketched up +fast on de balloon shed roof, an' dere he's hangin' wif sparks an' +flames a-shootin' outer de airship suffin' scandalous! It's jest +spittin' fire, dat's what it's a-doin', an' ef somebody don't do +suffin' fo' Massa Tom mighty quick, dere ain't gwin t' be any Massa +Tom; now dat's what I'se a-tellin' you!" + +"Bless my shoe buttons!" gasped Mr. Damon. "Come on out, everybody! +We've got to help Tom!" + +"Yes!" assented Mr. Swift. "Call someone on the telephone! Get a +doctor! Maybe he's shocked! Where's Koku, the giant? Maybe he can help!" + +"Now doan't yo' go t' gittin' all excited-laik," objected Eradicate +Sampson, the aged colored man. "Remember yo' all has got a weak heart, +Massa Swift!" + +"I know it; but I must save my son. Hurry!" + +Mr. Swift ran from the room, followed by Mr. Damon and Mr. Peterson, +while Eradicate trailed after them as fast as his tottering limbs would +carry him, murmuring to himself. + +"There he is!" cried Mr. Damon, as he caught sight of the young +inventor in his airship, in a position of peril. Truly it was as +Eradicate had said. Caught on the slope of the roof of his big balloon +shed, Tom Swift was in great danger. + +From his airship there shot dazzling sparks, and streamers of green and +violet fire. There was a snapping, cracking sound that could be heard +above the whir of the craft's propellers, for the motor was still +running. + +"Oh, Tom! Tom! What is it? What has happened?" cried his father. + +"Keep back! Don't come too close!" yelled the young inventor, as he +clung to the seat of the aeroplane, that was tilted at a dangerous +angle. "Keep away!" + +"What's the matter?" demanded Mr. Damon. "Bless my pocket comb--what is +it?" + +"A live wire!" answered Tom. "I'm caught in a live wire! The trailer +attached to the wireless outfit on my airship is crossed with the wire +from the power plant. There's a short circuit somewhere. Don't come too +close, for it may burn through any second and drop down. Then it will +twist about like a snake!" + +"Land ob massy!" cried Eradicate. + +"What can we do to help you?" called Mr. Swift. "Shall I run and shut +off the power?" for in the shop where Tom did most of his inventive +work there was a powerful dynamo, and it was on one of the wires +extending from it, that brought current into the house, that the craft +had caught. + +"Yes, shut it off if you can!" Tom shouted back. "But be careful. Don't +get shocked! Wow! I got a touch of it myself that time!" and he could +be seen to writhe in his seat. + +"Oh, hurry! hurry! Find Koku!" cried Mr. Swift to Mr. Damon, who had +started for the power house on the run. + +The sparks and lances of fire seemed to increase around the young +inventor. The airship could be seen to slip slowly down the sloping +roof. + +"Land ob massy! He am suah gwine t' fall!" yelled Eradicate. + +"Oh, he'll never get that current shut off in time!" murmured Mr. +Swift, as he started after Mr. Damon. + +"Wait! I think I have a plan!" called Mr. Peterson. "I think I can save +Tom!" + +He did not waste further time in talk, but, running to a nearby shed, +he got a long ladder that he saw standing under it. With this over his +shoulder he retraced his steps to the balloon hangar and placed the +ladder against the side. Then he started to climb up. + +"What are you going to do?" yelled Tom, leaning over from his seat to +watch the elderly fortune-hunter. + +"I'm going to cut that wire!" was the answer. + +"Don't! If you touch it you'll be shocked to death! I may be able to +get out of here. So far I've only had light shocks, but the insulation +is burning out of my magneto, and that will soon stop. When it does I +can't run the motor, and--" + +"I'm going to cut that wire!" again shouted Mr. Peterson. + +"But you can't, without pliers and rubber gloves!" yelled Tom. "Keep +away, I tell you!" + +The man on the ladder hesitated. Evidently he had not thought of the +necessity of protecting his hands by rubber covering, in order that the +electricity might be made harmless. He backed down to the ground. + +"I saw a pair of old gloves in the shed!" he cried. "I'll get +them--they look like rubber." + +"They are!" cried Tom, remembering now that he had been putting up a +new wire that day, and had left his rubber gloves there. "But you +haven't any pliers!" the lad went. "How can you cut wire without them? +There's a pair in the shop, but--" + +"Heah dey be! Heah dey be!" cried Eradicate, as he produced a heavy +pair from his pocket. "I--I couldn't find de can-opener fo' Mrs. +Baggert, an' I jest got yo' pliers, Massa Tom. Oh, how glad I is dat I +did. Here's de pincers, Massa Peterson." + +He handed them to the fortune-hunter, who came running back with the +rubber gloves. Mr. Damon was no more than half way to the power house, +which was quite a distance from the Swift homestead. Meanwhile Tom's +airship was slipping more and more, and a thick, pungent smoke now +surrounded it, coming from the burning insulation. The sparks and +electrical flames were worse than ever. + +"Just a moment now, and I'll have you safe!" cried the fortune-hunter, +as he again mounted the ladder. Luckily the charged wire was near +enough to be reached by going nearly to the top of the ladder. + +Holding the pincers in his rubber-gloved hands, the old man quickly +snipped the wire. There was a flash of sparks as the copper conductor +was severed, and then the shower of sparks about Tom's airship ceased. + +In another second he had turned on full power, the propellers whizzed +with the quickness of light, and he rose in the air, off the shed roof, +the live wire no longer entangling him. Then he made a short circuit of +the work-shop yard, and came to the ground safely a little distance +from the balloon hangar. + +"Saved! Tom is saved!" cried Mr. Swift, who had seen the act of Mr. +Peterson from a distance. "He saved my boy's life!" + +"Thanks, Mr. Peterson!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he left his +seat and walked up to the fortune-hunter. "You certainly did me a good +turn then. It was touch and go! I couldn't have stayed there many +seconds longer. Next time I'll know better than to fly with a wireless +trailer over a live conductor," and he held out his hand to Mr. +Peterson. + +"I'm glad I could help you, Tom," spoke the other, warmly. "I was +afraid that if you had to wait until they shut off the power it would +be too late." + +"It would--it would--er--I feel--I--" + +Tom's voice trailed off into a whisper and he swayed on his feet. + +"Cotch him!" cried Eradicate. "Cotch him! Massa Tom's hurt!" and only +just in time did Mr. Peterson clutch the young inventor in his arms. +For Tom, white of face, had fallen back in a dead faint. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +"WE'LL TAKE A CHANCE!" + + +"Carry him into the house!" cried Mr. Swift, as he came running to +where Mr. Peterson was loosening Tom's collar. + +"Git a doctor!" murmured Eradicate. "Call someone on de tellifoam! Git +fo' doctors!" + +"We must get him into the house first," declared Mr. Damon, who, seeing +that Tom was off the shed roof, had stopped mid-way to the powerhouse, +and retraced his steps. "Let's carry him into the house. Bless my +pocketbook! but he must have been shocked worse than he thought." + +They lifted the inert form of our hero and walked toward the mansion +with him, Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, standing in the doorway in +dismay, uncertain what to do. + +And while Tom is being cared for I will take just a moment to tell my +new readers something more about him and his inventions, as they have +been related in the previous books of this series. + +The first volume was called "Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle," and this +machine was the means of his becoming acquainted with Mr. Wakefield +Damon, the odd gentleman who so often blessed things. On his +motor-cycle Tom had many adventures. + +The lad was of an inventive mind, as was his father, and in the +succeeding books of the series, which you will find named in detail +elsewhere, I related how Tom got a motorboat, made an airship, and +later a submarine, in all of which craft he had strenuous times and +adventures. + +His electric runabout was quite the fastest car on the road, and when +he sent his wonderful wireless message he saved himself and others from +Earthquake Island. He solved the secret of the diamond makers, and, +though he lost a fine balloon in the caves of ice, he soon had another +air craft--a regular sky-racer. His electric rifle saved a party from +the red pygmies in Elephant Land, and in his air glider he found the +platinum treasure. With his wizard camera, Tom took wonderful moving +pictures, and in the volume immediately preceding this present one, +called "Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight," I had the pleasure of +telling you how the lad captured the smugglers who were working against +Uncle Sam over the border. + +Tom, as you will see, had, with the help of his father, perfected many +wonderful inventions. The lad lived with his aged parent, his mother +being dead, in the village of Shopton, in New York State. + +While the house, which was presided over by the motherly Mrs. Baggert, +was large, it was almost lost now amid the many buildings surrounding +it, from balloon and airship hangars, to shops where varied work was +carried on. For Tom did most of his labor himself, of course with men +to help him at the heavier tasks. Occasionally he had to call on +outside shops. + +In the household, beside his father, himself and Mrs. Baggert, was +Eradicate Sampson, an aged colored man-of-all-work, who said he was +called "Eradicate" because he eradicated dirt. There was also Koku, a +veritable giant, one of two brothers whom Tom had brought with him from +Giant Land, when he escaped from captivity there, as related in the +book of that name. + +Mr. Damon was, with Ned Newton, Tom's chum, the warmest friend of the +family, and was often at Tom's home, coming from the neighboring town +of Waterford, where he lived. + +Tom had been back some time now from working for the government in +detecting the smugglers, but, as you may well suppose, he had not been +idle. Inventing a number of small things, including useful articles for +the house, was a sort of recreation for him, but his mind was busy on +one great scheme, which I will tell you about in due time. + +Among other things he had just perfected a new style of magneto for one +of his airships. The magneto, as you know, is a sort of small dynamo, +that supplies the necessary spark to the cylinder, to explode the +mixture of air and gasoline vapor. He was trying out this magneto in +the Humming Bird when the accident I have related in the first chapter +occurred. + +"There! He's coming to!" exclaimed Mrs. Baggert, as she leaned over +Tom, who was stretched out on the sofa in the library. "Give him +another smell of this ammonia," she went on, handing the bottle to Mr. +Swift. + +"No--no," faintly murmured Tom, opening his eyes. "I--I've had enough +of that, if you please! I'm all right." + +"Are you sure, Tom?" asked his father. "Aren't you hurt anywhere?" + +"Not a bit, Dad! It was foolish of me to go off that way; but I +couldn't seem to help it. It all got black in front of me, and--well, I +just keeled over." + +"I should say you did," spoke Mr. Peterson. + +"An' ef he hadn't a-been there to cotch yo' all," put in Eradicate, +"yo' all suah would hab hit de ground mighty hard." + +"That's two services he did for me today," said Tom, as he managed to +sit up. "Cutting that wire--well, it saved my life, that's certain." + +"I believe you, Tom," said Mr. Swift, solemnly, and he held out his +hand to his old mining partner. + +"Do you need the doctor?" asked Mr. Damon, who was at the telephone. +"He says he'll come right over--I can get him in Tom's electric +runabout, if you say so. He's on the wire now." + +"No, I don't need him," replied the young inventor. "Thank him just the +same. It was only an ordinary faint, caused by the slight electrical +shocks, and by getting a bit nervous, I guess. I'm all right--see," +and he proved it by standing up. + +"He's all right--don't come, doctor," said Mr. Damon into the +telephone. "Bless my keyring!" he exclaimed, "but that was a strenuous +time!" + +"I've been in some tight places before," went on Tom, as he sat down in +an easy chair, "and I've had any number of shocks when I've been +experimenting, but this was a sort of double combination, and it sure +had me guessing. But I'm feeling better every minute." + +"A cup of hot tea will do you good," said motherly Mrs. Baggert, as she +bustled out of the room. "I'll make it for you." + +"You cut that wire as neatly as any lineman could," went on Tom, +glancing from Mr. Peterson out of the window to where one of his +workmen was repairing the break. "When I flew over it in my airship I +never gave a thought to the trailer from my wireless outfit. The first +I knew I was caught back, and then pulled down to the balloon shed +roof, for I tilted the deflecting rudder by mistake. + +"But, Mr. Peterson," Tom went on, "I haven't seen you in some time. +Anything new on, that brings you here?" for the fortune-hunter had +called at the Swift house after Tom had gone out to the shop to get his +airship ready for the flight to try the magneto. + +"Well, Tom, I have something rather new on," replied Mr. Peterson. "I +hoped to interest your father in it, but he doesn't seem to care to +take a chance. It's a lost opal mine on a little-known island in the +Caribbean Sea not far from the city of Colon. I say not far--by that I +mean about twenty miles. But your father doesn't want to invest, say, +ten thousand dollars in it, though I can almost guarantee that he'll +get five times that sum back. So, as long as he doesn't feel that he +can help me out, I guess I'd better be traveling on." + +"Hold on! Wait a minute. Don't be in a hurry," said Mr. Swift. + +Mr. Peterson was an old friend, and when he and Mr. Swift were young +men they had prospected and grub-staked together. But Mr. Swift soon +gave that up to devote his time to his inventions, while Mr. Peterson +became a sort of rolling stone. + +He was a good man, but somewhat visionary, and a bit inclined to "take +chances"--such as looking for lost treasure--rather than to devote +himself to some steady employment. The result was that he led rather a +precarious life, though never being actually in want. + +"No, pardner," he said to Mr. Swift. "It's kind of you to ask me to +stay; but this mine business has got a grip on me. I want to try it +out. If you won't finance the project someone else may. I'll say +good-bye, and--" + +"Now just a minute," said Mr. Swift. "It's true, Alec, I had about made +up my mind not to go into this thing, when this accident happened to +Tom. Now you practically saved his life. You--" + +"Oh, pshaw! I only acted on the spur of the moment. Anyone could have +done what I did," protested the fortune-hunter. + +"Oh, but you did it!" insisted Mr. Swift, "and you did it in the nick +of time. Now I wouldn't for a moment think of offering you a reward for +saving my son's life. But I do feel mighty friendly toward you--not +that I didn't before--but I do want to help you. Alec, I will go into +this business with you. We'll take a chance! I'll invest ten thousand +dollars, and I'm not so awful worried about getting it back, +either--though I don't believe in throwing money away." + +"You won't throw it away in this case!" declared Mr. Peterson, eagerly. +"I'm sure to find that mine; but it will take a little capital to work +it. That's what I need--capital!" + +"Well, I'll supply it to the extent of ten thousand dollars," said Mr. +Swift. "Tom, what do you think of it? Am I foolish or not?" + +"Not a bit of it, Dad!" cried the young man, who was now himself again. +"I'm glad you took that chance, for, if you hadn't--well, I would have +supplied the money myself--that's all," and he smiled at the +fortune-hunter. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +PLANNING A BIG GUN + + +"BUT, Tom, I don't see how in the world you can ever hope to make a +bigger gun than that." + +"I think it can be done, Ned," was the quiet answer of the young +inventor. He looked up from some drawings on the table in the office of +one of his shops. "Now I'll just show you--" + +"Hold on, Tom. You know I have a very poor head for figures, even if I +do help you out once in a while on some of your work. Skip the +technical details, and give me the main facts." + +The two young men--Ned Newton being Tom's special chum--were talking +together over Tom's latest scheme. + +It was several days after Tom's accident in the airship, when he had +been saved by the prompt action of Mr. Peterson. That fortune-hunter, +once he had the promise of Mr. Swift to invest in his somewhat +visionary plan of locating a lost opal mine near the Panama Canal, had +left the Swift homestead to arrange for fitting out the expedition of +discovery. He had tried to prevail on Tom to accompany him, and, +failing in that, tried to work on Mr. Damon. + +"Bless my watch chain!" exclaimed that odd gentleman. "I would like to +go with you first rate. But I'm so busy--so very busy--that I can't +think of it. I have simply neglected all my affairs, chasing around the +country with Tom Swift. But if Tom goes I--ahem! I think perhaps I +could manage it--ahem!" + +"I thought you were busy," laughed Tom. + +"Oh, well, perhaps I could get a few weeks off. But I'm not going--no, +bless my check book, I must get back to business!" + +But as Mr. Damon was a retired gentleman of wealth, his "business" was +more or less of a joke among his friends. + +So then, a few days after the departure of Mr. Peterson, Tom and Ned +sat in the former's office, discussing the young inventor's latest +scheme. + +"How big is the biggest gun ever made, Tom?" asked his chum. "I mean in +feet, in inches, or in muzzle diameter, however they are measured." + +"Well," began Tom, "of course some nation may, in secret, be making a +bigger gun than any I have ever heard of. As far as I know, however, +the largest one ever made for the United States was a sixteen-inch +rifled cannon--that is, it was sixteen inches across at the muzzle, and +I forget just how long. It weighed many tons, however, and it now lies, +or did a few years ago, in a ditch at the Sandy Hook proving grounds. +It was a failure." + +"And yet you are figuring on making a cannon with a muzzle thirty +inches across--almost a yard--and fifty feet long and to weigh--" + +"No one can tell exactly how much it will weigh," interrupted Tom. "And +I'm not altogether certain about the muzzle measurement, nor of the +length. It's sort of in the air at present. Only I don't see why a +larger gun than any that has yet been made, can't be constructed." + +"If anybody can invent one, you can, Tom Swift!" exclaimed Ned, +admiringly. + +"You flatter me!" exclaimed his chum, with a mock bow. + +"But what good will it be?" went on Ned. "Making big guns doesn't help +any in war, that I can see." + +"Ned!" exclaimed Tom, "you don't look far enough ahead. Now here's my +scheme in a nutshell. You know what Uncle Sam is doing down in his big +ditch; don't you?" + +"You mean digging the Panama Canal?" + +Yes, the greatest engineering feat of centuries. It is going to make a +big change in the whole world, and the United States is going to +become--if she is not already--a world-power. Now that canal has to be +protected--I mean against the possibility of war. For, though it may +never come, and the chances are it never will, still it may. + +"Uncle Sam has to be ready for it. There never was a more true saying +than 'in time of peace prepare for war.' Preparing for war is, in my +opinion, the best way not to have one. + +"Once the Panama Canal is in operation, and the world-changes +incidental to it have been made, if it should pass into the hands of +some foreign country--as it very possibly might do--the United States +would not only be the laughing-stock of the world, but she would lose +the high place she holds. + +"Now, then, to protect the canal, several things are necessary. Among +them are big guns--cannon that can shoot a long distance--for if a +foreign nation should send some of their new dreadnaughts over +here--vessels with guns that can shoot many miles--where would the +canal be once a bombardment was opened? It would be ruined in a +day--the immense lock-gates would be destroyed. And, not only from the +guns aboard ships would there be danger, but from siege cannon planted +in Costa Rica, or some South American country below the canal zone. + +"Now, to protect the canal against such an attack we need guns that can +shoot farther, straighter and more powerfully than any at present in +use, and we've got to have the most powerful explosive. In other words, +we've got to beat the biggest guns that are now in existence. And I'm +going to do it, Ned!" + +"You are?" + +"Yes, I'm going to invent a cannon that will make the longest shots on +record. I'm going to make a world-beater gun; or, rather, I'm going to +invent it, and have it made, for I guess it would tax this place to the +limit. + +"I've been thinking of this for some time, Ned. I've been puttering +around inventing new magnetos, potato-parers and the like, but this is +my latest hobby. The Panama Canal is a big thing--one of the biggest +things in the world. We need the biggest guns in the world to protect +it. + +"And, listen: Uncle Sam thinks the same way. I understand that the best +men in the service--at West Point, Annapolis and Sandy Hook, as well as +elsewhere--are working in the interest of the United States to perfect +a bigger cannon than any ever before made. In fact, one has just been +constructed, and is going to be tried at the Sandy Hook proving grounds +soon. I'm going to see the test if I can. + +"And here's another thing. Foreign nations are trying to steal Uncle +Sam's secrets. If this country gets a big cannon, some other nation +will want a bigger one. It's a constant warfare. I'm going to devote my +talents--such as they are--to Uncle Sam. I'm going to make the biggest +cannon in the world--the one that will shoot the farthest and knock +into smithereens all the other big guns. That's the only way to protect +the canal. Do you understand, Ned?" + +"Somewhat, Tom. Since I gave up my place in the bank, and became a sort +of handy-lad for you, I know more about your work. But isn't it going +to be dangerous to make a cannon like that?" + +"Well, in a way, yes, Ned. But we've got to take chances, just as +father did when he invested ten thousand dollars in that opal mine. +He'll never see his money again." + +"Don't you think so?" + +"No, Ned." + +"And when do you expect to start on your gun, Tom?" + +"Right away. I'm making some plans now. I'm going down to Sandy Hook +and witness the test of this new big cannon. You can come along, if you +like." + +"Well, I sure will like. When is it?" + +"Oh, in about a week. I'll have to look--" + +"'Scuse me, Massa Tom," broke in Eradicate, as he put his head through +the half-opened office door. "'Scuse me, but dere's a express gen'men +outside, wif his auto truck, an' he's got some packages fo' yo' all, +marked 'dangerous--explosive--an' keep away fom de fire.' He want t' +know what he all gwine t' do wif 'em, Massa Tom?" + +"Do with 'em? Oh, I guess it's that new giant powder I sent for. Why, +Eradicate, have him bring 'em right in here." + +"Yais, sah, Massa Tom. Dat's all right; but he jest can't bring 'em +in," and Eradicate looked behind him somewhat apprehensively. + +"Can't bring 'em in? Why not, I'd like to know?" exclaimed Tom. "He's +paid for it." + +"'Scuse me, Massa Tom," said the colored man, "but dat express gen'men +can't bring dem explosive powder boxes in heah, 'case as how his +autermobile hab done ketched fire an' he cain't get near it nohow. +Dat's why, Massa Tom!" + +"Caesar's ghost!" yelled the young inventor. "The auto on fire, and +that powder in it! Come on Ned!" and he made a rush for the door. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +KOKU'S BRAVE ACT + + +"Tom! Tom!" cried Ned, as he watched the disappearing figure of his +chum. "Come back here! If there's going to be an explosion we ought to +run out of the back door!" + +"I'm not running away!" flashed back Tom. "I'm going to get that powder +out of the auto before it goes up! If it does we'll be blown to kingdom +come, back door or front door! Come on!" + +"Bacon and eggs!" yelled Ned. "He's running an awful risk! But I can't +let him go alone! I guess we're in for it!" + +Then he, too, rushed from the office toward the front of the shop, +before which, in a sort of private road, stood the blazing auto. And +Ned, who had now lost sight of Tom, because of our hero having turned a +corner in the corridor, heard excited shouts coming from the seat of +trouble. + +"If that's some new kind of powder Tom's sent for, to test for his new +big gun, and it goes up," Ned said to himself, as he rushed on, "this +place will be blown to smithereens. All Tom's valuable machinery and +patents will be ruined!" + +Ned had now reached the front door of the shop. He had a glimpse of the +burning auto--a small express truck, well loaded with various packages. +And, through the smoke, which from the odor must have been caused by +burning gasoline, Ned could see several boxes marked in red letters: + + +DANGEROUS EXPLOSIVE + + + KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE + + +"Keep away from fire!" murmured the panting lad. "If they can get any +nearer fire I don't see how." + +"Oh, mah golly!" gasped Eradicate, who had lumbered on behind Ned. "Oh, +mah golly! Oh, good land ob massy! Look at Massa Tom!" + +"I've got to help him!" cried Ned, for he saw that his chum had rushed +to the rear of the auto, and was endeavoring to drag one of the powder +boxes across the lowered tail-board. Tom was straining and tugging at +it, but did not seem able to move the case. It was heavy, as Ned +learned later, and was also held down by the weight of other express +packages on top of it. + +"Oh, mah golly!" cried Eradicate. "Git some watah, somebody, an' put +out dat fire!" + +"No--no water!" yelled Tom, who heard him. "Water will only make it +worse--it'll scatter the blazing gasoline. The feed pipe from the tank +must have burst. Throw on sand--sand is the only thing to use!" + +"I'll git a shubble!" cried Eradicate. "I'll git a sand-shubble!" and +he tottered off. + +"Wait, Tom, I'll give you a hand!" cried Ned, as he saw his chum step +away from the end of the auto for a moment, as a burst of flame, and +choking smoke, driven by the wind, was blown almost in his face. "I'll +help you!" + +"We've got to be lively, then, Ned!" gasped Tom. "This is getting +hotter every minute! Where's that Koku? He could yank these boxes out +in a jiffy!" + +And indeed a giant's strength was needed at that moment. + +Ned glanced around to see if he could catch a glimpse of the big man +whom Tom had brought from Giant Land, but Koku was not in sight. + +"Let's have another try now, Ned!" suggested Tom, when a shift in the +wind left the rear of the auto comparatively free from smoke and flame. + +"You fellows had better skip!" cried the expressman, who had been +throwing light packages off his vehicle from in front, where, as yet, +there was no fire. "That powder'll go up in another minute. Some of the +boxes are beginning to catch now!" he yelled. "Look out!" + +"That's right!" shouted Tom, as he saw that the edge of one of the +wooden cases containing the powder was blazing slightly. "Lively, Ned!" + +Ned held back only for a second. Then, realizing that the time to act +was now or never, and that even if he ran he could hardly save himself, +he advanced to Tom's side. The smoke was choking and stifling them, and +the flames, coming from beneath the auto truck, made them gasp for +breath. + +Together Tom and Ned tugged at the nearest case of powder--the one that +was ablaze. + +"We--we can't budge it!" panted Tom. + +"It--it's caught somewhere," added Ned. "Oh, if Koku were only here!" + +There was a sound behind the lads. A voice exclaimed: + +"Master want shovel, so Eradicate say--here it is!" + +They turned and saw a big, powerful man, with a simple, child-like +face, standing calmly looking at the burning auto. + +"Koku!" cried Tom. "Quick! Never mind the shovel! Get those powder +boxes out of that cart before they go up! Yank 'em out! They're too +much for Ned and me! Quick!" + +"Oh, of a courseness I will so do!" said Koku, to whom, even yet, the +English language was somewhat of a mystery. He dropped the shovel, and, +heedless of the thick smoke from the burning gasoline, reached over and +took hold of the nearest box. It seemed as though he pulled it from the +auto truck as easily as Tom might have lifted a cork. + +Then, carrying the box, which was now burning quite fiercely on one +corner, over toward Tom and Ned, who had moved back, the giant asked: + +"What you want of him, Master?" + +"Put it down, Koku, and get out all the others! Lively, now, Koku!" + +"I do," was the simple answer. The giant put the box on the grass and +ran back toward the auto. + +"Quick, Ned!" shouted Tom. "Throw some sand on this burning box! That +will put out the fire!" + +A few handfuls of earth served to extinguish the little blaze, and by +this time Koku had come back with another box of powder. + +"Get 'em all, Koku, get 'em all! Then we can put out the fire on the +auto." + +For the giant it was but child's play to carry the heavy boxes of +powder, and soon he had them all removed from the truck. Then, with the +danger thus narrowly averted, they all, including the expressman, +turned in and began throwing sand on the fire, which now had a good +hold on the body of the auto. The shovel, which Eradicate had sent by +Koku, who could use more speed than could the aged colored man, came in +handy. + +Soon the fire was out, though not before the truck had been badly +damaged, and some of its load destroyed. But, beyond a charring of some +of the powder boxes, the explosive was intact. + +"Whew! That was a lucky escape," murmured Tom, as he sat down on one of +the boxes, and wiped the smoke and sweat from his face. "A little +later and there'd only been a hole in the ground to tell what happened. +Hot work; eh, Ned?" + +"I guess yes, Tom." + +"I thought of the powder as soon as I saw that the truck was on fire," +explained the expressman; "but I didn't know what to do. I was kinder +flustered, I guess. This is the second time this old truck has caught +fire from a leaky gasoline pipe. I guess that will be the last--it will +for me, anyhow. I'll resign if they don't give me another machine. Will +you sign for your stuff?" he asked Tom, holding out the receipt book, +which had escaped the flames. + +"Yes, and I'm mighty glad I'm here to sign for it," replied the young +inventor. "Now, Koku, I guess you can take that stuff up to the shop; +but be careful where you put it." + +"I do, Master," replied the giant. + +"What sort of powder is that, Tom?" asked Ned a little later, when they +were again back in the office, the excitement having calmed down. The +expressman had gone back to town afoot, to arrange about getting +another vehicle for what remained of his load. "Is it the kind they use +in big guns?" + +"One of the kinds," replied Tom. "I sent for several samples, and this +is one. I'm going to conduct some tests to see what kind I'll need for +my own big gun. But I expect I'll have to invent an explosive as well +as a cannon, for I want the most powerful I can get. Want to look at +some of this powder?" + +"Yes, if you think it's safe." + +"Oh, it's safe enough if you treat it right. I'll show you," and +working carefully Tom soon had one of the boxes open. Reaching into +the depths he held up a handful of something that looked like sticks of +macaroni. "There it is," he said. + +"That powder?" cried Ned. "That's a queer kind. I've seen the kind they +use in some guns on the battleships. That powder was in hexagonal form, +about two inches across, and had a hole in the centre. It was colored +brown." + +"Well, powder is made in many forms," explained Tom. "A person who has +only seen black gunpowder, with its little grains, would not believe +that this was one grain of the new powder." + +"That macaroni stick a grain of powder?" cried Ned. + +"Yes, we'll call it a grain," went on the young inventor, "just as the +brown, hexagonal cube you saw was a grain. You see, Ned, the idea is to +explode all the powder at once--to get instantaneous action. It must +all burn up at once as soon as it is detonated, or set off. + +"To do that you have to have every grain acted on at the same moment, +and that could not be done if the powder was in one solid chunk, or +closely packed. For that reason they make it in different shapes, so it +will lie loose in the firing chamber, just as a lot of jack-straws are +piled up. In fact, some of the new powder looks like jack-straws. Some, +as this, for instance, looks like macaroni. Other is in cubes, and some +in long strings." + +As he spoke Tom struck a match and held the flames near the end of one +of the "macaroni" sticks. + +"Caesar's grandmother!" yelled Ned. "Are you crazy, Tom?" as he started +to leap for a window. + +"Don't get excited," spoke Tom, quietly. "There's no danger," and he +actually set fire to the stick of queer powder, which burned like some +wax taper. + +"But--but--" stammered Ned. + +"It is only when powder is confined that it explodes," Tom explained. +"If it can burn in the open it's as harmless as water, provided you +don't burn too much at once. But put it in something where the +resulting gases accumulate and can't escape, and then--why, you have an +explosion--that's all." + +"Yes--that's all," remarked Ned, grimly, as he nervously watched the +burning stick of powder. Tom let it flame for a few seconds, and then +calmly blew it out. + +"You know what a little puff black gunpowder gives, if you burn some +openly on the ground," went on Tom; "don't you, Ned?" + +"Sure, I've often done that." + +"But put that same powder in a tight box, and set fire to it, and you +have a bang instead of a puff. It's the same way with this powder, only +it doesn't even puff, for it burns more slowly. + +"An explosion, you see, is the sudden liberation at one time of the +gases which result when the powder is burned. If the gases are given +off gradually, and in the open, no harm is done. But put a stick like +this in, say, a steel box, all closed up, save a hole for the fuse, and +what do you have? An explosion. That's the principle of all guns and +cannon. + +"But say, Ned, I'm getting to be a regular lecturer. I didn't know I +was running on so. Why didn't you stop me?" + +"Because I was interested. Go on, tell me some more." + +"Not now. I want to get this powder in a safe place. I'm a little +nervous about it after that fire. You see if it had caught, when +tightly packed in the boxes, there would have been a terrific +explosion, though it does burn so harmlessly in the open air. Now let +me see--" + +Tom was interrupted by the postman's whistle, and a little later +Eradicate came in with the mail that had been left in the box at the +shop door. Tom rapidly looked over the letters. + +"Here's the note I want, I think," he said, Selecting one. "Yes, this +is it. 'Permission is hereby granted,' he read, 'to Thomas Swift to +visit,' and so on, and so on. This is the stuff, Ned!" he cried. + +"What is it?" + +"A permit to visit the government proving grounds at Sandy Hook, Ned, +and see 'em test that new big gun I was telling you about. Hurray! +We'll go down there, and I'll see how my ideas fit in with those of the +government's experts." + +"Did you say 'we' would go down, Tom?" + +"I sure did. You'll go with me; won't you?" + +"Well, I hadn't thought very much about it, but I guess I will. When +is it?" + +"A week from today, and I'm going to need all that time to get ready. +Now let's get busy, and we'll arrange to go to Sandy Hook. I've had +trouble enough to get this permit--I guess I'll put it where it won't +get lost," and he locked it in a secret drawer of his desk. + +Then the lads stored the powder in a safe place, and soon were busy +about several matters in the shop. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +OFF TO SANDY HOOK + + +"What's the idea of this government test of the big gun, Tom?" asked +Ned. "I got so excited about that near-explosion the other day, that I +didn't think to ask you all the particulars." + +"Why, the idea is to see if the gun will work, and do all that the +inventor claims for it," was the answer. "They always put a new gun +through more severe tests than anything it will be called on to stand +in actual warfare. They want to see just how much margin of safety +there is." + +"Oh I see. And is this one of the guns that are to be used in +fortifying the Panama Canal?" + +"Well, Ned, I don't know, exactly. You see, the government isn't +telling all its secrets. I assume that it is, and that's why I'm +anxious to see what sort of a gun it is. + +"As a matter of fact, I'm going into this thing on a sort of chance, +just as dad did when he invested in Mr. Peterson's opal mine." + +"Do you think anything will come of that, Tom?" + +"I don't know. If we get down to Panama, after I have made my big gun, +we may take a run over, and see how he is making out. But, as I said, +I'm going into this big cannon business on a sort of gamble. I have +heard, indirectly, that Uncle Sam intends to use a new type of gun in +fortifying the Panama Canal. It's about forty-nine miles long, you +know, and it will take many guns to cover the whole route, as well as +to protect the two entrances." + +"Not so very many if you make a gun that will shoot thirty miles," +remarked Ned, with a smile. + +"I'm not so sure I can do it," went on Tom. "But, even at that, quite a +number of guns will be needed. For if any foreign nation, or any +combination of nations, intend to get the canal away from us, they +won't make the attack from one point. They'll come at us seven +different ways for Sunday, and I've never heard yet of a gun that can +shoot seven ways at once. That's why so many will be needed. + +"But, as I said, I don't know just what type the Ordnance Department +will favor, and I want to get a line. Then, even if I invent a cannon +that will outshoot all the others, they may not take mine. Though if +they do, and buy a number of them, I'll be more than repaid for my +labor, besides having the satisfaction of helping my country." + +"Good for you, Tom! I wish it was time to go to Sandy Hook now. I'm +anxious to see that big gun. Do you know anything about it?" + +"Not very much. I have heard that it is not quite as large as the old +sixteen-inch rifle that they had to throw away because of some trouble, +I don't know just what. It was impractical, in spite of its size and +great range. But this new gun they are going to test is considerably +smaller, I understand. + +"It was invented by a General Waller, and is, I think, about twelve +inches across at the muzzle. In spite of that comparatively small size, +it fires a projectile weighing a thousand pounds, or half a ton, and +takes five hundred pounds of powder. Its range, of course, no one knows +yet, though I have heard it said that General Waller claims it will +shoot twenty miles." + +"Whew! Some shot!" + +"I'm going to beat it," declared Tom, "and I want to do it without +making such a monstrous gun that it will be difficult to cast it. + +"You see, Ned, there is, theoretically, nothing to prevent the casting +of a steel rifled cannon that would be fifty inches across at the +muzzle, and making it a hundred feet long. I mean it could be done on +paper--figured out and all that. But whether you would get a +corresponding increase in power or range, and be able to throw a +relatively larger projectile, is something no one knows, for there +never has been such a gun made. Besides, the strain of the big charge +of powder needed would be enormous. So I don't want merely to make a +giant cannon. I want one that will do a giant's work, and still be +somewhere in the middle-sized class." + +"I see. Well, you'll probably get some points at Sandy Hook." + +"I think so. We go day after tomorrow." + +"Is Mr. Damon going?' + +"I think not. If he does I'll have to get another pass, for mine only +calls for two persons. I got it through a Captain Badger, a friend of +mine, stationed at the Sandy Hook barracks. He doesn't have anything +to do with the coast defense guns, but he got the pass to the proving +grounds for me." + +Tom and his chum talked for some time about the prospects for making a +giant cannon, and then the young inventor, with Ned's aid, made some +powder tests, using some of the explosive that had so nearly caught +fire. + +"It isn't just what I want," Tom decided, after he had put small +quantities in little steel bombs, and exploded them, at a safe +distance, and under a bank of earth, by means of an electric primer. + +"Why, Tom, that powder certainly burst the bombs all to pieces," said +Ned, picking up a shattered piece of steel. + +"I know, but it isn't powerful enough for me. I'm going to send for +samples of another kind, and if I can't get what I want I'll make my +own powder. But come on now, this stuff gives me a headache. Let's take +a little flight in the Humming Bird. We'll go see Mr. Damon," and soon +the two lads were in the speedy little monoplane, skimming along like +the birds. The fresh air soon blew away their headaches, caused by the +fumes from the nitro-glycerine, which was the basis of the powder. +Dynamite will often produce a headache in those who work with it. + +Two days later Tom and Ned set off for Sandy Hook. + +This long, neck-like strip of land on the New Jersey coast is, as most +of you know, one of the principal defenses of our country. + +Foreign vessels that steam into New York harbor first have to pass the +line of terrible guns that, back of the earth and concrete defenses, +look frowningly out to sea. It is a wonderful place. + +On the Sandy Hook Bay side of the Hook there is a life-saving station. +Right across, on the sea side, are the big guns. Between are the +barracks where the soldiers live, and part of the land is given over to +a proving ground, where many of the big guns are taken to be tested. + +Tom and Ned reached New York City without incident of moment, and, +after a night spent at a hotel, they went to the Battery, whence the +small government steamer leaves every day for Sandy Hook. It is a trip +of twenty-one miles, and as the bay was rather rough that day, Tom and +Ned had a taste of a real sea voyage. But they were too experienced +travelers to mind that, though some other visitors were made quite ill. + +A landing was made on the bay side of the Hook, it being too rough to +permit of a dock being constructed on the ocean side. + +"Now we'll see what luck we have," spoke Tom, as he and Ned, inquiring +the way to the proving grounds from a soldier on duty, started for +them. On the way they passed some of the fortifications. + +"Look at that gun!" exclaimed Ned, pointing to a big cannon which +seemed to be crouched down in a sort of concrete pit. "How can they +fire that, Tom? The muzzle points directly at the stone wall. Does the +wall open when they want to fire?" + +"No, the gun raises up, peeps over the wall, so speak, shoots out its +projectile, and then crouches down again." + +"Oh, you mean a disappearing gun." + +"That's it, Ned. See, it works by compressed air," and Tom showed his +chum how, when the gun was loaded, the projectile in place, and the +breech-block screwed fast, the officer in charge of the firing squad +would, on getting the range from the soldier detailed to calculate it, +make the necessary adjustments, and pull the lever. + +The compressed air would fill the cylinders, forcing the gun to rise on +toggle-jointed arms, so that the muzzle was above the bomb-proof wall. +Then it would be fired, and sink back again, out of sight of the enemy. + +The boys looked at several different types of big rifled cannon, and +then passed on. They could hear firing in the distance, some of the +explosions shaking the ground. + +"They're making some tests now," said Tom, hurrying forward. + +Ned followed until, passing a sort of machine shop, the lads came to +where a sentry paced up and down a concrete walk. + +"Are these the proving grounds?" asked Tom. "This is the entrance to +them," replied the soldier, bringing his rifle to "port," according to +the regulations. "What do you want?" + +"To go in and watch the gun tests," replied Tom. "I have a permit," and +he held it out so the soldier could see it. + +"That permit is no good here;" the sentry exclaimed. + +"No good?" faltered Tom. + +"No, it has to be countersigned by General Waller. And, as he's on the +proving grounds now, you can't see him. He's getting ready for the test +of his new cannon." + +"But that's just what we want to see!" cried Tom. "We want to get in +there purposely for that. Can't you send word to General Waller?" + +"I can't leave my post," replied the sentry, shortly. "You'll have to +come another time, when the General isn't busy. You can't get in unless +he countersigns that permit." + +"Then it may be too late to witness the test," objected the young +inventor. "Isn't there some way I can get word to him?" + +"I don't think so," replied the sentry. "And I'll have to ask you to +leave this vicinity. No strangers are allowed on the proving grounds +without a proper pass." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +TESTING THE WALLER GUN + + +Tom looked at Ned in dismay. After all their work and planning, to be +thus thwarted, and by a mere technicality! As they stood there, hardly +knowing what to do, the sound of a tremendous explosion came to their +ears from behind the big pile of earth and concrete that formed the +bomb-proof around the testing ground. + +"What's that?" cried Ned, as the earth shook. + +"Just trying some of the big guns," explained the sentry, who was not a +bad-natured chap. He had to do his duty. "You'd better move on," he +suggested. "If anything happens the government isn't responsible, you +know." + +"I wish there was some way of getting in there," murmured Tom. + +"You can see General Waller after the test, and he will probably +countersign the permit," explained the sentry. + +"And we won't see the test of the gun I'm most interested in," objected +Tom. "If I could only--" + +He stopped as he noticed the sentry salute someone coming up from the +rear. Tom and Ned turned to behold a pleasant-faced officer, who, at +the sight of the young inventor, exclaimed: + +"Well, well! If it isn't my old friend Tom Swift! So you got here on my +permit after all?" + +"Yes, Captain Badger," replied the lad, and then with a rueful face he +added: "But it doesn't seem to be doing me much good. I can't get into +the proving grounds." + +"You can't? Why not?" and he looked sharply at the sentry. + +"Very sorry, sir," spoke the man on guard, "but General Waller has left +orders, Captain Badger, that no outsiders can enter the proving grounds +when his new gun is being tested unless he countersigns the permits. +And he's engaged just now. I'm sorry, but--" + +"Oh, that's all right, Flynn," said Captain Badger. "It isn't your +fault, of course. I suppose there is no rule against my going in +there?" and he smiled. + +"Certainly not, sir. Any officer may go in," and the guard stepped to +one side. + +"Let me have that pass, Tom, and wait here for me," said the Captain. +"I'll see what I can do for you," and the young officer, whose +acquaintance Tom had made at the tests when the government was +purchasing some aeroplanes for the army, hurried off. + +He came back presently, and by his face the lads knew he had been +successful. + +"It's all right," he said with a smile. "General Waller countersigned +the pass without even looking at it. He's so excited over the coming +test of his gun that he hardly knows what he is doing. Come on in, +boys. I'll go with you." + +"Then they haven't tested his gun yet?" Asked Tom, eagerly, anxious to +know whether he had missed anything. + +"No, they're going to do so in about half an hour. You'll have time to +look around a bit. Come on," and showing the sentinel the +counter-signed pass, Captain Badger led the two youths into the proving +grounds. + +Tom and Ned saw so much to interest them that they did not know at +which to look first. In some places officers and firing squads were +testing small-calibre machine guns, which shot off a round with a noise +like a string of firecrackers on the Chinese New Year's. On other +barbettes larger guns were being tested, the noise being almost +deafening. + +"Stand on your tiptoes, and open your mouth when you see a big cannon +about to be fired," advised Captain Badger, as he walked alongside the +boys. + +"What good does that do?" inquired Ned. + +"It makes your contact with the earth as small as possible--standing on +your toes," the officer explained, "and so reduces the tremor. Opening +your mouth, in a measure, equalizes the changed air pressure, caused by +the vacuum made when the powder explodes. In other words, you get the +same sort of pressure down inside your throat, and in the tubes leading +to the ear--the same pressure inside, as outside. + +"Often the firing of big guns will burst the ear drums of the officers +near the cannon, and this may often be prevented by opening the mouth. +It's just like going through a deep tunnel, or sometimes when an +elevator descends quickly from a great height. There is too much +outside air pressure on the ear drums. By opening your mouth and +swallowing rapidly, the pressure is nearly equaled, and you feel no +discomfort." + +The boys tried this when the next big gun was fired, and they found it +true. They noticed quite a crowd of officers and men about a certain +large barbette, and Captain Badger led them in that direction. + +"Is that General Waller's gun?" asked Tom. + +"That's where they are going to test it," was the answer. + +Eagerly Tom and Ned pressed forward. No one of the many officers and +soldiers grouped about the new cannon seemed to notice them. A tall +man, who seemed very nervous and excited, was hurrying here and there, +giving orders rapidly. + +"How is that range now?" he asked. "Let me take a look! Are you sure +the patrol vessels are far enough out? I think this projectile is going +farther than any of you gentlemen have calculated." + +"I believe we have correctly estimated the distance," answered someone, +and the two entered into a discussion. + +"That excited officer is General Waller," explained Captain Badger, in +a low voice, to Tom and Ned. + +"I guessed as much," replied the young inventor. Then he went closer to +get a better look at the big cannon. + +I say big cannon, and yet it was not the largest the government had. In +fact, Tom estimated the calibre to be less than twelve inches, but the +cannon was very long--much longer in proportion than guns of greater +muzzle diameter. Then, too, the breech, or rear part, was very thick +and heavy. + +"He must be going to use a tremendous lot of powder," said Tom. + +"He is," answered Captain Badger. "Some of us think he is going to use +too much, but he says it is impossible to burst his gun. He wants to +make a long-range record shot, and maybe he will." + +"That's a new kind of breech block," commented Tom, as he watched the +mechanism being operated. + +"Yes, that's General Waller's patent, too. They're going to fire soon." + +I might explain, briefly, for the benefit of you boys who have never +seen a big, modern cannon, that it consists of a central core of cast +steel. This is rifled, just as a small rifle is bored, with twisted +grooves throughout its length. The grooves, or rifling, impart a +twisting motion to the projectiles, and keep them in a straighter line. + +After the central core is made and rifled, thick jackets of steel are +"shrunk" on over the rear part of the gun. Sometimes several jackets +are put on, one over the other, to make the gun stronger. + +If you have ever seen a blacksmith put a tire on a wheel you will +understand what I mean. The tire is heated, and this expands it, or +makes it larger. It is put on hot, and when it cools it shrinks, +getting smaller, and gripping the rim of the wheel in a strong embrace. +That is what the jackets of steel do to the big guns. + +A big rifled cannon is loaded from the rear, or breech, just as is a +breech-loading shotgun or rifle. That is, the cannon is opened at the +back and the projectile is put in by means of a derrick, for often the +projectiles weigh a thousand pounds or more. Next comes the +powder--hundreds of pounds of it--and then it is necessary to close the +breech. + +The breech block does this. That block is a ponderous piece of steel, +quite complicated, and it swings on a hinge fastened to one side of the +rear of the gun. Once it is swung back into place, it is made fast by +means of screw threads, wedges or in whatever way the inventor of the +gun deems best. + +The breech block must be very strong, and held firmly in place, or the +terrific force of the powder would blow it out, wreck the gun and kill +those behind it. You see, the breech block really stands a great part +of the strain. The powder is between it and the projectile, and there +is a sort of warfare to see which will give way--the projectile or the +block. In most cases the projectile gracefully bows, so to speak, and +skips out of the muzzle of the gun, though sometimes the big breech +block will be shattered. + +With eager eyes Tom and Ned watched the preparations for firing the big +gun. The charge of powder was hoisted out of the bomb-proof chamber +below the barbette, and then the great projectile was brought up in +slings. At the sight of that Tom realized that the gun was no ordinary +one, for the great piece of steel was nearly three feet long, and must +have weighed nearly a thousand pounds. Truly, much powder would be +needed to send that on its way. + +"I'm afraid, General, that you are using too much of that strong +powder," Tom heard one officer say to the inventor of the gun. "It may +burst the breech." + +"Nonsense, Colonel Washburn. I tell you it is impossible to burst my +gun--impossible, sir! I have allowed for every emergency, and +calculated every strain. I have a margin of safety equal to fifty per +cent." + +"Very well, I hope it proves a success." + +"Of course it will. It is impossible to burst my gun! Now, are we ready +for the test." + +The gun was rather crude in form, not having received its final polish, +and it was mounted on a temporary carriage. But even with that Tom +could see that it was a wonderful weapon, though he thought he would +have put on another jacket toward the muzzle, to further strengthen +that portion. + +"I'm going to make a gun bigger than that," said Tom to Ned. He spoke +rather louder than he intended, and, as it was at a moment when there +was a period of silence, the words carried to General Waller, who was +at that moment near Tom. + +"What's that?" inquired the rather fiery-tempered officer, as he looked +sharply at our hero. + +"I said I was going to make a larger gun than that," repeated Tom, +modestly. + +"Sir! Do you know what you are saying? How did you come in here, +anyhow? I thought no civilians were to be admitted today! Explain how +you got here!" + +Tom felt an angry flush mounting to his cheeks. + +"I came in here on a pass countersigned by you," he replied. + +"A pass countersigned by me? Let me see it." + +Tom passed it over. + +"Humph, it doesn't seem to be forged," went on the pompous officer. +"Who are you, anyhow?" + +"Tom Swift." + +"Hum!" + +"General Waller, permit me to introduce Tom Swift to you," spoke +Captain Badger, stepping forward, and trying not to smile. "He is one +of our foremost inventors. It is his type of monoplane that the +government has adopted for the coming maneuvers at Panama, you may +recall, and he was very helpful to Uncle Sam in stopping that swindling +on the border last year--Tom and his big searchlight. Mr. Swift, +General Waller," and Captain Badger bowed as he completed the +introduction. + +"What's that. Tom Swift here? Let me meet him!" exclaimed an elderly +officer coming through the crowd. The others parted to make way for +him, as he seemed to be a person of some importance, to judge by his +uniform, and the medals he wore. + +"Tom Swift here!" he went on. "I want to shake hands with you, Tom! I +haven't seen you since I negotiated with you for the purchase of those +submarines you invented, and which have done such splendid service for +the government. Tom, I'm glad to see you here today." + +The face of General Waller was a study in blank amazement. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE IMPOSSIBLE OCCURS + + +There were murmurs throughout the throng about the big gun, as the +officer approached Tom Swift and shook hands with him. + +"What have you in mind now, Tom, that you come to Sandy Hook?" the +much-medaled officer asked. + +"Nothing much, Admiral," answered our hero. + +"Oh, yes, you have!" returned Admiral Woodburn, head of the naval +forces of Uncle Sam. "You've got some idea in your head, or you +wouldn't come to see this test of my friend's gun. Well, if you can +invent anything as good for coast defense, or even interior defense, as +your submarines, it will be in keeping with what you have done in the +past. I congratulate you, General Waller, on having Tom Swift here to +give you the benefit of some of his ideas." + +"I--I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Swift before," said the +gun inventor, stiffly. "I did not recognize his name when I +countersigned his pass." + +It was plain that the greeting of Tom by Admiral Woodburn had had a +marked effect in changing sentiment toward our hero. Captain Badger +smiled as he noticed with what different eyes the gun inventor now +regarded the lad. + +"Well, if Tom Swift gives you any points about your gun, you want to +adopt them," went on the Admiral. "I thought I knew something about +submarines, but Tom taught me some things, too; didn't you, Tom?" + +"Oh, it was just a simple matter, Admiral," said Tom, modestly. "Just +that little point about the intake valves and the ballast tanks." + +"But they changed the whole matter. Yes, General, you take Tom's +advice--if he gives you any." + +"I don't know that I will need any--as yet," replied General Waller. "I +am confident my gun will be a success as it is at present constructed. +Later, however, if I should decide to make any changes, I will gladly +avail myself of Mr. Swift's counsel," and he bowed stiffly to Tom. "We +will now proceed with the test," he went on. "Kindly send a wireless to +the patrol ships that we are about to fire, and ask them to note +carefully where the projectile falls." + +"Very good, sir," spoke the officer in immediate charge of the matter, +as he saluted. Soon from the aerials snapped the vicious sparks that +told of the wireless telegraph being worked. + +I might explain that near the spot where the projectile was expected to +fall into the sea--about fifteen miles from Sandy Hook--several war +vessels were stationed to warn shipping to give the place a wide berth. +This was easy, since the big gun had been aimed at a spot outside of +the steamship lanes. Aiming the rifle in a certain direction, and +giving it a definite angle of inclination, made it practically certain +just where the shot would fall. This is called "getting the range," and +while, of course, the exact limit of fire of the new gun was not known, +it had been computed as nearly as possible. + +"Is everything ready now?" asked General Waller, while Tom was +conversing with his friends, Captain Badger and Admiral Woodburn, Ned +taking part in the conversation from time to time. + +"All ready, sir," was the assurance. The inventor was plainly nervous +as the crucial moment of the test approached. He went here and there +upon the barbette, testing the various levers and gear wheels of the +gun. + +The projectile and powder had been put in, the breech-block screwed +into place, the primer had been inserted, and all that remained was to +press the button that would make the electrical connection, and explode +the charge. This act of firing the gun had been intrusted to one of the +soldiers, for General Waller and his brother officers were to retire to +a bomb-proof, whence they would watch the effect of the fire, and note +the course of the projectile. + +"It seems to me," remarked Ned, "that the soldier who is going to fire +the gun is in the most danger." + +"He would be--if it exploded," spoke Tom, for his officer friends had +joined their colleagues, most of whom were now walking toward the +shelter. "But I think there is little danger. + +"You see, the electric wires are long enough to enable him to stand +some distance from the gun. And, if he likes, he can crouch behind that +concrete wall of the next barbette. Still, there is some chance of an +accident, for, no matter how carefully you calculate the strain of a +bursting charge of powder, and how strongly you construct the +breech-block to stand the strain, there is always the possibility of a +flaw in the metal. So, Ned, I think we'll just go to the bomb-proof +ourselves, when we see General Waller making for the same place." + +"I suppose," remarked Ned, "that in actual warfare anyone who fired one +of the big guns would have to stand close to it--closer than that +soldier is now." + +"Oh, yes--much," replied Tom, as he watched General Waller giving the +last instructions to the private who was to press the button. "Only, of +course, in war the guns will have been tested, and this one has not. +Here he comes; I guess we'd better be moving." + +General Waller, having assured himself that everything was as right as +possible, had given the last word to the private and was now making his +way toward the bomb-proof, within which were gathered his +fellow-officers and friends. + +"You had better retire from the immediate vicinity of the gun," said +its inventor to Tom and Ned, as he passed them. "For, while I have +absolute confidence in my cannon, and I know that it is impossible to +burst it, the concussion may be unpleasant at such close range." + +"Thank you," said Tom. "We are going to get in a safe place." + +He could not refrain from contrasting the general's manner now with +what it had been at first. + +As for Ned, he could not help wondering why, if the inventor had such +absolute faith in his weapon, he did not fire it himself, even at the +risk of a "concussion." + +How it happened was never accurately known, as the soldier declared +positively--after he came out of the hospital--that he had not pressed +the button. The theory was that the wires had become crossed, making a +short circuit, which caused the gun to go off prematurely. + +But suddenly, while Tom, Ned and General Waller were still some +distance away from the bomb-proof, there was a terrific explosion. It +seemed as if the very foundations of the fortifications would be +shattered. There was a roaring in the air--a hot burst of flame, and +instantly such a vacuum was created that Tom and Ned found themselves +gasping for breath. + +Dazed, shaken in every bone, with their muscles sore, they picked +themselves up from the ground, along which they had been blown with +great force in the direction of the bomb-proof. Even as Tom struggled +to his feet, intending to run to safety in fear of other explosions, he +realized what had happened. + +"What--what was it?" cried Ned, as he, too, arose. + +"The gun burst!" yelled Tom. + +He looked to the left and saw General Waller picking himself up, his +uniform torn, and blood streaming from a cut on his face. At the same +instant Tom was aware of the body of a man flying through the air +toward a distant grass plot, and the young inventor recognized it as +that of the soldier who had been detailed to fire the great cannon. + +Almost instantaneously as everything happened, Tom was aware of +noticing several things, as though they took place in sequence. He +looked toward where the gun had stood. It was in ruins. The young +inventor saw something, which he took to be the projectile, skimming +across the sea waves, and he had a fleeting glimpse of the greater +portion of the immense weapon itself sinking into the depths of the +ocean. + +Then, coming down from a great height in the air, he saw a dark object. +It was another piece of the cannon that had been hurled skyward. + +"Look out!" Tom yelled, instinctively, as he staggered toward the +bomb-proof, Ned following. + +He saw a number of officers running out to assist General Waller, who +seemed too dazed to move. Many of them had torn uniforms, and not a few +were bleeding from their injuries. Then the air seemed filled with a +rain of small missiles--stones, dirt, gravel and pieces of metal. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A BIG PROBLEM + + +"Are you much hurt, Ned?" + +Tom Swift bent anxiously over the prostrate form of his chum. A big +piece of the burst gun had fallen close to Ned--so close, in fact, that +Tom, who saw it as he neared the entrance to the bomb-proof, shuddered +as he raced back. But there was no sign of injury on his chum. + +"Are you much hurt, Ned?" + +The lad's eyes opened. He seemed dazed. + +"No--no, I guess not," he answered, slowly. "I--I guess I'm as much +scared as hurt, Tom. It was the wind from that big piece that knocked +me down. It didn't actually hit me." + +"No, I should say not," put in Captain Badger, who had run out toward +the two lads. "If it had hit you there wouldn't have been much of you +left to tell the tale," and he nodded toward the big piece of metal Tom +had seen coming down from the sky. That part of the cannon forming a +portion of the breech had buried itself deep in the earth. It had +landed close to Ned--so close that, as he said, the wind of it, as well +as the concussion, perhaps, had thrown him with enough force to send +the breath from him. + +"Glad to hear that, old man!" exclaimed Tom, with a sigh of relief. "If +you'd been hurt I should have blamed myself." + +"That would have been foolish. I took the same chance that you did," +answered Ned, as he arose, and limped off between the captain and Tom. + +A great silence seemed to have followed the terrific report. And now +the officers and soldiers began to recover from the stupor into which +the accident had thrown them. Sentries began pouring into the proving +grounds from other portions of the barracks, and an ambulance call was +sent in. + +General Waller's comrades had hurried out to him, and were now leading +him away. He did not seem to be much hurt, though, like many others, he +had received numerous cuts and scratches from bits of stone and gravel +scattered by the explosion, as well as from small bits of metal that +were thrown in all directions. + +"Are you hurt, General?" asked Admiral Woodburn, as he put his arm +about the shoulder of the inventor. + +"No--that is to say, I don't think so. But what happened? Did they fire +some other gun in our direction by mistake?" + +For a moment they all hesitated. Then the Admiral said, gently: + +"No, General. It was your own gun--it burst." + +"My gun! My gun burst?" + +"That was it. Fortunately, no one was killed." + +"My gun burst! How could that happen? I drew every plan for that gun +myself. I made every allowance. I tell you it was impossible for it to +burst!" + +"But it did burst, General," went on the Admiral. "You can see for +yourself," and he turned around and waved his hand toward the barbette +where the gun had been mounted. All that remained of it now was part of +the temporary carriage, and a small under-portion of the muzzle. The +entire breech, with the great block, had been blown into fragments, so +powerful was the powder used. The projectile one watcher reported, had +gone about three hundred yards over the top of the barbette and then +dropped into the sea, very little of the force of the explosive having +been expended on that. A large piece of the gun had also been lost in +the water off shore. + +"My gun burst! My gun burst!" murmured General Waller, as if unable to +comprehend it. "My gun burst--it is impossible!" + +"But it did," spoke Admiral Woodburn, softly. "Come, you had better see +the surgeon. You may be more seriously injured than you think." + +"Was anyone else hurt?" asked the inventor, listlessly. He seemed to +have lost all interest, for the time being. + +"No one seriously, as far as we can learn," was the answer. + +"What of the man who fired the gun?" inquired the General. + +"He was blown high into the air," said Tom. "I saw him." + +"But he is not injured beyond some bruises," put in one of the +ambulance surgeons. "We have taken him to the hospital. He fell on a +pile of bags that had held concrete, and they saved him. It was a +miraculous escape." + +"I am glad of it," said General Waller. "It is bad enough to feel that +I made some mistake, causing the gun to burst; but I would never cease +to reproach myself if I felt that the man who fired it was killed, or +even hurt." + +His friends led him away, and Tom and Ned went over to look at what +remained of the great gun. Truly, the powder, expending its force in a +direction not meant for it, had done terrific havoc. Even part of the +solid concrete bed of the barbette had been torn up. + +An official inquiry was at once started, and, while it would take some +time to complete it (for the parts of the gun remaining were to be +subjected to an exhaustive test to determine the cause of the +weakness), it was found that there was some defect in the wiring and +battery that was used to fire the charge. + +The soldier who was to press the button was sure he had not done so, as +he had been ordered to wait until General Waller gave the signal from +the bomb-proof. But the gun went off before its inventor reached that +place of safety. Just what had caused the premature discharge could +never be learned, as part of the firing apparatus had been blown to +atoms. + +"Well, Tom, what do you think of it?" asked Ned, who had now fully +recovered from the shock. The two were about to leave the proving +grounds, having seen all that they cared to. + +"I don't know just what to think," was the answer. "It sure was a big +explosion, and it goes to prove that, no matter how many calculations +you make, when you try a new powder in a new gun you don't know what's +going to happen, until after it has happened--and then it's too late. +It's a big problem, Ned." + +"Do you think you can solve it? Are you still going on with your plan +to build the biggest cannon ever made?" + +"I sure am, Ned, though I don't know that I'll make out any better than +General Waller did. It's too bad his was a failure; but I think I see +where he made some mistakes." + +"Oh, you do; eh?" suddenly exclaimed a voice, and from a nearby +parapet, where he had gone to look at one of the pieces of his gun, +stepped General Waller. "So you think I made some mistakes, Tom Swift? +Where, pray?" + +"In making the breech. The steel jackets were of uneven thickness, +making the strain unequal. Then, too, I do not think the powder was +sufficiently tested. It was probably of uneven strength. That is only +my opinion, sir." + +"Well, you are rather young to give opinions to men who have devoted +almost all their lives to the study of high explosives." + +"I realize that, sir; but you asked me for my opinion. I shall hope to +profit by your mistakes, too. That is one reason I wanted to see this +test." + +"Then you are seriously determined to make a gun that you think will +rival mine." + +"I am, General Waller." + +"For what purpose--to sell to some foreign government?" + +"No, sir!" cried Tom, with flashing eyes. "If I am successful in making +a cannon that will fire the longest shots on record, I shall offer it +to Uncle Sam first of all. If he does not want it, I shall not dispose +of it to any foreign country!" + +"Hum! Well, I don't believe you'll succeed. I intend to rebuild my gun +at once, though I may make some changes in it. I am sure I shall +succeed the next time. But as for you--a mere youth--to hope to rival +men who have made this problem a life-study--it is preposterous, sir! +Utterly preposterous!" and he uttered these words much as he had +declared that it was impossible for his gun to burst, even after it was +in fragments. + +"Come on, Ned," said Tom, in a low voice. "We'll go back home." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE NEW POWDER + + +"Bless my cartridge belt, Tom, you don't really mean to say that stuff +is powder!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. + +"That's what I hope it will prove to be--and powerful powder at that." + +"Why, it looks more like excelsior than anything else," went on the odd +man, gingerly taking up some yellowish shreds in his fingers. + +"And it will burn as harmlessly as excelsior in the open air," went on +Tom. "But I hope to prove, when it is confined in a chamber, that it +will be highly explosive. I'm going to make a test of it soon." + +"Give me good notice, so I can get over in the next State!" exclaimed +Ned Newton, with a laugh. + +This was several days after our friends had returned from the +disastrous gun test at Sandy Hook. Tom had at once gotten to work on +the problem that confronted him--a problem of his own making--to build +a giant cannon that would make the longest shots on record. And he had +first turned his attention to the powder, or explosive, to be used. + +"For," he said, "there is no use having a big gun unless you can fire +it. And the gun I am planning will need something more powerful in the +powder line than any I've ever heard of." + +"Stronger than the kind General Waller used?" inquired Ned. + +"Yes, but I'll make my cannon correspondingly stronger, too, so there +will be no danger." + +"Bless my shoe buttons!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You boys must have had +your nerve with you to stay around Sandy Hook after that gun went up in +the air." + +"Oh, the danger was all over soon after it began," spoke Tom, with a +smile. "But now I'm going to test some of this powder. If you want to +run away, Mr. Damon, I'll have Koku take you up in one of the airships, +and you'll certainly be safe a mile or so in the air," for Tom had +instructed his giant servant how to run one of the simpler biplanes. + +"No--no, Tom, I'll stick!" exclaimed the eccentric man. "I'll not +promise not to hide behind the fence, or something like that, though, +Tom; but I'll stick." + +"So will I," added Ned. "How are you going to make the test, Tom?" + +"I'll tell you in a minute. I want to do a little figuring first." + +Tom had, before going to Sandy Hook, made some experiments in powder +manufacturing, but they had not been very satisfactory. He had not been +able to get power enough. On his return he had undertaken rather a +daring innovation. He had mingled two varieties of powder, and the +resulting combination would, he hoped, prove just what he wanted. + +The powder was in gelatin form, being made with nitro-glycerine as a +base. It looked, as Mr. Damon had said, like a bunch of excelsior, only +it was yellow instead of white, and it felt not unlike pieces of dry +macaroni. + +"I have shredded the powder in this manner," Tom explained, "so that it +will explode more evenly and quickly. I want it to burn as nearly +instantaneously as possible, and I think it will in this form." + +"But how are you going to tell how powerful it is unless you fire it in +a cannon?" asked Ned. "And you haven't even started your big gun yet." + +"Oh, I'll show you," declared Tom. "There are several ways of making a +test, but I have one of my own. I am going to take a solid block of +steel, of known weight--say about a hundred pounds. This I will put +into a sort of square cylinder, or well, closed at the bottom somewhat +like the breech of a gun. The block of steel fits so closely in the +square well that no air or powder gas can pass it. + +"In the bottom of this well, which may be a foot square, I will put a +small charge of this new powder. On top of that will come the steel +block. Then by means of electric wires I can fire the charge. + +"Attached to the steel well, or chamber, will be a gauge, a pressure +recorder and other apparatus. When the powder, of which I will use only +a pinch, carefully weighing it, goes off, it will raise the +hundred-pound weight a certain distance. This will be noted on the +scale. There will also be shown the amount of pressure released in the +gas given off by the powder. In that way I can make some calculations." + +"How?" asked Ned, who was much interested. + +"Well, for instance, if one ounce of powder raises the weight three +feet, and gives a muzzle pressure of, say, five hundred pounds, I can +easily compute what a thousand pounds of powder, acting on a projectile +weighing two tons and a half, would do, and how far it would shoot it." + +"Bless my differential gear!" cried Mr. Damon. "A projectile weighing +two and a half, tons! Tom, it's impossible!" + +"That's what General Waller said about his gun; but it burst, just the +same," declared Ned. "Poor man, I felt sorry for him. He seemed rather +put out at you, Tom." + +"I guess he was--a bit--though I didn't mean anything disrespectful in +what I said. But now we'll have this test. Koku, take the rest of this +powder back. I'll only keep a small quantity." + +The giant, who, being more active than Eradicate, had rather supplanted +the aged colored man, did as he was bid, and soon Tom, with Ned and Mr. +Damon to help him, was preparing for the test. + +They went some distance away from any of the buildings, for, though Tom +was only going to use a small quantity of the explosive, he did not +just know what the result would be, and he wanted to take no chances. + +"I know from personal experience what the two kinds of powder from +which I made this sample will do," he said; "but it is like taking two +known quantities and getting a third unknown one from them. There is an +unequal force between the two samples that may make an entirely new +compound." + +The steel chamber that was to receive the hundred-pound steel block had +been prepared in advance, as had the various gauges and registering +apparatus. + +"Well, I guess we'll start things moving now," went on Tom, as he +looked over the things he had brought from his shops to the deserted +meadow. The fact of the test had been kept a secret, so there were no +spectators. "Ned, give me a hand with this block," Tom went on. "It's a +little too heavy to lift alone." He was straining and tugging at the +heavy piece of steel. + +"Me do!" exclaimed Koku the giant, gently pushing Tom to one side. Then +the big man, with one hand, raised the hundred-pound weight as easily +as if it were a loaf of bread, and deposited it where Tom wanted it. + +"Thanks!" exclaimed our hero, with a laugh. "I didn't make any mistake +when I brought you home with me, Koku." + +"Huh! I could hab lifted dat weight when I was a young feller!" +exclaimed Eradicate, who was, it is needless to say, jealous of the +giant. + +The powder had been put in the firing chamber. The steel socket had +been firmly fixed in the earth, so that if the force of the explosion +was in a lateral direction, instead of straight up, no damage would +result. The weight, even if it shot from the muzzle of the improvised +"cannon," would only go harmlessly up in the air, and then drop back. +The firing wires were so long that Tom and his friends could stand some +distance away. + +"Are you all ready?" cried Tom, as he looked to see that the wiring was +clear. + +"As ready as we ever shall be," replied Mr. Damon, who, with Ned and +the others, had taken refuge behind a low hill. + +"Oh, this isn't going to be much of an explosion," laughed Tom. "It +won't be any worse than a Fourth of July cannon. Here she goes!" + +He pressed the electric button, there was a flash, a dull, muffled +report and, for a moment, something black showed at the top of the +steel chamber. Then it dropped back inside again. + +"Pshaw!" cried Tom, in disappointed tones. "It didn't even blow the +weight out of the tube. That powder's no good! It's a failure!" + +Followed by the others, the young inventor started toward the small +square "cannon." Tom wanted to read the records made by the gases. + +Suddenly Koku cried: + +"There him be, master! There him be!" and he pointed toward a distant +path that traversed the meadow. + +"He? Whom do you mean?" asked Tom, startled the giant's excited manner. + +"That man what come and look at Master's new powder," was the +unexpected answer. "Him say he want to surprise you, and he come today, +but no speak. He run away. Look--him go!" and he pointed toward a +figure of distinctly military bearing hurrying along the road that led +to Shopton. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SOMETHING WRONG + + +"Bless my buttons!" cried Mr. Damon. + +"Let's chase after him!" yelled Ned. + +"Koku kin run de fastest oh any oh us," put in Eradicate. "Let him go." + +"Hold on--wait a minute!" exclaimed Tom. "We want to know who that man +is--and why we're going to chase after him. Koku, I guess it's up to +you. Something has been going on here that I don't know anything about. +Explain!" + +"Well, it's no use to chase after him now," said Ned. "There he goes on +his motor-cycle." + +As he spoke the man, who, even from a rear view, presented all the +characteristics of an army man, so straight was his carriage, leaped +upon a motor-cycle that he pulled from the roadside bushes, and soon +disappeared in a cloud of dust. + +"No, he's gone," spoke Tom, half-regretfully. "But who was he, Koku? +You seemed to know him. What was he doing out here, watching my test?" + +"Me tell," said the giant, simply. "Little while after Master come back +from where him say big gun all go smash, man come to shop when Master +out one day. Him very nice man, and him say him know you, and want to +help you make big cannon. I say, 'Master no be at home.' Man say him +want to give master a little present of powder for use in new cannon. +Master be much pleased, man say. Make powder better. I take, and I +want Master to be pleased. I put stuff what man gave me in new powder. +Man go away--he laugh--he say he be here today see what happen--I tell +him you go to make test today. Man say Master be much surprised. That +all I know." + +Silence followed Koku's statement. To Ned and Mr. Damon it was not +exactly clear, but Tom better understood his giant servant's queer talk. + +"Is that what you mean, Koku?" asked the young inventor, after a pause. +"Did some stranger come here one day when I was out, after I had made +my new powder, and did he give you some 'dope' to put in it?" + +"What you mean by 'dope'?" + +"I mean any sort of stuff." + +"Yes, man give me something like sugar, and I sprinkle it on new powder +for to surprise Master." + +"Well, you've done it, all right," said Tom, grimly. "Have you any of +the stuff left?" + +"I put all in iron box where Master keep new powder." + +"Well, then some of it must be there yet. Probably it sifted through +the excelsior-like grains of my new explosive, and we'll find it on the +bottom of the powder-case. But enough stuck to the strands to spoil my +test. I'll just take a reading of the gauges, and then we'll make an +investigation." + +Tom, with Ned to help him, made notes of how far the weight had risen +in the tube, and took data of other points in the experiment. + +"Pshaw!" exclaimed Tom. "There wasn't much more force to my new powder, +doped as it apparently has been, than to the stuff I can buy in the +open market. But I'm glad I know what the trouble is, for I can remedy +it. Come on back to the shop. Koku, don't you ever do anything like +this again," and Tom spoke severely. + +"No, Master," answered the giant, humbly. + +"Did you ever see this man before, Koku?" + +"No, Master." + +"What kind of a fellow was he?" asked Ned. + +"Oh, him got whiskers on him face, and stand very straight, like stick +bending backwards. Him look like a soldier, and him blink one eye more +than the other." + +Tom and Ned started and looked at one another. + +"That description fits General Waller," said Ned, in a low voice to his +chum. + +"Yes, in a way; but it would be out of the question for the General to +do such a thing. Besides, the man who ran away, and escaped on his +motor-cycle, was larger than General Waller." + +"It was hard to tell just what size he was at the distance," spoke Ned. +"It doesn't seem as though he would try to spoil your experiments, +though." + +"Maybe he hoped to spoil my cannon," remarked Tom, with a laugh that +had no mirth in it. "My cannon that isn't cast yet. He probably +misunderstood Koku's story of the test, and had no idea it was only a +miniature, experimental, gun. + +"This will have to be looked into. I can't have strangers prowling +about here, now that I am going to get to work on a new invention. +Koku, I expect you, after this, not to let strangers approach unless I +give the word. Eradicate, the same thing applies to you. You didn't see +anything of this mysterious man; did you?" + +"No, Massa 'Tom. De only s'picious man I see was mab own cousin +sneakin' around mah chicken coop de odder night. I tooks mah ole shot +gun, an' sa'ntered out dat way. Den in a little while dere wasn't no +s'picious man any mo'." + +"You didn't shoot him; did you, Rad?" cried Tom, quickly. + +"No, Massa Tom--dat is, I didn't shoot on puppose laik. De gun jest +natchelly went off by itself accidental-laik, an' it peppered him good +an' proper." + +"Why, Rad!" cried Ned. "You didn't tell us about this." + +"Well, I were 'shamed ob mah cousin, so I was. Anyhow, I only had salt +an' pepper in de gun--'stid ob shot. I 'spect mah cousin am pretty well +seasoned now. But dat's de only s'picious folks I see, 'ceptin' maybe a +peddler what wanted t' gib me a dish pan fo' a pair ob ole shoes; only +I didn't hab any." + +"There are altogether too many strangers coming about here," went on +Tom. "It must be stopped, if I have to string charged electric wires +about the shops as I once did." + +They hurried back to the shop where the new powder was kept, and Tom at +once investigated it. Taking the steel box from where it was stored he +carefully removed the several handfuls of excelsior-like explosive. On +the bottom of the box, and with some of it clinging to some of the +powder threads, was a sort of white powder. It had a peculiar odor. + +"Ha!" cried Tom, as soon as he saw it. "I know what that is. It's a +new form of gun-cotton, very powerful. Whoever gave it to Koku to put +on my powder hoped to blow to atoms any cannon in which it might be +used. There's enough here to do a lot of damage." + +"How is it that it didn't blow your test cylinder to bits?" asked Ned. + +"For the reason that the stuff I use in my powder and this new +gun-cotton neutralized one another," the young inventor explained. "One +weakened the other, instead of making a stronger combination. A +chemical change took place, and lucky for us it did. It was just like a +man taking an over-dose of poison--it defeated itself. That's why my +experiment was a failure. Now to put this stuff where it can do no +harm. Is this what that man gave you, Koku?" + +"That's it, Master." + +There came a tap on the door of the private room, and instinctively +everyone started. Then came the voice of Eradicate, saying: + +"Dere's a army gen'men out here to see you. Massa Tom; but I ain't +gwine t' let him in lessen as how you says so." + +"An army gentleman!" repeated Tom. + +"Yais, sah! He say he General Waller, an' he come on a motor-cycle." + +"General Waller!" exclaimed Tom. "What can he want out here?" + +"And on a motor-cycle, too!" added Ned. "Tom, what's going on, anyhow?" + +The young inventor shook his head. + +"I don't know," he replied; "but I suppose I had better see him. Here, +Koku, put this powder away, and then go outside. Mr. Damon, you'll +stay; won't you?" + +"If you need me, Tom. Bless my finger nails! But there seems to be +something wrong here." + +"Show him in, Rad!" called Tom. + +"Massa Gen'l Herodotus Waller!" exclaimed the colored man in pompous +tones, as he opened the door for the officer, clad in khaki, whom Tom +had last seen at Sandy Hook. + +"Ah, how do you do, Mr. Swift!" exclaimed General Waller, extending his +hand. "I got your letter inviting me to a test of your new explosive. I +hope I am not too late." + +Tom stared at him in amazement. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +FAILURE AND SUCCESS + + +"You--you got my letter!" stammered Tom, holding out his hand for a +missive which the General extended. "I--I don't exactly understand. My +letter?" + +"Yes, certainly," went on the officer. "It was very kind of you to +remember me after--well, to be perfectly frank with you, I did resent, +a little, your remarks about my unfortunate gun. But I see you are of a +forgiving spirit." + +"But I didn't write you any letter!" exclaimed Tom, feeling more and +more puzzled. + +"You did not? What is this?" and the General unfolded a paper. Tom +glanced over it. Plainly it was a request for the General to be present +at the test on that day, and it was signed with Tom Swift's name. + +But as soon as the young inventor saw it, he knew that it was a forgery. + +"I never sent that letter!" he exclaimed. "Look, it is not at all like +my handwriting," and he took up some papers from a near-by table and +quickly compared some of his writing with that in the letter. The +difference was obvious. + +"Then who did send it?" asked General Waller. "If someone has been +playing a joke on me it will not be well for him!" and he drew himself +up pompously. + +"If a joke has been played--and it certainly seems so," spoke Tom, "I +had no hand in it. And did you come all the way from Sandy Hook because +of this letter?" + +"No, I am visiting friends in Waterford," said the officer, naming the +town where Mr. Damon lived. "My cousin is Mr. Pierce Watkins." + +"Bless my doorbell!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "I know him! He lives just +around the corner from me. Bless my very thumb prints!" + +General Waller stared at Mr. Damon in some amazement, and resumed: + +"Owing to the unfortunate accident to my gun, and to some slight +injuries I sustained, I found my health somewhat impaired. I obtained +a furlough, and came to visit my cousin. The doctor recommended open +air exercise, and so I brought with me my motor-cycle, as I am fond of +that means of locomotion." + +"I used to be," murmured Mr. Damon; "but I gave it up." + +"After his machine climbed a tree," Tom explained, with a smile, +remembering how he had originally met Mr. Damon, and bought the damaged +machine from him, as told in the first volume of this series. + +"So, when I got your letter," continued the General, "I naturally +jumped on my machine and came over. Now I find that it is all a hoax." + +"I am very sorry, I assure you," said Tom. "We did have a sort of test +today; but it was a failure, owing to the fact that someone tampered +with my powder. From what you tell me, I am inclined to the belief that +the same person may have sent you that letter. Let me look at it +again," he requested. + +Carefully he scanned it. + +"I should say that was written in a sort of German hand; would you not +also?" he asked of Mr. Damon. + +"I would, Tom." + +"A German!" exclaimed General Waller. + +At the mention of the word "German" Koku, the giant, who had entered +the room, to be stared at in amazement by the officer, exclaimed: + +"That he, Master! That he!" + +"What do you mean?" inquired Tom. + +"German man give me stuff for to put in your powder. I 'member now, he +talk like Hans who make our garden here; and he say 'yah' just the same +like. That man German sure." + +"What does this mean?" inquired the officer. + +Quickly Tom told of the visit of an unknown man who had prevailed on +the simple-minded giant to "dope" Tom's new powder under the impression +that he was doing his master a favor. Then the flight of the spy on a +motor-cycle, just as the experiment failed, was related. + +"We have a German gardener," went on Tom, "and Koku now recalls that +our mysterious visitor had the same sort of speech. This ought to give +us a clue." + +"Let me see," murmured General Waller. "In the first place your test +fails--you learn, then, that your powder has been tampered with--you +see a man riding away in haste after having, in all likelihood, spied +on your work--your giant servant recalls the visit of a mysterious man, +and, when the word 'German' is pronounced in his hearing he recalls +that his visitor was of that nationality. So far so good. + +"I come to this vicinity for my health. That fact, as are all such +regarding officers, was doubtless published in the Army and Navy +Journal, so it might easily become known to almost anyone. I receive a +letter which I think is from Tom Swift, asking me to attend the test. +As the distance is short I go, only to find that the letter has been +forged, presumably by a German. + +"Question: Can the same German be the agent in both cases?" + +"Bless my arithmetic! how concisely you put it!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. + +"It is part of my training, I suppose," remarked the officer. "But it +strikes me that if we find your German spy, Tom, we will find the man +who played the joke on me. And if I do find him--well, I think I shall +know how to deal with him," and General Waller assumed his +characteristic haughty attitude. + +"I believe you are right, General," spoke Tom. "Though why any German +would want to prevent my experiments, or even damage my property, and +possibly injure my friends, I cannot understand." + +"Nor can I," spoke the officer. + +"I am sorry you have had your trouble for nothing," went on Tom. "And, +if you are in this vicinity when I conduct my next test, I shall be +glad to have you come. I will send word by Mr. Damon, and then there +will be no chance of a mistake." + +"Thank you, Tom, I shall be glad to come. I do not know how long I shall +remain in this vicinity. If I knew where to look for the German I would +make a careful search. As it is, I shall turn this letter over to the +United States Secret Service, and see what its agents can do. And, Tom, +if you are annoyed again, let me know. You are a sort of rival, so to +speak, but, after all, we are both working to serve Uncle Sam. I'll do +my best to protect you." + +"Thank you, sir," replied Tom. "On my part, I shall keep a good +lookout. It will be a bold spy who gets near my shop after this. I'm +going to put up my highly-charged protecting electric wires again. We +were just talking about them when you came in. Would you like to look +about here, General?" + +"I would, indeed, Tom. Have you made your big gun yet?" + +"No, but I am working on the plans. I want first to decide on the kind +of explosive I am to use, so I can make my gun strong enough to stand +it." + +"A wise idea. I think there is where I made my mistake. I did not +figure carefully enough on the strength of material. The internal +pressure of the powder I used, as well as the muzzle velocity of my +projectile, were both greater than they should have been. Take a lesson +from my failure. But I am going to start on another gun soon, and--Tom +Swift--I am going to try to beat you!" + +"All right, General," answered Tom, genially. "May the best gun win!" + +"Bless my powder box!" cried Mr. Damon. "That's the way to talk." + +General Waller was much interested in going about Tom's shop, and +expressed his surprise at the many inventions he saw. While ordnance +matters, big guns and high explosives were his hobby, nevertheless the +airships were a source of wonder to him. + +"How do you do it, Tom?" he asked. + +"Oh, by keeping at it," was the modest answer. "Then my good friends +here--Ned and Mr. Damon--help me." + +"Bless my check book!" exclaimed the odd gentleman. "It is very little +help I give, Tom." + +General Waller soon took his departure, promising to call again, to see +Tom's test if one were held. He also repeated his determination to set +the Secret Service men at work to discover the mysterious German. + +"I can't imagine who would want to injure you or me, Tom Swift," he +said. + +"Do you think they wanted to injure you, General?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"It would seem so," remarked Ned. "That man doped Tom's powder, hoping +to make it so powerful that it would blow up everything. Then he sends +word to the General to be present. If there had been a blow-up he would +have gone with it." + +"Bless my gaiters, yes!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. + +"Well, we'll see if we can ferret him out!" spoke the officer as he +took his leave. + +Tom, Ned and the others talked the matter over at some length. + +"I wonder if we could trace that man who rode away on the motor-cycle?" +said Ned. + +"We'll try," decided Tom, energetically, and in the electric runabout, +that had once performed such a service to his father's bank, the young +inventor and his chum were soon traversing the road taken by the spy. +They got some traces of him--that is, several persons had seen him +pass--but that was all. So they had to record one failure at least. + +"I wonder if the General himself could have sent that letter?" mused +Ned, as they returned home. + +"What! To himself?" cried Tom, in amazement. + +"He might have," went on Ned, coolly. "You see, Tom, he admits that he +was jealous of you. Now what is there to prevent him from hiring +someone to dope your powder, and then, to divert suspicion from +himself, faking up a letter and inviting himself to the blowout." + +"But if he did that--which I don't believe--why would he come when +there was danger, in case his trick worked, of the whole place being +blown to kingdom come." + +"Ah, but you notice he didn't arrive until after danger of an explosion +had passed," commented Ned. + +"Oh, pshaw!" cried Tom. "I don't take any stock in that theory." + +"Well, maybe not," replied Ned. "But it's worth thinking about. I +believe if General Waller could prevent you from inventing your big +gun, he would." + +The days that followed were busy ones for Tom. He worked on the powder +problem from morning to night, scoring many failures and only a few +successes. But he did not give up, and in the meanwhile drew tentative +plans for the big gun. + +One evening, after a hard day's work, he went to the library where his +father was reading. + +"Tom," said Mr. Swift, "do you remember that old fortune hunter, Alec +Peterson, who wanted me to go into that opal mine scheme?" + +"Yes, Dad. What about him? Has he found it?" + +"No, he writes to say he reached the island safely, and has been +working some time. He hasn't had any success yet in locating the mine; +but he hopes to find it in a week or so." + +"That's just like him," murmured Tom. "Well, Dad, if you lose the ten +thousand dollars I guess I'll have to make it up to you, for it was on +my account that you made the investment." + +"Well, you're worth it, Tom," replied his father, with a smile. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A POWERFUL BLAST + + +"Look out with that box, Koku! Handle it as though it contained a dozen +eggs of the extinct great auk, worth about a thousand dollars apiece. + +"Eradicate! Don't you dare stumble while you're carrying that tube. If +you do, you'll never do it again!" + +"By golly, Massa Tom! I--I's gwine t' walk on mah tiptoes all de way!" + +Thus Eradicate answered the young inventor, while the giant, Koku, who +was carrying a heavy case, nodded his head to show that he understood +the danger of his task. + +"So you think you've got the right stuff this time, Tom?" asked Ned +Newton. + +"I'm allowing myself to hope so, Ned." + +"Bless my woodpile!" cried Mr. Damon. "I--I really think I'm getting +nervous." + +It was one afternoon, about two weeks after Tom had made his first test +of the new powder. Now, after much hard work, and following many other +tests, some of which were more or less successful, he had reached the +point where he believed he was on the threshold of success. He had +succeeded in making a new explosive that, in the preliminary tests, in +which only a small quantity was used, gave promise of being more +powerful than any Tom had ever experimented with--his own or the +product of some other inventor. + +And his experiments had not always been harmless. Once he came within a +narrow margin of blowing up the shop and himself with it, and on +another occasion some of the slow-burning powder, failing to explode, +had set ablaze a shack in which he was working. + +Only for the prompt action of Koku, Tom might have been seriously +injured. As it was he lost some valuable patterns and papers. + +But he had gone on his way, surmounting failure after failure, until +now he was ready for the supreme test. This was to be the explosion of +a large quantity of the powder in a specially prepared steel tube of +great thickness. It was like a miniature cannon, but, unlike the first +small one, where the test had failed, this one would carry a special +projectile, that would be aimed at an armor plate set up on a big hill. + +Tom's hope was that this big blast would show such pressure in +foot-tons, and give such muzzle velocity to the projectile, and at the +same time such penetrating power, that he would be justified in taking +it as the basis of his explosive, and using it in the big gun he +intended to make. + +The preliminaries had been completed. The special steel tube had been +constructed, and mounted on a heavy carriage in a distant part of the +Swift grounds. A section of armor plate, a foot and a half in +thickness, had been set up at the proper distance. A new projectile, +with a hard, penetrating point, had been made--a sort of miniature of +the one Tom hoped to use in his giant cannon. + +Now the young inventor and his friends were on their way to the scene +of the test, taking the powder and other necessaries, including the +primers, with them. Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon had some of the gauges to +register the energy expended by the improvised cannon. There were +charts to be filled in, and other details to be looked after. + +"So General Waller won't be here?" remarked Ned, as they walked along, +Tom keeping a watchful eye on Koku. + +"No," was the reply. "He has gone back to Sandy Hook. He wrote that his +health was better, and that he wanted to resume work on a new type of +gun." + +"I guess he's afraid you'll beat him out, Tom," laughed Ned. "You take +my advice, and look out for General Waller." + +"Nonsense! I say, Rad! Look out with those primers!" + +"I'se lookin' out, Massa Tom. Golly, I don't laik dis yeah job at all! +I--I guess I'd better be gittin' at dat whitewashin', Massa Tom. Dat +back fence suah needs a coat mighty bad." + +"Never you mind about the whitewashing, Rad. You just stick around here +for a while. I may need you to sit on the cannon to hold it down." + +"Sit on a cannon, Massa Tom! Say, looky heah now! You jest take dese +primary things from dish yeah coon. I--I'se got t' go!" + +"Why, what's the matter, Rad? Surely you're not afraid; are you?" and +Tom winked at Ned. + +"No, Massa Tom, I'se not prezactly 'skeered, but I done jest 'membered +dat I didn't gib mah mule Boomerang any oats t'day, an' he's suahly +gwine t' be desprit mad at me fo' forgettin' dat. I--I'd better go!" + +"Nonsense, Rad! I was only fooling. You can go as soon as we get to my +private proving grounds, if you like. But you'll have to carry those +primers, for all the rest of us have our hands full. Only be careful of +'em!" + +"I--I will, Massa Tom." + +They kept on, and it was noticed that Mr. Damon gave nervous glances +from time to time in the direction of Koku, who was carrying the box of +powder. The giant himself, however, did not seem to know the meaning of +fear. He carried the box, which contained enough explosive to blow them +all into fragments, with as much composure as though it contained +loaves of bread. + +"Now you can go, Rad," announced Tom, when they reached the lonely +field where, pointing toward a big hill, was the little cannon. + +"Good, Massa Tom!" cried the colored man, and from the way in which he +hurried off no one would ever suspect him of having rheumatic joints. + +"Say, that stuff looks just like Swiss cheese," remarked Ned, as Tom +opened the box of explosive. It would be incorrect to call it powder, +for it had no more the appearance of gunpowder, or any other "powder," +than, as Ned said, swiss cheese. + +And, indeed, the powerful stuff bore a decided resemblance to that +peculiar product of the dairy. It was in thin sheets, with holes +pierced through it here and there, irregularly. + +"The idea is," Tom explained, "to make a quick-burning explosive. I +want the concussion to be scattered through it all at once. It is set +off by concussion, you see," he went on. "A sort of cartridge is buried +in the middle of it, after it has been inserted in the cannon breech. +The cartridge is exploded by a primer, which responds to an electric +current. The thin plates, with holes corresponding to the centre hole +in a big grain of the hexagonal powder, will, I hope, cause the stuff +to burn quickly, and give a tremendous pressure. Now we'll put some in +the steel tube, and see what happens." + +Even Tom was a little nervous as he prepared for this latest test. But +he was not nervous enough to drop any of those queer, cheese-like +slabs. For, though he knew that a considerable percussion was needed to +set them off, it would not do to take chances. High explosives do not +always act alike, even under the same given conditions. What might with +perfect safety be done at one time, could not be repeated at another. +Tom knew this, and was very careful. + +The powder, as I shall occasionally call it for the sake of +convenience, though it was not such in the strict sense of the +word--the powder was put in the small cannon, together with the primer. +Then the wires were attached to it, and extended off for some distance. + +"But we won't attach the battery until the last moment," Tom said. "I +don't want a premature explosion." + +The projectile was also put in, and Tom once more looked to see that +the armor plate was in place. Then he adjusted the various gauges to +get readings of the power and energy created by his new explosive. + +"Well, I guess we're all ready," he announced to his friends. "I'll +hook on the battery now, and we'll get off behind that other hill. I +had Koku make a sort of cave there--a miniature bomb-proof, that will +shelter us." + +"Do you think the blast will be powerful enough to make it necessary?" +asked Mr. Damon. + +"It will, if this larger quantity of explosive acts anything like the +small samples I set off," replied the young inventor. + +The electric wires were carried behind the protecting hill, whither +they all retired. + +"Here she goes!" exclaimed Tom, after a pause. + +His thumb pressed the electric button, and instantly the ground shook +with the tremor of a mighty blast, while a deafening sound reared about +them. The earth trembled, and there was a big sheet of flame, seen even +in the powerful sunlight. + +"Something happened, anyhow!" yelled Tom above the reverberating echoes. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +CASTING THE CANNON + + +"Come on!" yelled Ned. "We'll see how this experiment came out!" and he +started to run from beneath the shelter of the hill. + +"Hold on!" shouted Tom, laying a restraining hand on his chum's +shoulder. + +"Why, what's the matter?" asked Ned in surprise. + +"Some of that powder may not have exploded," went on the young +inventor. "From the sound made I should say the gun burst, and, if it +did, that gelatin is bound to be scattered about. There may be a mass +of it burning loose somewhere, and it may go off. It ought not to, if +my theory about it being harmless in the open is correct, but the +trouble is that it's only a theory. Wait a few seconds." + +Anxiously they lingered, the echoes of the blast still in their ears, +and a peculiar smell in their nostrils. + +"But there's no smoke," said Mr. Damon. "Bless my spyglass! I always +thought there was smoke at an explosion." + +"This is a sort of smokeless powder," explained Tom. "It throws off a +slight vapor when it is ignited, but not much. I guess it's safe to go +out now. Come on!" + +He dropped the pushbutton connected with the igniting battery, and, +followed by the others, raced to the scene of the experiment. A curious +sight met their eyes. + +A great hole had been torn in the hillside, and another where the +improvised gun had stood. The gun itself seemed to have disappeared. + +"Why--why--where is it?" asked Ned. + +"Burst to pieces I guess," replied Tom. "I was afraid that charge was a +bit too heavy." + +"No, here it is!" shouted Mr. Damon, circling off to one side. "It's +been torn from the carriage, and partly buried in the ground," and he +indicated a third excavation in the earth. + +It was as he had said. The terrific blast had sheared the gun from its +temporary carriage, thrown it into the air, and it had come down to +bury itself in the soft ground. The carriage had torn loose from the +concrete base, and was tossed off in another direction. + +"Is the gun shattered?" asked Tom, anxious to know how the weapon had +fared. It was, in a sense, a sort of small model of the giant cannon he +intended to have cast. + +"The breech is cracked a little," answered Mr. Damon, who was examining +it; "but otherwise it doesn't seem to be much damaged." + +"Good," cried Tom. "Another steel jacket will remedy that defect. I +guess I'm on the right road at last. But now to see what became of that +armor plate." + +"Dinner plate not here," spoke Koku, who could not understand how there +could be two kind of plates in the world. "Dinner plate gone, but big +hole here, and he indicated one in the side of the hill. + +"I expect that is where the armor plate is," said Tom, trying not to +laugh at the mistake of his giant servant. "Take a look in there, Koku, +and, if you can get hold of it, pull it out for us. I'm afraid the +piece of nickel-steel armor proved too much for my projectile. But +we'll have a look." + +Koku disappeared into the miniature cave that had been torn in the side +of the bill. It was barely large enough to allow him to go in. But Tom +knew none other of them could hope to loosen the piece of steel, +imbedded as it must be in the solid earth. + +Presently they heard Koku grunting and groaning. He seemed to be having +quite a struggle. + +"Can you get it, Koku?" asked Tom. "Or shall I send for picks and +shovels." + +"Me get, Master," was the muffled answer. + +Then came a shout, as though in anger Koku had dared the buried plate +to defy him. There was a shower of earth at the mouth of the cave, and +the giant staggered out with the heavy piece of armor plate. At the +sight of it Tom uttered a cry. + +"Look!" he shouted. "My projectile went part way through and then +carried the plate with it into the side of the hill. Talk about a +powerful explosive! I've struck it, all right!" + +It was as he had said. The projectile, driven with almost irresistible +force, had bitten its way through the armor plate, but a projection at +the base of the shell had prevented it from completely passing through. +Then, with the energy almost unabated, the projectile had torn the +plate loose and hurled it, together with its own body, into the solid +earth of the hillside. There, as Koku held them up, they could all see +the shell imbedded in the plate, the point sticking out on the other +side, as a boy might spear an apple with a sharp stick. + +"Bless my spectacle case!" cried Mr. Damon. "This is the greatest ever!" + +"It sure is," agreed Ned. "Tom, my boy, I guess you can now make the +longest shots on record." + +"I can as soon as I get my giant cannon, perhaps," admitted the young +inventor. "I think I have solved the problem of the explosive. Now to +work on the cannon." + +An examination of the gauges, which, being attached to the cannon and +plate by electric wires, were not damaged when the blast came, showed +that Tom's wildest hopes had been confirmed. He had the most powerful +explosive ever made--or at least as far as he had any knowledge, and he +had had samples of all the best makes. + +Concerning Tom's powder, or explosive, I will only say that he kept the +formula of it secret from all save his father. All that he would admit, +when the government experts asked him about it, later, was that the +base was not nitro-glycerine, but that this entered into it. He agreed, +however, in case his gun was accepted by the government, to disclose +the secret to the ordnance officers. + +But Tom's work was only half done. It was one thing to have a powerful +explosive, but there must be some means of utilizing it safely--some +cannon in which it could be fired to send a projectile farther than any +cannon had ever sent one. And to do this much work was necessary. + +Tom figured and planned, far into the night, for many weeks after that. +He had to begin all over again, working from the basis of the power of +his new explosive. And he had many new problems to figure out. + +But finally he had constructed--on paper--a gun that was to his liking. +The most exhaustive figuring proved that it had a margin of safety that +would obviate all danger of its bursting, even with an accidental +over-charge. + +"And the next thing is to get the gun cast," said Tom to Ned one day. + +"Are you going to do it in your shops?" his chum asked. + +"No; it would be out of the question for me. I haven't the facilities. +I'm going to give the contract to the Universal Steel Company. We'll +pay them a visit in a day or two." + +But even the great facilities of the steel corporation proved almost +inadequate for Tom's giant cannon. When he showed the drawings, on +which he had already secured a patent, the manager balked. + +"We can't cast that gun here!" he said. + +"Oh, yes, you can!" declared Tom, who had inspected the plant. "I'll +show you how." + +"Why, we haven't a mould big enough for the central core," was another +objection. + +"Then we'll make one," declared Tom "We'll dig a pit in the earth, and +after it is properly lined we can make the cast there." + +"I never thought of that!" exclaimed the manager. "Perhaps it can be +done." + +"Of course it can!" cried Tom. "Do you think you can shrink on the +jackets, and rifle the central tube?" + +"Oh, yes, we can do that. The initial cast was what stumped me. But +we'll go ahead now." + +"And you can wind the breech with wire, and braze it on; can't you?" +persisted Tom. + +"Yes, I think so. Are you going to have a wire-wound gun?" + +"That, in combination with a steel-jacketed one. I'm going to take no +chances with 'Swiftite'!" laughed Tom, for so he had named his new +explosive, in honor of his father, who had helped him with the formula. + +"It must be mighty powerful," exclaimed the manager. + +"It is," said Tom, simply. + +I am not going to tire my readers with the details leading up to the +casting of Tom's big cannon. Sufficient to say that the general plan, +in brief, was this: A hole would be dug in the earth, in the center of +the largest casting shop--a hole as deep as the gun was to be long. +This was about one hundred feet, though the gun, when finished, would +be somewhat shorter than this. An allowance was to be made for cutting. + +In the center of this hole would be a small "core" made of asbestos and +concrete mixed. Around this would be poured the molten steel from great +caldrons. It would flow into the hole. The sides of earth--lined with +fire-clay--would hold it in, and the middle core would make a hole +throughout the length of the central part of the gun. Afterward this +hole would be bored and rifled to the proper calibre. + +After this central part was done, steel jackets or sleeves would be put +on, red-hot, and allowed to shrink. Then would come a winding of wire, +to further strengthen the tube, and then more sleeves or jackets. In +this way the gun would be made very strong. + +As the greatest pressure would come at the breech, or in the powder +chamber there, the gun would be thickest at this point, decreasing in +size to the muzzle. + +It took many weary weeks to get ready for the first cast, but finally +Tom received word that it was to be made, and with Ned, and Mr. Damon, +he proceeded to the plant of the steel concern. + +There was some delay, but finally the manager gave the word. Tom and +his friends, standing on a high gallery, watched the tapping of the +combined furnaces that were to let the molten steel into the caldrons. +There were several of these, and their melted contents were to be +poured into the mould at the same time. + +Out gushed the liquid steel, giving off a myriad of sparks. The +workers, as well as the visitors, had to wear violet-tinted glasses to +protect their eyes from the glare. + +"Hoist away!" cried the manager, and the electric cranes started off +with the caldrons of liquid fire, weighing many tons. + +"Pour!" came the command, and into the pit in the earth splashed the +melted steel that was to form the big cannon. From each caldron there +issued a stream of liquid metal of intense heat. There were numerous +explosions as the air bubbles burst--explosions almost like a battery +in action. + +"So far so good!" exclaimed the manager, with a sigh of relief as the +last of the melted stuff ran into the mould. "Now, when it cools, which +won't be for some days, we'll see what we have." + +"I hope it contains no flaws," spoke Tom, "That is the worst of big +guns--you never can tell when a flaw will develop. But I hope--" + +Tom was interrupted by the sound of a dispute at one of the outer doors +of the shop. + +"But I tell you I must go in--I belong here in!" a voice cried. It had +a German accent, and at the sound of it Tom and Ned looked at each +other. + +"Who is there?" asked the manager sharply of the foreman.. + +"Oh, a crazy German. He belongs in one of the other shops, and I guess +he's mixed up. He thinks he belongs here. I sent him about his +business." + +"That is right," remarked the manager. "I gave orders, at your +request," he said to Tom, "that no one but the men in this part of the +plant were to be present at the casting. I can't understand what that +fellow wanted." + +"I think I can," murmured Tom, to himself. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A NIGHT INTRUDER + + +"Tom, aren't you going to try to get a look at that German?" whispered +Ned, as he and his chum came down from the elevated gallery at the +conclusion of the cast. "I mean the one who tried to get in!" + +"I'd like to, Ned, but I don't want to arouse any suspicion," replied +Tom. "I've got to stay here a while yet, and arrange about shrinking on +the jackets, after the core is rifled. I don't see how--" + +"I'll slip out and see if I can get a peep at him," went on Ned. "If +it's like the one Koku described, we'll know that he's still after you." + +"All right, Ned. Do as you like, only be cautious." + +"I will," promised Tom's chum. So, while the young inventor was busy +arranging details with the steel manager, Ned slipped out of a side +door of the casting shop, and looked about the yard. He saw a little +group of workmen surrounding a man who appeared to be angry. + +"I dell you dot is my shop!" one of the men was heard to exclaim--a man +whom the others appeared to dragging away with main force. + +"And I tell you, Baudermann, that you're mistaken!" insisted one, +evidently a foreman. "I told you to work in the brazing department. +What do you want to try to force your way into the heavy casting +department for? Especially when we're doing one of the biggest jobs +that we ever handled--making the new Swift cannon." + +"Oh, iss dot vot vas going on in dere?" asked the man addressed as +Baudermann. "Shure den, I makes a misdake. I ask your pardon, Herr +Blackwell. I to mine own apartment will go. But I dinks my foreman +sends me to dot place," and he indicated the casting shop from which he +had just been barred. + +"All right!" exclaimed the foreman. "Don't make that mistake again, or +I'll dock you for lost time." + +"Only just a twisted German employee, I guess," thought Ned, as he was +about to turn back. "I was mistaken. He probably didn't understand +where he was sent." + +He passed by the group of men, who, laughing and jeering at the German, +were showing him where to go. He seemed to be a new hand in the works. + +But as Ned passed he got one look at the man's face. Instead of a +stupid countenance, for one instant he had a glimpse of the sharpest, +brightest eyes he had ever looked into. And they were hard, cruel eyes, +too, with a glint of daring in them. And, as Ned glanced at his figure, +he thought he detected a trace of military stiffness--none of the +stoop-shouldered slouch that is always the mark of a moulder. The +fellow's hands, too, though black and grimy, showed evidences of care +under the dirt, and Ned was sure his uncouth language was assumed. + +"I'd like to know more about you," murmured Ned, but the man, with one +sharp glance at him, passed on, seemingly to his own department of the +works. + +"Well, what was it?" asked Tom, as his chum rejoined him. + +"Nothing very definite, but I'm sure there was something back of it +all, Tom. I wouldn't be surprised but what that fellow--whoever he +was--whatever his object was--hoped to get in to see the casting; +either to get some idea about your new gun, or to do some desperate +deed to spoil it." + +"Do you think that, Ned?" + +"I sure do. You've got to be on your guard, Tom." + +"I will. But I wonder what object anyone could have in spoiling my gun?" + +"So as to make his own cannon stand in a better light." + +"Still thinking of General Waller, are you?" + +"I am, Tom." + +There was nothing more to be done at present, and, as it would take +several days for the big mass of metal to properly cool, Tom, Ned and +Mr. Damon returned to Shopton. + +There Tom busied himself over many things. Ned helping him, and Mr. +Damon lending an occasional hand. Koku was very useful, for often his +great strength did what the combined efforts of Tom and his friends +could not accomplish. + +As for Eradicate, he "puttered around," doing all he could, which was +not much, for he was getting old. Still Tom would not think of +discharging him, and it was pitiful to see the old colored man try to +do things for the young inventor--tasks that were beyond his strength. +But if Koku offered to help, Eradicate would draw himself up, and +exclaim: + +"Git away fom heah! I guess dish yeah coon ain't forgot how t' wait on +Massa Tom. Go 'way, giant. I ain't so big as yo'-all, but I know de +English language, which is mo' 'n yo' all does. Go on an' lemme be!" + +Koku, good naturedly, gave place, for he, too, felt for Eradicate. + +"Well, Ned," remarked Tom one day, after the visit of the postman, "I +have a letter from the steel people. They are going to take the gun out +of the mould tomorrow, and start to rifle it. We'll take a run down in +the airship, and see how it looks. I must take those drawings, too, +that show the new plan of shrinking on the jackets. I guess I'll keep +them in my room, so I won't forget them." + +Tom and Ned occupied adjoining and connecting apartments, for, of late, +Ned had taken up his residence with his chum. It was shortly after +midnight that Ned was awakened by hearing someone prowling about his +room. At first he thought it was Tom, for the shorter way to the bath +lay through Ned's apartment, but when the lad caught the flash of a +pocket electric torch he knew it could not be Tom. + +"Who's there?" cried Ned sharply, sitting up in bed. + +Instantly the light went out, and there was silence. + +"Who's there?" cried Ned again. + +This time he thought he heard a stealthy footstep. + +"What is it?" called Tom from his chamber. + +"Someone is in here!" exclaimed Ned. "Look out, Tom!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +READY FOR THE TEST + + +Tom Swift acted promptly, for he realized the necessity. The events +that had hedged him about since he had begun work on his giant cannon +made him suspicious. He did not quite know whom to suspect, nor the +reasons for their actions, but he had been on the alert for several +days, and was now ready to act. + +The instant Ned answered as he did, and warned Tom, the young inventor +slid his hand under his pillow and pressed an auxiliary electric switch +he had concealed there. In a moment the rooms were flooded with a +bright light, and the two lads had a momentary glimpse of an intruder +making a dive for the window. + +"There he is, Tom!" cried Ned. + +"What do you want?" demanded Tom, instinctively. But the intruder did +not stay to answer. + +Instead, he made a dive for the casement. It was one story above the +ground, but this did not cause him any hesitation. It was summer, and +the window was open, though a wire mosquito net barred the aperture. +This was no hindrance to the man, however. + +As Ned and Tom leaped from their beds, Ned catching up the heavy, empty +water pitcher as a weapon, and Tom an old Indian war club that served +as one of the ornaments of his room, the fellow, with one kick, burst +the screen. + +Then, clambering out on the sill, he dropped from sight, the boys +hearing him land with a thud on the turf below. It was no great leap, +though the fall must have jarred him considerably, for the boys heard +him grunt, and then groan as if in pain. + +"Quick!" cried Ned. "Ring the bell for Koku, Ned. I want to capture +this fellow if possible." + +"Who is he?" asked Ned. + +"I don't know, but we'll see if we can size him up. Signal for the +giant!" + +There was an electric bell from Tom's room to the apartment of his big +servant, and a speaking tube as well. While Ned was pressing the +button, and hastily telling the giant what had happened, urging him to +get in pursuit of the intruder, Tom had taken from his bureau a +powerful, portable, electric flash lamp, of the same variety as that +used by the would-be thief. Only Tom's was provided with a tungsten +filament, which gave a glaring white pencil of light, increased by +reflectors. + +And in this glare the young inventor saw, speeding away over the lawn, +the form of a big man. + +"There he goes, Ned!" he shouted. + +"So I see. Koku will be right on the job. I told him not to dress. Can +you make out who the fellow is?" + +"No, his back is toward us. But he's limping, all right. I guess that +jump jarred him up a bit. Where is Koku?" + +"There he goes now!" exclaimed Ned, as a figure leaped from the side +door of the house--a gigantic figure, scantily clad. + +"Get to him, Koku!" cried Tom. + +"Me git, Master!" was the reply, and the giant sped on. + +"Let's go out and lend a hand!" suggested Ned, looking at the water +pitcher as though wondering what he had intended to do with it. + +"I'm with you," agreed Tom. "Only I want to get into something a little +more substantial than my pajamas." + +As the two lads hurriedly slipped on some clothing they heard the voice +of Mr. Swift calling: + +"What is it, Tom? Has anything happened?" + +"Nothing much," was the reassuring answer. "It was a near-happening, +only Ned woke up in time. Someone was in our rooms--a burglar, I guess." + +"A burglar! Good land a massy!" cried Eradicate, who had also gotten up +to see what the excitement was about. "Did you cotch him, Massa Tom?" + +"No, Rad; but Koku is after him." + +"Koku? Huh, he nebber cotch anybody. I'se got t' git out dere mahse'f! +Koku? Hu! I s'pects it's dat no-'count cousin ob mine, arter mah +chickens ag'in! I'll lambaste dat coon when I gits him, so I will. I'll +cotch him for yo'-all, Massa Tom," and, muttering to himself, the aged +colored man endeavored to assume the activity of former years. + +"Hark!" exclaimed Ned, as he and Tom were about ready to take part in +the chase. "What's that noise, Tom?" + +"Sounds like a motor-cycle." + +"It is. That fellow--" + +"It's the same chap!" interrupted Tom. "No use trying to chase him on +that speedy machine. He's a mile away from here by now. He must have +had it in waiting, ready for use. But come on, anyhow." + +"Where are you going?" + +"Out to the shop. I want to see if he got in there." + +"But the charged wires?" + +"He may have cut them. Come on." + +It was as Tom had suspected. The deadly, charged wires, that formed a +protecting cordon about his shops, had been cut, and that by an +experienced hand, probably by someone wearing rubber gloves, who must +have come prepared for that very purpose. During the night the current +was supplied to the wires from a storage battery, through an +intensifying coil, so that the charge was only a little less deadly +than when coming direct from a dynamo. + +"This looks bad, Tom," said Ned. + +"It does, but wait until we get inside and look around. I'm glad I took +my gun-plans to the house with me." + +But a quick survey of the shop did not reveal any damage done, nor had +anything been taken, as far as Tom could tell. The office of his main +shop was pretty well upset, and it looked as though the intruder had +made a search for something, and, not finding it, had entered the house. + +"It was the gun-plans he was after, all right," decided Tom. "And I +believe it was the same fellow who has been making trouble for me right +along." + +"You mean General Waller?" + +"No, that German--the one who was at the machine shop." + +"But who is he--what is his object?" + +"I don't know who he is, but he evidently wants my plans. Probably +he's a disappointed inventor, who has been trying to make a gun +himself, and can't. He wants some of my ideas, but he isn't going to +get them. Well, we may as well get back to bed, after I connect these +wires again. I must think up a plan to conceal them, so they can't be +cut." + +While Tom and Ned were engaged on this, Koku came back, much out of +breath, to report: + +"Me not git, Master. He git on bang-bang machine and go off--puff!" + +"So we heard, Koku. Never mind, we'll get him yet." + +"Hu! Ef I had de fust chanst at him, I'd a cotched dat coon suah!" +declared Eradicate, following the giant. "Koku he done git in mah way!" +and he glared indignantly at the big man. + +"That's all right, Rad," consoled Tom. "You did your best. Now we'll +all get to bed. I don't believe he'll come back." Nor did he. + +Tom and Ned were up at the first sign of daylight, for they wanted to +go to the steel works, some miles away, in time to see the cannon taken +out of the mould, and preparations made for boring the rifle channels. +They found the manager, anxiously waiting for them. + +"Some of my men are as interested in this as you are," he said to the +young inventor. "A number of them declare that the cast will be a +failure, while some think it will be a success." + +"I think it will be all right, if my plans were followed," said Tom. +"However, we'll see. By the way, what became of that German who made +such a disturbance the day we cast the core?" + +"Oh, you mean Baudermann?" + +"Yes." + +"Why, it's rather queer about him. The foreman of the shop where he was +detailed, saw that he was an experienced man, in spite of his seemingly +stupid ways, and he was going to promote him, only he never came back." + +"Never came back? What do you mean?" + +"I mean the day after the cast of the gun was made he disappeared, and +never came back." + +"Oh!" exclaimed Tom. He said nothing more, but he believed that he +understood the man's actions. Failing to obtain the desired +information, or perhaps failing to spoil the cast, he realized that his +chances were at an end for the present. + +With great care the gun was hoisted from the mould. More eyes than +Tom's anxiously regarded it as it came up out of the casting pit. + +"Bless my buttonhook!" cried Mr. Damon, who had gone with the lads. +"It's a monster; isn't it?" + +"Oh, wait until you see it with the jackets on!" exclaimed Ned, who had +viewed the completed drawings. "Then you'll open your eyes." + +The great piece of hollow steel tubing was lifted to the boring lathe. +Then Tom and the manager examined it for superficial flaws. + +"Not one!" cried the manager in delight. + +"Not that I can see," added Tom.. "It's a success--so far." + +"And that was the hardest part of the work," went on the manager of the +steel plant. "I can almost guarantee you success from now on." + +And, as far as the rifling was concerned, this was true. I will not +weary you with the details of how the great core of Tom Swift's giant +cannon was bored. Sufficient to say that, after some annoying delays, +caused by breaks in the machinery, which had never before been used on +such a gigantic piece of work, the rifling was done. After the jackets +had been shrunk on, it would be rifled again, to make it true in case +of any shrinkage. + +Then came the almost Herculean task of shrinking on the great red-hot +steel jackets and wire-windings, that would add strength to the great +cannon. To do this the central core was set up on end, and the jackets, +having been heated in an immense furnace, were hoisted by a great crane +over the core, and lowered on it as one would lower his napkin ring +over the rolled up napkin. + +It took weeks of hard work to do this, and Tom and Ned, with Mr. Damon +occasionally for company, remained almost constantly at the plant. But +finally the cannon was completed, the rifling was done over again to +correct any imperfections, and the manager said: + +"Your cannon is completed, Mr. Swift. I want to congratulate you on it. +Never have we done such a stupendous piece of work. Only for your plans +we could not have finished it. It was too big a problem for us. Your +cannon is completed, but, of course, it will have to be mounted. What +about the carriage?" + +"I have plans for that," replied Tom; "but for the present I am going +to put it on a temporary one. I want to test the gun now. It looks all +right, but whether it will shoot accurately, and for a greater distance +than any cannon has ever sent a projectile before, is yet to be seen." + +"Where will you test it?" + +"That is what we must decide. I don't want to take it too far from +here. Perhaps you can select a place where it would be safe to fire it, +say with a range of about thirty miles." + +"Thirty miles! why, my dear sir--" + +"Oh, I'm not altogether sure that it will go that distance," +interrupted Tom, with a smile; "but I'm going to try for it, and I want +to be on the safe side. Is there such a place near here?" + +"Yes, I guess we can pick one out. I'll let you know." + +"Then I must get back and arrange for my powder supply," went on the +young inventor. "We'll soon test my giant cannon!" + +"Bless my ear-drums!" cried Mr. Damon. "I hope nothing bursts. For if +that goes up, Tom Swift--" + +"I'm not making it to burst," put in Tom, with a smile. "Don't worry. +Now, Ned, back to Shopton to get ready for the test." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +A WARNING + + +"Whew, how it rains!" exclaimed Ned, as he looked out of the window. + +"And it doesn't seem to show any signs of letting up," remarked Tom. +"It's been at it nearly a week now, and it is likely to last a week +longer." + +"It's beastly," declared his chum. "How can you test your gun in this +weather?" + +"I can't. I've got to wait for it to clear." + +"Bless my rubber boots! it's just got to stop some time," declared Mr. +Damon. "Don't worry, Tom." + +"But I don't like this delay. I have heard that General Waller has +perfected a new gun--and it's a fine one, from all accounts. He has +the proving grounds at Sandy Hook to test his on, and I'm handicapped +here. He may beat me out." + +"Oh, I hope not, Tom!" exclaimed Ned. "I'm going to see what the +weather reports say," and he went to hunt up a paper. + +It was several weeks after the completion of Tom's giant cannon. In the +meanwhile the gun had been moved by the steel company to a +little-inhabited part of New York State, some miles from the plant. The +gun had been mounted on an improvised carriage, and now Tom and his +friends were waiting anxiously for a chance to try it. + +The work was not complete, for the steel company employees had been +hampered by the rain. Never before, it seemed, had there been so much +water coming down from the clouds. Nearly every day was misty, with +gradations from mere drizzles to heavy downpours. There were +occasional clear stretches, however, and during them the men worked. + +A few more days of clear weather would be needed before the gun could +be fastened securely to the carriage, and then Tom could fire one of +the great projectiles that had been cast for it. Not until then would +he know whether or not his cannon was going to be a success. + +Meanwhile nothing more had been heard or seen of the spy. He appeared +to have given up his attempts to steal Tom's secret, or to spoil his +plans, if such was his object. + +The place of the test, as I have said, was in a deserted spot. On one +side of a great valley the gun was being set up. Its muzzle pointed up +the valley, toward the side of a mountain, into which the gigantic +projectile could plow its way without doing any damage. Tom was going +to fire two kinds of cannon balls--a solid one, and one containing an +explosive. + +The gun was so mounted that the muzzle could be elevated or depressed, +or swung from side to side. In this way the range could be varied. Tom +estimated that the greatest possible range would be thirty miles. It +could not be more than that, he decided, and he hoped it would not be +much less. This extreme range could be attained by elevating the gun to +exactly the proper pitch. Of course, any shorter range could, within +certain limits, also be reached. + +The gun was pointed slantingly up the valley, and there was ample room +to attain the thirty-mile range without doing any damage. + +At the head of the valley, some miles from where the giant cannon was +mounted, was an immense dam, built recently by a water company for +impounding a stream and furnishing a supply of drinking water for a +distant city. At the other end of the valley was the thriving village +of Preston. A railroad ran there, and it was to Preston station that +Tom's big gun had been sent, to be transported afterward, on specially +made trucks, drawn by powerful autos, to the place where it was now +mounted. + +Tom had been obliged to buy a piece of land on which to build the +temporary carriage, and also contract for a large slice of the opposite +mountain, as a target against which to fire his projectiles. + +The valley, as I have said, was desolate. It was thickly wooded in +spots, and in the centre, near the big dam, which held back the waters +of an immense artificial lake, was a great hill, evidently a relic of +some glacial epoch. This hill was a sort of division between two +valleys. + +Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon, with Koku, and some of the employees of the steel +company, had hired a deserted farmhouse not far from the place where +the gun was being mounted. In this they lived, while Tom directed +operations. + +"The paper says 'clear' tomorrow," read Ned, on his return. "'Clear, +with freshening winds.'" + +"That means rain, with no wind at all," declared Tom, with a sigh. +"Well, it can't be helped. As Mr. Damon says, it will clear some time." + +"Bless my overshoes!" exclaimed the odd gentleman. "It always has +cleared; hasn't it?" + +No one could deny this. + +There came a slackening in the showers, and Tom and Ned, donning +raincoats, went out to see how the work was progressing. They found +the men from the steel concern busy at the great piece of engineering. + +"How are you coming on?" asked Tom of the foreman. + +"We could finish it in two days if this rain would only let up," +replied the man. + +"Well, let's hope that it will," observed Tom. + +"If it doesn't, there's likely to be trouble up above," went on the +foreman, nodding in the direction of the great dam. + +"What do you mean?" + +"I mean that the water is getting too high. The dam is weakening, I +heard." + +"Is that so? Why, I thought they had made it to stand any sort of a +flood." + +"They evidently didn't count on one like this. They've got the engineer +who built it up there, and they're doing their best to strengthen it. I +also heard that they're preparing to dynamite it to open breeches here +and there in it, in case it is likely to give way suddenly." + +"You don't mean it! Say, if it does go out with a rush it will wipe out +the village." + +"Yes, but it can't hurt us," went on the foreman. "We're too high up on +the side of the hill. Even if the dam did burst, if the course of the +water could be changed, to send it down that other valley, it would do +no harm, for there are no settlements over there," and he pointed to +the distant hill. + +It was near this hill that Tom intended to direct his projectiles, and +on the other side of it was another valley, running at right angles to +the one crossed by the dam. + +As the foreman had said, if the waters (in case the dam burst) could be +turned into this transverse valley, the town could be saved. + +"But it would take considerable digging to open a way through that side +of the mountain, into the other valley," went on the man. + +"Yes," said Tom, and then he gave the matter no further thought, for +something came up that needed his attention. + +"Have you your explosive here?" asked the foreman of the young inventor +the next day, when the weather showed signs of clearing. + +"Yes, some of it," said Tom. "I have another supply in a safe place in +the village. I didn't want to bring too much here until the gun was to +be fired. I can easily get it if we need it. Jove! I wish it would +clear. I want to get out in my Humming Bird, but I can't if this keeps +up." Tom had brought one of his speedy little airships with him to +Preston. + +The following day the clouds broke a little, and on the next the sun +shone. Then the work on the gun went on apace. Tom and his friends were +delighted. + +"Well, I think we can try a shot tomorrow!" announced Tom with delight +on the evening of the first clear day, when all hands had worked at +double time. + +"Bless my powder-horn!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You don't mean it!" + +"Yes, the gun is all in place," went on the young inventor. "Of course, +it's only a temporary carriage, and not the disappearing one I shall +eventually use. But it will do. I'm going to try a shot tomorrow. +Everything is in readiness." + +There came a knock on the door of the room Tom had fitted up as an +office in the old farmhouse. + +"Who is it?" he asked. + +"Me--Koku," was the answer. + +"Well, what do you want, Koku?" + +"Man here say him must see Master." + +Tom and Ned looked at each other, suspicion in their eyes. + +"Maybe it's that spy again," whispered Ned. + +"If it is, we'll be ready for him," murmured his chum. "Show him in, +Koku, and you come in too." + +But the man who entered at once disarmed suspicion. He was evidently a +workman from the dam above, and his manner was strangely excited. + +"You folks had better get out of here!" he exclaimed. + +"Why?" asked Tom, wondering what was going to happen. + +"Why? Because our dam is going to burst within a few hours. I've been +sent to warn the folks in town in time to let them take to the hills. +You'd better move your outfit. The dam can't last twenty-four hours +longer!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE BURSTING DAM + + +"Bless my fountain pen!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You don't mean it!" + +"I sure do!" went on the man who had brought the startling news. "And +the folks down below aren't going to have any more time than they need +to get out of the way. They'll have to lose some of their goods, I +reckon. But I thought I'd stop on my way down and warn you. You'd +better be getting a hustle on." + +"It's very kind of you," spoke Tom; "but I don't fancy we are in any +danger." + +"No danger!" cried the man. "Say, when that water begins to sweep-down +here nothing on earth can stop it. That big gun of yours, heavy as it +is, will be swept away like a straw, I know--I saw the Johnstown flood!" + +"But we're so high up on the side of the hill, that the water won't +come here," put in Ned. "We had that all figured out when we heard the +dam was weak. We're not in any danger; do you think so, Tom?" + +"Well, I hardly do, or I would not have set the gun where I did. Tell +me," he went on to the man, "is there any way of opening the dam, to +let the water out gradually?" + +"There is, but the openings are not enough with such a flood as this. +The engineers never counted on so much rain. It's beyond any they ever +had here. You see, there was a small creek that we dammed up to make +our lake. Some of the water from the spillway flows into that now, but +its channel won't hold a hundredth part of the flood if the dam goes +out. + +"You'd better move, I tell you. The dam is slowly weakening. We've +done all we can to save it, but that's out of the question. The only +thing to do is to run while there's time. We've tried to make +additional openings, but we daren't make any more, or the wall will be +so weakened that it will go out in less than twenty-four hours. + +"You've had your warning, now profit by it!" he added. "I'm going to +tell those poor souls down in the valley below. It will be tough on +them; but it can't be helped." + +"If the dam bursts and the water could only be turned over into the +transverse valley, this one would be safe," said Tom, in a low voice. + +"Yes, but it can't be done!" the messenger exclaimed. "Our engineers +thought of that, but it would take a week to open a channel, and there +isn't time. It can't be done!" + +"Maybe it can," spoke Tom, softly, but no one asked him what he meant. + +"Well, I must be off," the man went on. "I've done my duty in warning +you." + +"Yes, you have," agreed Tom, "and if any damage comes to us it will be +our own fault. But I don't believe there will." + +The man hastened out, murmuring something about "rash and foolhardy +people." + +"What are you going to do, Tom?" asked Ned. + +"Stay right here." + +"But if the dam bursts?" + +"It may not, but, if it does, we'll be safe. I have had a look at the +water, and there's no chance for it to rise here, even if the whole dam +went out at once, which is not likely. Don't worry. We'll be all +right." + +"Bless my checkbook!" cried Mr. Damon. "But what about those poor +people in the valley?" + +"They will have time to flee, and save their lives," spoke the young +inventor; "but they may lose their homes. They can sue the water +company for damages, though. Now don't do any more worrying, but get to +bed, and be ready for the test tomorrow. And the first thing I do I'm +going to have a little flight in the Humming Bird to get my nerves in +trim. This long rain has gotten me in poor shape. Koku, you must be on +the alert tonight. I don't want anything to happen to my gun at the +last minute." + +"Me watch!" exclaimed the giant, significantly, as he picked up a heavy +club. + +"Do you anticipate any trouble?" asked Ned, anxiously. + +"No, but it's best to be on the safe side," answered Tom. "Now let's +turn in." + +Certainly the next day, bright and sunshiny as it broke, had in it +little of impending disaster. The weather was fine after the +long-continued rains, and the whole valley seemed peaceful and quiet. +At the far end could be seen the great dam, with water pouring over it +in a thin sheet, forming a small stream that trickled down the centre +of the valley, and to the town below. + +But, through great pipes that led to the drinking system, though they +were unseen, thundered immense streams of solid water, reducing by as +much as the engineers were able the pressure on the concrete wall. + +Tom and Ned, in the Humming Bird, took a flight out to the dam shortly +after breakfast, when the steel men were putting a few finishing +touches to the gun carriage, ready for the test that was to take place +about noon. + +"It doesn't look as though it would burst," observed Ned, as the +aircraft hovered over the big artificial lake. + +"No," agreed Tom. "But I suppose the engineers want to be on the safe +side in case of damage suits. I want to take a look at the place where +the other valley comes up to this at right angles." + +He steered his powerful little craft in that direction, and circled low +over the spot. + +"A bursting projectile, about where that big white stone is, would do +the trick," murmured Tom. + +"What trick?" asked Ned, curiously. + +"Oh, I guess I was talking to myself," admitted Tom, with a laugh. "I +may not have to do it, Ned." + +"Well, you're talking in riddles today, all right, Tom. When you get +ready to put me wise, please do." + +"I will. Now we'll get back, and fire our first long shot. I do hope I +make a record." + +There was much to be done, in spite of the fact that the foreman of the +steel workers assured Tom that all was in readiness. It was some time +that afternoon when word was given for those who wished to retire to an +improvised bomb-proof. Word had previously been sent down the valley so +that no one, unless he was looking for trouble, need be in the vicinity +of the gun, nor near where the shots were to land. + +Through powerful glasses Tom and Ned surveyed the distant mountain that +was to be the target. Several great squares of white cloth had been put +at different bare spots to make the finding of the range easy. + +"I guess we're ready now," announced the young inventor, a bit +nervously. "Bring up the powder, Koku." + +"Me bring," exclaimed the giant, calmly, as he went to the bomb-proof +where the powerful explosive was kept. + +The great projectile was in readiness to be slung into the breech by +means of the hoisting apparatus, for it weighed close to two tons. It +was carefully inserted under Tom's supervision. It carried no bursting +charge, for Tom's first shot was merely to establish the extreme range +that his cannon would shoot. + +"Now the powder," called the young inventor. To avoid accidents Koku +handled this himself, the hoisting apparatus being dispensed with. Tom +figured out that five hundred pounds of his new, powerful explosive +would be about the right amount to use, and this quantity, divided into +several packages to make the handling easier, was quickly inserted in +the breech of the gun by Koku. + +"Bless my doormat!" cried Mr. Damon, who stood near, looking nervously +on. "Don't drop any of that." + +"Me no drop," was the answer. + +Tom was busily engaged in figuring on a bit of paper, and Ned, who +looked over his shoulder, saw a complicated compilation that looked to +be a combination of geometry, algebra, differential calculus and other +higher mathematics. + +"What are you doing, Tom?" he asked. + +"I'm trying to confirm my own theories by means of figures, to see if I +can really reach that farthest target." + +"What, not the one thirty miles away. + +"That's it, Ned. I want to get a thirty-mile range if I can." + +"It isn't possible, Tom." + +"Bless my tape measure! I should say not!" cried Mr. Damon. + +"We'll see," replied Tom, quietly. "Put in the primer, Ned; and, Koku, +close the breech and slot it home." + +In a few seconds the great gun was ready for firing. + +"Now," said Tom, "this thing may be all right, and it may not. The +only thing that can cause an accident will be a flaw in the steel. No +one can guard against that. So, in order to be on the safe side, we +will all go into the bomb-proof, and I will fire the gun from there. +The wires are long enough." + +They all agreed that this was good advice, and soon the steel men and +Tom's friends were gathered in a sort of cave that had been hollowed +out in the side of the hill, and at an angle from the big gun. + +"If it does burst--which I hope it won't," said Tom, "the pieces will +fly in straight lines, so we will be safe enough here. Ned, are you are +ready at the instruments?" + +"Yes, Tom." + +"I want you to note the registered muzzle velocity. Mr. Damon, you will +please read the pressure gauge. After I press the button I'm going to +watch the landing of the projectile through the telescope." + +The gun had been pointed, as I have said, at the farthest target--one +thirty miles away, telescope sights on the giant cannon making this +possible. + +"All ready!" cried Tom. + +"All ready," answered Ned. + +There was a tense moment; Tom's thumb pressed home the electric button, +and then came the explosion. + +It seemed for a moment as if everyone was lifted from his feet. They +had all stood on their tiptoes, and opened their mouths to lessen the +shock, but even then it was terrific. The very ground shook--from the +roof of their cave small stones and gravel rattled down on their heads. +Their ear-drums were numbed from the shock. And the noise that filled +the valley seemed like a thousand thunderbolts merged into one. + +Tom rushed from the bombproof, dropping the electric button. He caught +sight of his gun, resting undisturbed on the improvised carriage. + +"Hurray!" he cried in delight. "She stood the charge all right. And +look! look!" he cried, as he pointed the glasses toward the distant +hillside. "There goes my projectile as straight as an arrow. There! By +Caesar, Ned! It landed within three feet of the target! Oh, you +beauty!" he yelled at his giant cannon. "You did all I hoped you would! +Thirty miles, Ned! Think of that! A two-ton projectile being shot +thirty miles!" + +"It's great, Tom!" yelled his chum, clapping him on the back, and +capering about. "It's the longest shot on record." + +"It certainly is," declared the foreman of the steel workers, who had +helped in casting many big guns. "No cannon ever made can equal it. You +win, Tom Swift!" + +"Bless my armor plate!" gasped Mr. Damon. "What attacking ship against +the Panama Canal could float after a shot like that." + +"Not one," declared Tom; "especially after I put a bursting charge into +the projectile. We'll try that next." + +By means of compressed air the gases and some particles of the +unexploded powder were blown out of the big cannon. Then it was loaded +again, the projectile this time carrying a bursting charge of another +explosive that would be set off by concussion. + +Once more they retired to the bombproof, and again the great gun was +fired. Once more the ground shook, and they were nearly deafened by the +shock. + +Then, as they looked toward the distant hillside, they saw a shower of +earth and great rocks rise up. It was like a sand geyser. Then, when +this settled back again, there was left a gaping hole in the side of +the mountain. + +"That does the business!" cried Tom. "My cannon is a success!" + +The last shot did not go quite as far as the first, but it was because +a different kind of projectile was used. Tom was perfectly satisfied, +however. Several more trials were given the gun, and each one confirmed +the young inventor in his belief that he had made a wonderful weapon. + +"If that doesn't fortify the Panama Canal nothing will," declared Ned. + +"Well, I hope I can convince Uncle Sam of that," spoke Tom, simply. + +The muzzle velocity and the pressure were equal to Tom's highest hopes. +He knew, now, that he had hit on just the right mixture of powder, and +that his gun was correctly proportioned. It showed not the slightest +strain. + +"Now we'll try another bursting shell," he said, after a rest, during +which some records were made. "Then we'll call it a day's work. Koku, +bring up some more powder. I'll use a little heavier charge this time." + +It was while the gun was being loaded that a horseman was seen riding +wildly down the valley. He was waving a red flag in his hand. + +"Bless my watch chain!" cried Mr. Damon. "What's that?" + +"It looks as though he was coming to give us a warning," suggested the +steel foreman. + +"Maybe someone has kicked about our shooting," remarked Ned. + +"I hope not," murmured Tom. + +He looked at the horseman anxiously. The rider came nearer and nearer, +wildly waving his flag. He seemed to be shouting something, but his +words could not be made out. Finally he came near enough to be heard. + +"The dam! The dam!" he cried. "It's bursting. Your shots have hastened +it. The cracks are widening. You'd better get away!" And he galloped on. + +"Bless my toilet soap!" gasped Mr. Damon. + +"I was afraid of this!" murmured Tom. "But, since our shots have +hastened the disaster, maybe we can avert it." + +"How?" demanded Ned. + +"I'll show you. All hands come here and we'll shift this gun. I want it +to point at that big white stone!" and he indicated an immense boulder, +well up the valley, near the place where the two great gulches joined. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE DOPED POWDER + + +"What are you going to do, Tom?" cried Ned, as he, with the others, +worked the hand gear that shifted the big gun. When it was permanently +mounted electricity would accomplish this work. "What's your game, +Tom?" + +"Don't you remember, Ned? When we were talking about the chance of the +dam bursting, I said if the current of suddenly released water could be +turned into the other valley, the people below us would be saved." + +"Yes." + +"Well, that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to fire a bursting shell +at the point where the two valleys come together. I'll break down the +barrier of rock and stone between them." + +"Bless my shovel and hoe!" cried Mr. Damon. + +"If we can turn enough of the water into the other valley, where no one +lives, and where it can escape into the big river there, the amount +that will flow down this valley will be so small that only a little +damage will be done." + +"That's right!" declared the steel foreman, as he caught Tom's idea. +"It's the only way it could be done, too, for there won't be time to +make the necessary excavation any other way. Is the gun swung around +far enough, Mr. Swift?" + +"No, a little more toward me," answered Tom, as he peered through the +telescope sights. "There, that will do. Now to get the proper +elevation," and he began to work the other apparatus, having estimated +the range as well as he could. + +In a few seconds the giant cannon was properly trained on the white +rock. Meanwhile the horseman, with his red flag, had continued on down +the valley. In spite of his warning of the night before, it developed +that a number had disregarded it, and had remained in their homes. Most +of the inhabitants, however, had fled to the hills, to stay in tents, +or with such neighbors as could accommodate them. Some lingered to move +their household goods, while others fled with what they could carry. + +It was to see that the town was deserted by these late-stayers that the +messenger rode, crying his warning as did the messenger at the bursting +of the Johnstown dam twenty-odd years ago. + +"The projectile!" cried Tom, as he saw that all was in readiness. +"Lively now! I can see the top of the dam beginning to crumble," and he +laid aside the telescope he had been using. + +The projectile, with a heavy charge of bursting powder, was slung into +the breech of the gun. + +"Now the powder, Koku!" called Tom. "Be quick; but not so fast that you +drop any of it." + +"Me fetch," responded the giant, as he hastened toward the small cave +where the explosive was kept. As the big man brought the first lot, and +Ned was about to insert it in the breech of the gun, behind the +projectile, Tom exclaimed: + +"Just let me have a look at that. It's some that I first made, and I +want to be sure it hasn't gone stale." + +Critically he looked at the powerful explosive. As he did so a change +came over his face. + +"Here, Koku!" the young inventor said. "Where did you get this?" + +"In cave, Master." + +"Is there any more left?" + +"Only enough for this one shoot." + +"By Jove!" muttered Tom. "There's been some trick played here!" and he +set off on a run toward the bomb-proof. + +"What's the matter?" cried Ned, as he noticed the agitation of his chum. + +"The powder has been doped!" yelled Tom. "Something has been put in it +to make it nonexplosive. It's no good. It wouldn't send that shell a +thousand yards, and it's got to go five miles to do any good. My plan +won't work." + +"Doped the powder?" gasped Ned. "Who could have done it?" + +"I don't know. There must have been some spy at work. Quick, run and +ask the foreman if any of his men are missing. I'll see if there's +enough of the good powder left to break down the barrier!" + +Ned was away like a shot, while the others, not knowing what to make of +the strange conduct of the two lads, looked on in wonder. Tom raced +toward the cave where the powder was stored, Koku following him. + +"Bless my shoe laces!" cried Mr. Damon. "Look at the dam now!" + +They gazed to where he pointed. In several places the concrete spillway +had crumbled down to a ragged edge, showing that the solid wall was +giving way. The amount of water flowing over the dam was greater now. +The creek was steadily rising. Down the valley the horseman with the +red flag was but a speck in the distance. + +"What can I do? What can I do?" murmured Tom. "If all the powder there +is left has been doped, I can't save the town! What can I do? What can +I do?" + +Ned had reached the foreman, who, with his helpers, was standing about +the big gun. + +"Have any of your men left recently?" yelled Ned. + +"Any of my men left? What do you mean? + +"Schlichter went yesterday," said the timekeeper. "I thought he was in +quite a hurry to get his money, too." + +"Schlichter gone!" exclaimed the foreman. "He was no good anyhow. I +think he was a sort of Anarchist; always against the government, the +way he talked. So he has left; eh? But what's the matter, Ned?" + +"Something wrong with the powder. Tom can't shoot the cannon and turn +aside the water to save the town. Some of his enemies have been at +work. Schlichter leaving at this time, and in such hurry, makes it look +suspicious." + +"It sure does! And, now I recall it, I saw him yesterday near your +powder magazine. I called him down for it, for I knew Tom Swift had +given orders that only his own party was to go near it. So the powder +is doped; eh?" + +"Yes! It's all off now." + +He turned to see Tom approaching on the run. + +"Any good powder left?" asked Ned. + +"Not a pound. Did you hear anything?" + +"Yes, one man has disappeared. Oh, Tom, we've got to fail after all! We +can't save the town!" + +"Yes, we can, Ned. If that dam will only hold for half an hour more." + +"What do you mean?" + +"I mean that I have another supply of good powder in the village. I +secreted some there, you remember I told you. If I can go get that, and +get back here in time, I can break down the barrier with one shot, and +save Preston." + +"But you never can make the trip there and back in time, with the +powder, Tom. It's impossible. The dam may hold half an hour, or it may +not. But, if it does, you can't do anything!" + +"I can't? Well, I'm going to make a big try, Ned. You stay on the job +here. Have everything ready so that when I get back with the new +explosive, which I hope hasn't been tampered with, I can shove it into +the breech, and set it off. Have the wires, primers and button all +ready for me." + +Then Tom set off on the run. + +"Where are you going?" gasped his chum. "You can never run to Preston +and back in time." + +"I don't intend to. I'm going in my airship. Koku, never mind bringing +the rest of the powder from the cave. It's no good. Run out the Humming +Bird. I'm going to drive her to the limit. I've just got to get that +powder here on time!" + +"Bless my timetable!" gasped Mr. Damon. "That's the only way it can be +done. Lucky Tom brought the airship along!" + +The young inventor, pausing only to get some cans for the explosive, +and some straps with which to fasten them in the monoplane, leaped into +the speedy craft. + +The motor was adjusted; Koku whirled the propeller blades. There was a +staccato succession of explosions, a rushing, roaring sound, and then +the craft rose like a bird, and Tom circled about, making a straight +course for the distant town, while below him the creek rose higher and +higher as the dam continued to crumble away. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +BLOWING DOWN THE BARRIER + + +"Can you see anything of him, Ned?" + +"Not a thing, Mr. Damon. Wait--hold on--no! It's only a bird," and the +lad lowered the glasses with which he had been sweeping the sky. +looking for his chum returning in his airship with the powder. + +"He'd better hurry," murmured the foreman. "That dam can't last much +longer. The water is rising fast. When it does go out it will go with a +rush. Then good-bye to the village of Preston." + +"Bless my insurance policy!" cried Mr. Damon. "Don't say such things, +my friend." + +"But they're true!" insisted the man. "You can see for yourself that +the cracks in the dam are getting larger. It will be a big flood when +it does come. And I'm not altogether sure that we're safe up here," he +added, as he looked down the sides of the hill to where the creek was +now rapidly becoming a raging torrent. + +"Bless my hat-band!" gasped Mr. Damon. "You--you are getting on my +nerves!" + +"I don't want to be a calamity howler," went on the foreman; "but we've +got to face this thing. We'd better get ready to vamoose if Tom Swift +doesn't reach here in time to fire that shot--and he doesn't seem to be +in sight." + +Once more Ned swept the sky with his glasses. The roar of the water +below them could be plainly heard now. + +"I wish I could get hold of that rascally German," muttered the +foreman. "I'd give him more than a piece of my mind. It will be his +fault if the town is destroyed, for Tom's plan would have saved it. I +wonder who he can be, anyhow?" + +"Some spy," declared Ned. "We've been having trouble right along, you +know, and this is part of the game. I have some suspicions, but Tom +doesn't agree with me. Certainly the fellow, whatever his object, has +made trouble enough this time." + +"I should say so," agreed the foreman. + +"Look, Ned!" cried Mr. Damon. "Is that a bird; or is it Tom?" and he +pointed to a speck in the sky. Ned quickly focused his glasses on it. + +"It's Tom!" he cried a second later. "It's Tom in the Humming Bird!" + +"Thank Heaven for that!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, fervently, forgetting to +bless anything on this occasion. "If only he can get here in time!" + +"He's driving her to the limit!" cried Ned, still watching his chum +through the glass. "He's coming!" + +"He'll need to," murmured the foreman, grimly. "That dam can't last ten +minutes more. Look at the people fleeing from the valley!" + +He pointed to the north, and a confused mass of small black +objects--men, women and children, doubtless, who had lingered in spite +of the other warning--could be seen clambering up the sides of the +valley. + +"Is everything ready at the gun?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"Everything," answered Ned, whom Tom had instructed in all the +essentials. "As soon as he lands we'll jam in the powder, and fire the +shot." + +"I hope he doesn't land too hard, with all that explosive on board," +murmured the foreman. + +"Bless my checkerboard!" cried Mr. Damon. "Don't suggest such a thing." + +"I guess we can trust Tom," spoke Ned. + +They looked up. The distant throb of the monoplane's motor could now be +heard above the roar of the swollen waters. Tom could be seen in his +seat, and beside him, in the other, was a large package. + +Nearer and nearer came the monoplane. It began to descend, very gently, +for well Tom Swift knew the danger of hitting the ground too hard with +the cargo he carried. + +He described a circle in the air to check his speed. Then, gently as a +bird, he made a landing not far from the gun, the craft running easily +over one of the few level places on the side of the hill. Tom yanked on +the brake, and the iron-shod pieces of wood dug into the ground, +checking the progress of the monoplane on its bicycle wheels. + +"Have you got it, Tom?" yelled Ned. + +"I have," was the answer of the young inventor as he leaped from his +seat. + +"Is it good powder?" asked the foreman, anxiously. + +"I don't know," spoke Tom. "I didn't have time to look. I just rushed +up to where I had stored it, got some out and came back with the motor +at full speed. Ran into an airpocket, too, and I thought it was all up +with me when I began to fall. But I managed to get out of it. Say, +we're going to have it nip and tuck here to save the village." + +"That's what!" agreed the foreman, as he helped Koku take the cans of +explosive. + +"Wait until I look at it," suggested Tom, as he opened one. His trained +eye and touch soon told him that this explosive had not been tampered +with. + +"It's all right!" he shouted. "Into the gun with it, and we'll see what +happens." + +It was the work of only a few moments to put in the charge. Then, once +more, the breech-block was slotted home, and the trailing electric +wires unreeled to lead to the bomb-proof. + +Tom Swift took one last look through the telescope sights of his giant +cannon. He changed the range slightly by means of the hand and +worm-screw gear, and then, with the others, ran to the shelter of the +cave. For, though the gun had stood the previous tests well, Tom had +used a heavier charge this time, both in the firing chamber and in the +projectile, and he wanted to take no chances. + +"All ready?" asked the young inventor, as he looked around at his +friends gathered in the cave. + +"I--I guess so," answered Ned, somewhat doubtfully. + +Tom hesitated a moment, then, as his fingers stiffened to press the +electric button there sounded to the ears of all a dull, booming sound. + +"The dam! It has given way!" cried Ned. + +"That's it!" shouted the foreman. "Fire!" + +Tom pressed the button. Once again was that awful tremor of the +earth--the racking shake--the terrific explosion and a shock that +knocked a couple of the men down. + +"All right!" shouted Tom. "The gun held together. It's safe to go out. +We'll see what happened!" + +They all rushed from the shelter of the cave. Before them was an +awe-inspiring sight. A great wall of water was coming down the valley, +from a large opening in the centre of the dam. It seemed to leap +forward like a race horse. + +Tom declared afterward that he saw his projectile strike the barrier +that separated one valley from the other, but none of the others had +eyesight as keen as this--and perhaps Tom was in error. + +But there was no doubt that they all saw what followed. They heard a +distant report as the great projectile burst. Then a wall of earth +seemed to rise up in front of the advancing wall of water. High into +the air great stones and masses of dirt were thrown. + +"A good shot!" cried the foreman. "Just in the right place, Tom Swift!" + +For a moment it was as though that wall of water hesitated, not +deciding whether to continue on down the populated valley, or to swing +over into the other gash where it could do comparatively little harm. +It was a moment of suspense. + +Then, as Tom's great shot had, by means of the exploding projectile, +torn down the barrier, the water chose the more direct and shorter +path. With a mighty roar, like a distant Niagara, it swept into the new +channel the young inventor had made. Into the transverse valley it +tumbled and tossed in muddy billows of foam, and only a small portion +of the flood added itself to the already swollen creek. + +The village of Preston had been saved by the shot from Tom's giant +cannon. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS + + +"Whew! Let me sit down somewhere and get my breath!" gasped Tom, when +it was all over. + +"I should think you would want a bit of quiet," replied Ned. "You've +been on the jump since early morning." + +"Bless my dining-room table!" cried Mr. Damon. "I should say so! I'll +go tell the cook to get us all a good meal--we need it," for a +competent cook had been installed in the old farmhouse where Tom and +his party had their headquarters. + +"But you did the trick, Tom, old man!" exclaimed Ned, fervently, as he +looked down the valley and saw the receding water. For, with the +opening of the channel into the other valley the flood, at no time +particularly dangerous near Preston, was subsiding rapidly. + +"He sure did," declared the foreman. "No one else could have done it, +either." + +"Oh, I don't know," spoke Tom, modestly. "It just happened so. There +was one minute, though, after I got to the place in Preston where I had +stored the powder, that I didn't know whether I would succeed or not." + +"How was that?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"Why, in my hurry and excitement I forgot the key to the underground +storeroom where I had put the explosive. I knew there was no time to +get another, so I took a chance and burst in the door with an axe I +found in the freight depot." + +"I should say you did take a chance!" declared Ned, who knew how +"freaky" the high explosive was, and how likely it was, at times, to be +set off by the least concussion. + +"But it came out all right," went on Tom. "I bundled it into the other +seat of my Humming Bird, and started back." + +"Had most of the folks left town?" asked the foreman. + +"Nearly all," replied Tom. "The last of them were hurrying away as I +left. And it shows how scared they were, they didn't pay any attention +to me and my flying machine, though I'll wager some of them never saw +one before." + +"Well, they don't need to be scared any more," put in Mr. Damon "You +saved their homes for them, Tom." + +"I'd like to get hold of the fellow who doped my powder; that's what +I'd like to do," murmured the young inventor. "Ned, we'll have to be +doubly watchful from now on. But I must take a look at my gun. That +last charge may have strained it." + +But the giant cannon was as perfect as the day it was turned out of the +shop. Not even the extra charge of the powerful explosive had injured +it. + +"That's fine!" cried Tom, as he looked at every part. "As soon as this +flood is over we'll try some more practice shots. But we're all +entitled to a rest now." + +The great gun was covered with tarpaulins to protect it from the +weather, and then all retired to the house for a bountiful meal. Late +that afternoon nearly all signs of the flood had disappeared, save that +along the edges of the creek was much driftwood, showing the height to +which the creek had risen. But it would have gone much higher had it +not been for Tom's timely shot. + +The water from the impounded lake continued to pour down into the cross +valley, and did some damage, but nothing like what would have followed +its advent into Preston. The few inhabitants of the gulch into which +the young inventor had directed the flood had had warning, and had fled +in time. In Preston, some few houses nearest the banks of the rising +creek were flooded, but were not carried away. + +The following day some of the officers of the water company paid a +visit to Tom, to thank him for what he had done. But for him they would +have been responsible for great property damage, and loss of life might +have followed. + +They intended to rebuild the dam, they said, on a new principle, making +it much stronger. + +"And," said the president, "we will have an emergency outlet gate into +that valley you so providentially opened for us, Mr. Swift. Then, in +time of great rain, we can let the water out slowly as we need to." + +Tom's chief anxiety, now, was to bring his perfected gun to the notice +of the United States Government officials. To have them accept it, he +knew he must give it a test before the ordnance board, and before the +officers of the army and navy. Accordingly he prepared for this. + +He ordered several new projectiles, some of a different type from those +heretofore used, and leaving Koku and Ned in charge of the gun, went +back to Shopton to superintend the manufacture of an additional supply +of his explosive. He took care, too, that no spies gained access to it. + +Then, with a plentiful supply of ammunition and projectiles, Tom +resumed his practice in the lonely valley. He had, in the meanwhile, +sent requests to the proper government officials to come and witness +the tests. + +At first he met with no success, and he learned, incidentally, that +General Waller had built a new gun, the merits of which he was also +anxious to show. + +"It's a sort of rivalry between us," said Tom to Ned. + +But, in a way, fortune favored our hero. For when General Waller tested +his new gun, though it did not burst, it did not come up to +expectations, and its range was not as great as some of the weapons +already in use. + +Then, too, Captain Badger acted as Tom's friend at court. He "pulled +wires" to good advantage, and at last the government sent word that one +of the ordnance officers would be present on a certain day to witness +the tests. + +"I wish the whole board had come," said Tom. "Probably they have only +sent a young fellow, just out of West Point, who will turn me down. + +"But I'm going to give him the surprise of his life; and if he doesn't +report favorably, and insist on the whole board coming out here, I'll +be much disappointed." + +Tom made his preparations carefully, and certainly Captain Waydell, the +young officer who came to represent Uncle Sam, was impressed. Tom sent +shell after shell, heavily charged, against the side of the mountain. +Great holes and gashes were torn in the earth. The gun even exceeded +the range of thirty miles. And the heaviest armor plate that could be +procured was to the projectiles of the giant cannon like cheese to a +revolver bullet. + +"It's great, Mr. Swift! Great!" declared the young captain. "I shall +strongly recommend that the entire board see this test." And when Tom +let him fire the gun himself the young man was more than delighted. + +He was as good as his word, and a week later the entire ordnance board, +from the youngest member to the grave and grizzled veterans, were +present to witness the test of Tom's giant cannon. + +It is needless to say that it was successful. Tom and Ned, not to +mention Mr. Damon, Koku and every loyal member of the steel working +gang, saw to it that there was no hitch. The solid shots were regarded +with wonder, and when the explosive one was sent against the hillside, +making a geyser of earth, the enthusiasm was unbounded. + +"We shall certainly recommend your gun, Mr. Swift," declared the Chief +of Staff. "It does just what we want it to do, and we have no doubt +that Congress will appropriate the money for several with which to +fortify the Panama Canal." + +"The gun is most wonderful," spoke a voice with a German accent. "It is +surprising!" + +Tom and Ned both started. They saw an officer, evidently a foreigner, +resplendent in gold trimmings, and with many medals, standing near the +secretary of the ordnance board. + +"Yes, General von Brunderger," agreed the chief, "it is a most timely +invention. Mr. Swift, allow me to present you to General von +Brunderger, of the German army, who is here learning how Uncle Sam does +things." + +Tom bowed and shook hands. He glanced sharply at the German, but was +sure he had never seen him before. Then all the board, and General von +Brunderger, who, it appeared, was present as an invited guest, examined +the big cannon critically, while Tom explained the various details. + +When the board members left, the chief promised to let Tom know the +result of the formal report as soon as possible. + +The young inventor did not have long to wait. In about two weeks, +during which time he and Ned perfected several little matters about the +cannon, there came an official-looking document. + +"Well, we'll soon know the verdict," spoke Tom, somewhat nervously, as +he opened the envelope. Quickly he read the enclosure. + +"What is it!" cried Ned. + +"The government accepts my gun!" exclaimed the young inventor. "It +will purchase a number as soon as they can be made. We are to take one +to Panama, where it will be set up. Hurray, Ned, my boy! Now for +Panama!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +OFF FOR PANAMA + + +"Well, Tom, it doesn't seem possible; does it, old man?" + +"You're right, Ned--in a way. And yet, after all the hard work we've +done, almost anything is possible." + +"Hard work! We? Oh, pshaw! You've done most of it, Tom. I only helped +here and there." + +"Indeed, and you did more than that. If it hadn't been for you, Mr. +Damon and Koku we'd never have gotten off as soon as we did. The +government is the limit for doing things, sometimes." + +"Bless my timetable! but I agree with you," put in Mr. Damon. "But at +last we are on the way, in spite of delays." + +This conversation took place on board one of Uncle Sam's warships, +which the President had designated to take Tom's giant cannon to the +Panama Canal. + +The big gun had been lashed to the deck of the vessel, and was well +protected from the weather. In the hold the parts of the disappearing +carriage, which Tom had at last succeeded in having made, were securely +stowed. In another part of the warship were the big projectiles, some +arranged to be fired as solid shots, and others with a bursting charge. +There was also a good supply of the powerful explosive, and Tom had +taken extraordinary precautions so that it could not be tampered with. +Koku had been detailed as a sort of guard over it, and to relieve him +was a trustworthy sergeant of marines. + +"If anyone tries to dope that powder now, and spoil my test at Panama," +declared Tom, "he'll wish he'd never tried it." + +"Especially if Koku gets hold of him," added Ned, grimly. + +"But I don't believe there is any danger," went on the young inventor. +"I spoke about what had happened, and the ordnance board took extra +precautions to see that none but men and officers who could be +implicitly trusted had anything to do with this expedition." + +"You don't really believe anything like treachery would be attempted; +do you, Tom?" + +"I don't know what to say. Certainly I can't see why anyone connected +with Uncle Sam would want to throw cold water on a plan to fortify the +canal, even if an outsider has invented the gun--I mean someone like +myself, not connected with the army or navy." + +"If it's anything it's jealousy," declared Ned, "That General Waller--" + +"There you go again, Ned. Let's not talk about it. Come on forward and +see what progress we are making." + +It must not be supposed that to get the big gun aboard the vessel, +arrange for a new supply of the explosive, and for many of the great +projectiles, had been easy work. It was a task that taxed the skill and +strength of Tom and his friends to the utmost. + +There had been wearying delays, especially in the matter of making the +disappearing carriage. At times it seemed as if the required +projectiles would never be finished. The powder, too, gave trouble, for +sometimes batches would be turned out that were utterly worthless. + +But Tom never gave up, even when it seemed that some of the failures +were purposely made. Ned declared that there was a conspiracy against +his chum, but Tom could not see it that way. It was due to a +combination of circumstances, he insisted. + +But finally the gun had been put aboard the ship, having been +transported from the proving ground in the valley, and they were now en +route to Panama. There the giant cannon was to be set up, and tried +again. If it came up to expectations it was to be finally adopted as +the official gun for the protection of the big canal, and Tom would +receive a substantial reward. + +"And I'm confident that it will make good," said the young inventor to +his chum, as they paced the deck of the vessel. "In fact, I'm so sure I +have practically engaged the Universal Steel Company to hold itself in +readiness to make several more of the guns." + +"But suppose Uncle Sam decides against the cannon on this second test?" + +"Well, then I've lost out, that's all," declared Tom, philosophically. +"But I don't believe they will." + +"It certainly is a giant cannon," remarked Ned, as he paused to look at +the prostrate monster, lashed to the deck, with its wrappings of +tarpaulins. "It looks bigger here than it did when you fired the shot +that saved the town, Tom." + +"Yes, I suppose it does, by contrast. But let's go down and see how the +powder and shells are standing the trip. I told the captain to have +them securely lashed, so if we struck rough weather, and the vessel +rolled, they wouldn't carry away." + +"Especially the powder," put in Ned. "If that starts to banging +around--well, I'd rather be somewhere else." + +"Bless my rain gauge!" cried Mr. Damon. "Please don't say such things. +You make me nervous. You're as bad as that steel foreman." + +"All right, I'll be better," promised Ned, with a laugh. + +The two chums found that every precaution had been taken in regard to +the projectiles and powder. Koku was on guard, the giant regarding the +boxes of explosive with a calm but determined eye. It would not be well +for any unauthorized hand to tamper with them. + +"Am dere anyt'ing I kin do fo' yo'-all, Massa Tom?" inquired Eradicate, +as the young inventor and Ned prepared to go on deck again. The aged +colored man had insisted on coming as a sort of personal bodyguard to +Tom, and the latter had not the heart to refuse him. Eradicate was +desperately jealous of the giant. + +"Huh!" Eradicate had said, "anybody kin sit an' look at a lot ob dem +powder boxes; but 'tain't everybody what kin wait on Massa Tom. I kin, +an' I'se gwine t' do it." And so he had. + +It was planned to proceed directly to Colon, the eastern terminus of +the canal, from New York, stopping at Santiago to transact some +government business there. The big gun was to be mounted on a barbette +near the Gatun locks, pointing out to sea, and the trial shots would be +fired over the water. + +Eventually the gun would be so mounted as to swing in a circle, so as +to command the land as well as the water; and, in fact, if the +government decided to adopt Tom's giant cannon as the official +protective arm of the canal, they would all be so mounted. For, of +course, it might be possible for land as well as sea forces to attack +and try to capture the big ditch. + +The first few days of the voyage were pleasant enough. The weather was +fine, and Tom was kept busy explaining to many of the officers aboard +the ship the principles of his gun, powder and projectiles. Members of +the ordnance board, who had been detailed to witness the test, were +also much interested as Tom modestly described his work on the giant +cannon. + +At Santiago de Cuba, when Tom and Ned were standing near the gangway, +watching the officers returning from shore leave, for the ship was to +proceed soon, after a two days' stay, the young inventor started as he +noticed a military man walking aboard. + +"Look, Ned!" he exclaimed, in a low voice. + +"Where?" + +"At that man--an officer in civilian dress, I should judge--haven't you +seen him before?" + +"I have, Tom. Now, where was it? I seem to remember his face; and yet +he wasn't dressed like this the last time I saw him." + +"I guess not, Ned. He had on a uniform then." + +"By jinks! I have it. That German officer--von Brunderger! That's he!" + +"You're right, Ned. And he's got his servant with him, I guess," and +Tom nodded toward a stolid German who was carrying the other's suitcase. + +"I wonder what he's doing aboard here?" went on our hero's chum. + +"We'll soon know," spoke Tom. "He's seen us and is nodding. We might as +well go meet him." + +"Ah, my good friend, Tom Swift!" exclaimed General von Brunderger, +genially, as he grasped the hands of Tom and Ned. "I am glad to see you +both again." He seemed to mean it, though he had not been especially +cordial to them at the first gun test. "Take my grip below," he said +in German to the man, "and, Rudolph, find Lieutenant Blake and inform +him that I am on board. I have been invited to go to Panama by +Lieutenant Blake," he added to Tom. "I have never seen the big ditch +that you wonderful Americans have so nearly finished." + +"It is going to be a big thing," spoke Tom. "I am proud that my gun is +going to help protect it." + +"Ah, so you were successful, then?" and his voice expressed surprise. +"I had not heard. And the big gun; is he here?" Though speaking very +good English, von Brunderger occasionally lapsed into the idioms of his +Fatherland. + +"Yes, it's on board," said Tom. "Are you going to Panama for any +special purpose?" + +Ned declared afterward that the German started as Tom asked this +question, but if he did the young inventor scarcely noticed it. In an +instant, however, von Brunderger was composed again. + +"I go but to see the big ditch before the water is let in," he replied. +"And since your gun is to have a test I shall be glad to witness that. +You see, I am commissioned by my Kaiser to learn all that you Americans +will allow me to in reference to your ways of doing things--in the +army, the navy and in the pursuit of peace. After all, preparation for +war is the best means of securing peace. Your officers have been more +than kind and I have taken advantage of the offer to go to Panama. +Lieutenant Blake said the ship would stop here, and, as I had business +in Cuba, I came and waited. I am delighted to see you both again." + +He went below, leaving Tom and Ned staring at one another. + +"Well, what do you think of it?" asked Ned. + +"I don't see anything to be worried about," declared Tom. "It's true +that a German once tried to make trouble for me, but this von +Brunderger is all right, as far as I can learn. He has the highest +references, and is an accredited representative of the Kaiser. You are +too suspicious, Ned, just as you were in the case of General Waller." + +"Maybe so." + +From Santiago, swinging around the island of Jamaica, the warship took +her way, with the big gun, to Colon. When half way across the Caribbean +Sea they encountered rough weather. + +The storm broke without any unusual preliminaries, but quickly +increased to a hurricane, and when night fell it saw the big ship +rolling and tossing in a tempestuous sea. Tom was anxious about his +big gun, but the captain assured him that double lashings would make it +perfectly safe. + +Tom and Ned had seen little of the German officer that day, nor, in +fact, since he came aboard. He kept much in the quarters of the other +officers, and the report was current that he was a "jolly good fellow." + +Rather anxious as to the outcome of the storm, Tom turned in late that +night, not expecting to sleep much, for there were many unusual noises. +But he did drop off into a doze, only to be awakened about an hour +later by a commotion on deck. + +"What's up, Ned?" he called to his chum, who had an adjoining stateroom. + +"I don't know, Tom. Something is going on, though. Hear that thumping +and pounding!" + +As Ned spoke there came a tremendous noise from the deck. + +"By Jove!" yelled Tom, jumping from his berth. "It's my big gun! It has +torn loose from the lashings and may roll overboard!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +AT GATUN LOCKS + + +"Steady there now, men! Pass forward those lashings! Careful! Look +out, or you'll be caught by it when she rolls! Another turn around the +bitts!" + +It was the officer of the deck giving orders to a number of marines and +sailors as Tom hastily clad, leaped on deck, followed by his chum. The +warship was pitching and tossing worse than ever in the heaving +billows, and the men were engaged in making fast the giant cannon, +which, as Tom had surmised, had torn loose from the steel cables +holding it down on deck. + +"Come on, Ned!" cried Tom. "We've got to help here!" + +"That's right. Look at her swing, would you? If she hits anything it's +a goner!" + +The breech of the gun appeared to be the end that had come loose, while +the muzzle still held fast. And this immense mass of steel was swinging +about, eluding the efforts of the ship's officers and crew to capture +it. And it seemed only a question of time when the muzzle would tear +loose, too. Then, free on deck, the giant cannon would roll through the +frail bulwarks, and plunge into the depths of the sea. + +"Look out for yourselves, boys!" cried the officer, as he saw Tom and +Ned. "This is no plaything!" + +"I know it!" gasped Tom. "But we've got to fasten it down." + +"That's what we're trying to do," answered the other. "We did get the +bight of a cable over the breech, but the men could not hold it, even +though they took a couple of turns around the bitts." + +"Ned, go call Koku!" cried Tom. "We need him up here." + +"That's right!" declared his chum. "If anyone can hold the cable with +the weight of the big gun straining on it, the giant can. I'll get him!" + +"On deck, Koku, quick!" gasped Ned. "Master's cannon may fall into the +sea." + +"But the powder!" asked the big man, simply. "Master told me to guard +the powder. I stay here." + +"No, I'll stay!" insisted Ned. "You are needed on deck, I'll take your +place here." + +Koku stared uncomprehendingly for a moment, while the loosened gun +continued to thump and pound on the deck as though it would burst +through. Then it filtered through the dull brain of honest Koku what +was wanted. + +"I go," he said, and he hurried up the companionway, while Ned, eager +to be with Tom, took up the less exciting work of guarding the powder. + +Once more, with the giant strength of Koku to aid in the work, the task +of lashing the gun again to the deck was undertaken. A bight of steel +cable was gotten around the breech, and then passed to a big bitt, or +stanchion, bolted to the deck. Koku, working on the heaving deck, amid +the hurricane, took a turn around the brace. + +There came a roll of the ship that threatened to send the gun sliding +against the stanchion, but Koku braced himself. His arms, great bunches +of muscles, strained and fairly cracked with the strain. The wire rope +seemed to give. Then, as the ship rolled the other way, the strain +eased. Koku, aided by the cable, and by the leverage given by the +several turns about the bitts, had held the big gun. + +"Quick!" cried Tom. "Now another rope so it can't roll the opposite +way, and we'll have her." + +For a moment the ship was on a level keel, and taking advantage of +this, when the weight of the gun would be neutral, another cable was +passed around it. Then it was a comparatively easy matter to put on +more lashings until the giant cannon was once more fast. + +"Whew! But that was tough work!" exclaimed Tom, as he once more entered +the stateroom with Ned. + +"It must have been," agreed his chum, who had been relieved at the +powder station by the giant. + +"I thought it would surely go overboard," went on Tom. "Only for Koku +it would have. Those fellows couldn't hold it when the ship rolled." + +"How did it happen to get loose?" asked Ned. + +"Oh, the cables frayed, I suppose. I'll take a look in the morning. +Say, but this is some storm!" + +"Is the gun all right now?" + +"Yes, it's fastened down like a mummy. It can't get loose unless the +whole deck comes with it. We can sleep in peace." + +"Not much sleep in this blow, I guess," responded Ned. + +But they did manage to get some rest by morning, at which time the +hurricane seemed to have blown itself out. The day saw the sea +gradually calm down, and the big cannon was made additionally secure +against a possible recurrence of the accident. But a few days more and +it would be safe at Colon. + +Tom and Ned had gone on deck soon after breakfast to look at the +cannon. All about were pieces of the broken cables, that had been cast +aside when the new lashings were put on. Ned picked up one end, +remarking: + +"These seem mighty strong. It's queer how they broke." + +"Well, there was quite a weight upon them," spoke Tom. + +Ned did not reply for a moment. Then, as he looked at another piece of +a severed cable, he exclaimed: + +"Tom, the weight of your gun never broke these." + +"What do you mean, Ned?" + +"I mean that they were partly filed, or cut through--then the storm and +the pressure of the gun did the rest. Look!" + +He held out the piece of wire rope. There, on the end, could be seen +several strands cleanly severed, as though a file or a hacksaw had been +used. + +"By Jove!" murmured Tom. He looked about the deck. There was no one +near the big gun. "Ned," whispered his chum, "there's something wrong +here. It's more of that conspiracy to defeat my aims. Don't say +anything about this, and we'll keep our eyes open. We'll do a bit of +detective work." + +"The scoundrels!" exclaimed Ned. "I wish we knew who they were. +General Waller isn't aboard, and what other of the officers has a gun +of his own that he would rather see accepted by the government than +yours?" + +"None that I know of," replied Tom. + +"General Waller might have hired someone to--" + +"Don't go making any unwarranted charges," warned the young inventor. + +"Or perhaps that German, Tom, might--" + +"Hush!" cautioned Tom. "Here he comes now," and, as he spoke, General +von Brunderger came strolling along the deck. + +"I am glad to see that the accident of last night had no serious +effects," he said, smiling. + +"It was no accident!" burst out Ned. + +"No accident? You surprise me. I thought--" + +"Oh, Ned means that some of the cables look as though they had been +cut," hastily put in Tom, nudging his chum in the ribs as a signal for +him to keep quiet. + +"The cables cut!" exclaimed the German, and his voice indicated anxious +solicitude. + +"Or else filed," went on Tom easily, with a warning glance at Ned. "But +I dare say they were old cables, that had been used on other work, and +may have become frayed. Everything is safe now, though. New cables were +lashed on this morning." + +"I am glad to hear it. It would be a--er--ah, a national calamity to +lose so valuable a gun, and the opening of the canal so near at hand. I +am glad that your invention is safe, Herr Swift," and he smiled +genially at Tom and Ned. + +"What did you shut me off for?" asked Ned, when he and his chum were +alone in their stateroom again. + +"Because I didn't want you to make any breaks before him," answered Tom. + +"Then you suspect--" + +"I suspect many things, Ned, but I'm not going to show my hand until +I'm ready. I'm going to watch and listen." + +"And I'll be with you." + +But no further accidents occurred. There were no more storms, no +attempt was made to meddle with Tom's powder, and in due season the +ship arrived at Colon, and after much labor the great gun, its +carriage, the shells and the powder were taken to the barbette at the +Gatun locks, designed to admit vessels from the Caribbean Sea into +Gatun Lake. + +"And now for some more hard work," remarked Tom, as all the needful +stores were landed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +NEWS OF THE MINE + + +"Just a little farther over this way, Ned. That's better. Now mark it +there, and we'll have it clamped down." + +"But can you get enough elevation here, Tom?" + +"Oh, yes, I think so. Besides, I've added a few more inches to the lift +of the disappearing carriage, and it will send the gun so much farther +in the air. I think this will do. Where is Koku?" + +"Here I be, Master." + +"Just get hold of that small derrick, Koku, and lift up one of the +projectiles. I want to see if they come in the right place for the +breech before I set the hoisting apparatus permanently." + +The giant was soon engaged in winding up the rope of an improvised +hoist that stood about in the position the permanent one was to go. +From the interior of the barbette, which was, in effect, a bomb-proof +structure, there was lifted one of the big projectiles destined to be +hurled from Tom Swift's giant cannon. + +"Yes, I think that will do," decided the young inventor, as he watched +Koku. "Now, Mr. Damon, if you will kindly oversee this part of the +work, I'll see if we can't get that motor in better shape. It didn't +work worth a cent this morning." + +"Bless my rubber coat, Tom, I'll do all I can to help you!" declared +the odd man. + +"Massa Tom! Massa Tom!" called Eradicate. + +"Yes, Rad. What is it?" + +"Heah am dem chicken sandwiches, an' some hot coffee fo' yo' all. I +done knowed yo' all wouldn't hab no time t' stop fo' dinnah, so I done +made yo' all up a snack." + +"That's mighty good of you, Rad," spoke Tom, with a laugh. "I was +getting pretty hungry; but I didn't want to stop until I had things +moving in better shape. Come on, Ned, let's knock off for a few minutes +and take a bite. You, too, Mr. Damon." + +As they sat about the place where the gun was being mounted, munching +sandwiches and drinking the coffee which the aged colored man had so +thoughtfully provided, Eradicate said, with a chuckle: + +"By gar! Dey can't git erlong wifout dish yeah coon, arter all! Ha! +ha! Dat cocoanut giant he mighty good when it comes t' fastening big +guns down so dey won't blow away, but when it comes t' eatin' dey has +t' depend on ole Eradicate! Ha! ha! I'se got dat cocoanut giant beat +all right!" + +"He sure is jealous of Koku," remarked Ned, as Tom and Mr. Damon smiled +at the colored man. + +"He certainly hit me in the right spot," declared Tom, as he reached +for another sandwich. + +They had landed from the warship several days before, and from then on +there had been hard work and plenty of it. Tom was here, there and +everywhere, directing matters so that his gun would be favorably placed. + +Some preliminary work had been done before they arrived in the way of +preparing a place to mount the gun, and this work was now proceeding. +The officers of the ordnance department were in actual charge, but they +always deferred to Tom, since he had most at stake. + +"It will be some days before you can actually fire your gun; will it +not?" asked Ned of his chum, as they finished the lunch, and prepared +to resume work. + +"Yes--a week at least, I expect. It is taking longer to set up the +carriage than I thought. But it will be an improvement over the solid +one we formerly used. That was fine, Rad," he concluded as the colored +man went back to the shack of which he had taken possession for himself +and his cooking operations. It adjoined the quarters to which Tom, Ned, +Mr. Damon and Koku had been assigned. + +"Golly! I ain't so old yit but what I knows de stuff Massa Tom laiks!" +exclaimed the colored man, moving off with a chuckle. + +Tom, though he had many suspicions about the cut cables that had nearly +been the cause of his gun sliding into the sea, had learned nothing +definite--nor had Ned. + +The German officer, with his body servant, who seldom spoke, had landed +at Colon, and was proceeding to make himself at home with the officers +and men who were building the canal. Occasionally he paid a visit to +Tom and Ned, where they were engaged about the big gun. He always +seemed pleasant, and interested in their labors, asking many questions, +but that was all, and our hero began to feel that perhaps he was wrong +in his suspicions. + +As for Ned, he veered uncertainly from one suspicion to another. At one +time he declared that von Brunderger and General Waller were in a +conspiracy to upset Tom's plans. Again he would accuse the German +alone, until Tom laughingly bade him attend more to work and less to +theories. + +Slowly the work progressed. The gun was mounted after much labor, and +then arrangements began to be made for the test. A series of shots were +to be fired out to sea, and the proper precautions were to be taken to +prevent any ships from being struck. + +"Though if you intend to send a projectile thirty miles," said one of +the officers, "I'm afraid there may be some danger, after all. Are you +sure you have a range of thirty miles, Mr. Swift?" + +"I have," answered Tom, calmly, "and with the increased elevation that +I am able to get here, it may exceed that." + +The officer said nothing, but he looked at Tom in what our hero thought +was a peculiar manner. + +A few days before the date set for the test one of the sentinels, who +had been detailed to keep curiosity-seekers away from the giant cannon, +approached Tom and said: + +"There is a gentleman asking to see you, Mr. Swift." + +"Who is it?" asked Tom, laying aside a pressure gauge he intended +attaching to the gun. + +"He says his name is Peterson--Alec Peterson. Do you want to see him?" + +"Yes, let him come up," directed the young inventor. "Do you hear that, +Ned?" he called. "Our fortune-hunting friend is here." + +"Maybe he's found that lost opal mine," suggested Ned. + +"I hope he has, for dad's sake," went on Tom. "Hello, Mr. Peterson!" he +called, as he noticed the old prospector coming along. "Have you had +any luck?" + +"I heard you were down here," said the man, not answering the question +directly, "and as I had to run over from my island for some supplies I +thought I'd stop and see you. How are you?" and he shook hands. + +"Fine!" answered Tom. "Have you found the lost mine yet?" + +Alec Peterson paused a moment. Then he said slowly: + +"No, Tom, I haven't succeeded in locating the mine yet. But I--I expect +to any day now!" he added, hastily. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE LONGEST SHOT + + +"Well, Mr. Peterson," remarked Tom, after a pause, "I'm sure I hope you +will succeed in your quest. You must have met disappointment so far." + +"I have, Tom. But I'm not going to give up. Can't you come over and see +me before you go back North?" + +"I'll try. Just where is your island?" + +"Off in that direction," responded the fortune-hunter, pointing to the +northeast. "It's a little farther from here than I thought it was at +first--about thirty miles. But I have a little second-hand steam launch +that my pardners and I use. I'll come for you, take you over and bring +you back any time you say." + +"After my gun has been tested," said Tom, with a smile. "Better stay +and see it." + +"No, I must get back to the island. I have some new information that I +am sure will enable me to locate the lost mine." + +"Well, good-bye, and good luck to you," called Tom, as the +fortune-hunter started away. + +"Do you think he'll ever find the opals, Tom?" asked Ned. + +His chum shook his head. + +"I don't believe so," he answered. "Alec has always been that +way--always visionary--always just about to be successful; but never +quite getting there." + +"Then your father's ten thousand dollars will be lost?" + +"Yes, I suppose so; but, in a way, dad can stand it. And if I make good +on this gun test, ten thousand dollars won't look very big to me. I +guess dad gave it to Alec from a sort of sentimental feeling, anyhow." + +"You mean because he saved you from the live wire?" + +"That's it, Ned. It was a sort of reward, in a way, and I guess dad +won't be broken-hearted if Alec doesn't succeed. Only, of course, he'll +feel badly for Alec himself. Poor old man! he won't be able to do much +more prospecting. Well, Ned, let's get to work on that ammunition +hoist. It still jams a little on the ways, and I want it to work +smoothly. There's no use having a hitch--even a small one--when the big +bugs assemble to see how my cannon shoots." + +"That's right, Tom. Well, start off, I'm with you." + +The two youths labored for some time, being helped, of course, by the +workmen provided by the government, and some from the steel concern. + +There were many little details to look after, not the least of which +was the patrolling of the stretch of ocean over which the great +projectiles would soar in reaching the far-off targets at which Tom had +planned to shoot. No ships were to be allowed to cross the thirty-mile +mark while the firing was in progress. So, also, the zone where the +shots were expected to fall was to be cleared. + +But at last all seemed in readiness. The gun had been tried again and +again on its carriage. The projectiles were all in readiness, and the +terribly powerful ammunition had been stored below the gun in a +bomb-proof chamber, ready to be hoisted out as needed. + +Because the gun had been fired so many times with a charge of powder +heavier than was ordinarily called for, and had stood the strain well, +Tom had no fear of standing reasonably close to it to press the button +of the battery. There would be no retreating to the bombproof this time. + +The German officer was occasionally seen about the place where the gun +was mounted, but he appeared to take only an ordinary interest in it. +Tom began to feel more than ever that perhaps his suspicions were +unfounded. + +Some officials high in government affairs had arrived at Colon in +anticipation of the test, which, to Tom's delight, had attracted more +attention than he anticipated. At the same time he was a bit nervous. + +"Suppose it fails, Ned?" he said. + +"Oh, it can't!" cried his chum. "Don't think about such a thing." + +Plans had been made for a ship to be stationed near the zone of fire, +to report by wireless the character of each shot, the distance it +traveled, and how near it came to the target. The messages would be +received at a station near the barbette, and at once reported to Tom, +so that he would know how the test was progressing. + +"Well, today tells the tale!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he got +up one morning. "How's the weather, Ned?" + +"Couldn't be better--clear as a bell, Tom." + +"That's good. Well, let's have grub, and then go out and see how my pet +is." + +"Oh, I guess nothing could happen, with Koku on guard." + +"No, hardly. I'm going to keep him in the ammunition room until after +the test, too. I'm going to take no chances." + +"That's the ticket!" + +The gun was found all right, in its great tarpaulin cover, and Tom had +the latter taken off that he might go over every bit of mechanism. He +made a few slight changes, and then got ready for the final trials. + +On an improvised platform, not too near the giant cannon, had gathered +the ordnance board, the specially invited guests, a number of officers +and workers in the canal zone, and one or two representatives of +foreign governments. Von Brunderger was there, but his "familiar," as +Ned had come to call the stolid German servant, was not present. + +Tom took some little time to explain, modestly enough, the working of +his gun. A number of questions were asked, and then it was announced +that the first shot, with only a practice charge of powder, would be +fired. + +"Careful with that projectile now. That's it, slip it in carefully. A +little farther forward. That's better. Now the powder--Koku, are you +down there?" and Tom called down the tube into the ammunition chamber. + +"Me here, Master," was the reply. + +"All right, send up a practice load." + +Slowly the powerful explosive came up on the electric hoist. It was +placed in the firing chamber and the breech closed. + +"Now, gentlemen," said Tom, "this is not a shot for distance. It is +merely to try the gun and get it warmed up, so to speak, for the real +tests that will follow. All ready?" + +"All ready!" answered Ned, who was acting as chief assistant. + +"Here she goes!" cried Tom, and he pressed the button. + +Many were astonished by the great report, but Tom and the others, who +were used to the service charges, hardly noticed this one. Yet when the +wireless report came in, giving the range as over fourteen thousand +yards, there was a gasp of surprise. + +"Over eight miles!" declared one grizzled officer; "and that with only +a practice charge. What will happen when he puts in a full one?' + +"I don't know," answered a friend. + +Tom soon showed them. Quickly he called for another projectile, and it +was inserted in the gun. Then the powder began to come up the hoist. +Meanwhile the young inventor had assured himself that the gun was all +right. Not a part had been strained. + +This time, when Tom pressed the button there was such a tremendous +concussion that several, who were not prepared for it, were knocked +back against their neighbors or sent toppling off their chairs or +benches. And as for the report, it was so deafening that for a long +time after it many could not hear well. + +But Tom, and those who knew the awful power of the big cannon, wore +specially prepared eardrum protectors, that served to reduce the shock. + +"What is it?" called Tom to the wireless operator, who was receiving +the range distance from the marking ship. + +"A little less than twenty-nine miles." + +"We must do better than that," said Tom. "I'll use more powder, and try +one of the newer shells. I'll elevate the gun a trifle, too." + +Again came that terrific report, that trembling of the ground, that +concussion, that blast of air as it rushed in to fill the vacuum +caused, and then the vibrating echoes. + +"I think you must have gone the limit this time, Tom!" yelled Ned, as +he turned on the compressed air to blow the powder fumes and unconsumed +bits of explosive from the gun tube. + +"Possibly," admitted Tom. "Here comes the report." The wireless +operator waved a slip of paper. + +"Thirty-one miles!" he announced. + +"Hurray!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my telescope! The longest shot on +record!" + +"I believe it is," admitted the chief of the ordnance department. "I +congratulate you, Mr. Swift." + +"I think I can do better than that," declared Tom, after looking at the +various recording gauges, and noting the elevation of the gun. "I think +I can get a little flatter trajectory, and that will give a greater +distance. I'm going to try." + +"Does that mean more powder, Tom?" asked Ned. + +"Yes, and the heaviest shell we have--the one with the bursting charge. +I'll fire that, and see what happens. Tell the zone-ship to be on the +lookout," he said to the wireless operator, giving a brief statement of +what he was about to attempt. + +"Isn't it a risk, Tom?" his chum asked. + +"Well, not so much. I'm sure my cannon will stand it. Come on now, help +me depress the muzzle just a trifle," and by means of the electric +current the big gun was raised at the breech a few inches. + +As is well known, cannon shots do not go in straight lines. They leave +the muzzle, curve upward and come down on another curve. It is this +curve described by the projectile that is called the trajectory. The +upward curve, as you all know, is caused by the force of the powder, +and the downward by the force of gravitation acting on the shot as soon +as it reaches its zenith. Were it not for this force the projectiles +could be fired in straight lines. But, as it is, the cannon has to be +elevated to send the shot up a bit, or it would fall short of its mark. + +Consequently, the flatter the trajectory the farther it will go. Tom's +object, then, was to flatten the trajectory, by lowering the muzzle of +the gun, in order to attain greater distance. + +"If this doesn't do the trick, we'll try it with the muzzle a bit +lower, and with a trifle more powder," he said to Ned, as he was about +to fire. + +The young inventor was not a little nervous as he prepared to press the +button this time. It was a heavier charge than any used that day, +though the same quantity had been fired on other occasions with safety. +But he was not going to hesitate. + +Coincident with the pressure of Tom's fingers there seemed to be a +veritable earthquake. The ground swayed and rocked, and a number of the +spectators staggered back. It was like the blast of a hundred +thunderbolts. The gun shook as it recoiled from the shock, but the +wonderful disappearing carriage, fitted with coiled, pneumatic and +hydrostatic buffers, stood the strain. + +Following the awful report, the terrific recoil and the howl of the +wind as it rushed into the vacuum created, there was an intense +silence. The projectile had been seen by some as a dark speck, rushing +through the air like a meteor. Then the wireless operator could be seen +writing down a message, the telephone-like receivers clamped over his +ears. + +"Something happened, all right!" he called aloud. "That shot hit +something." + +"Not one of the ships!" cried Tom, aghast. + +"I don't know. There seems to be some difficulty in transmitting. +Wait--I'm getting it: now." + +As he ceased speaking there came from underneath the great gun the +sound of confused shouts. Tom and Ned recognized Koku's voice +protesting: + +"No--no--you can't come in here! Master said no one was to come in." + +"What is it, Koku?" yelled Tom, springing to the speaking tube +connecting with the powder magazine, at the same time keeping an eye on +the wireless operator. Tom was torn between two anxieties. + +"Someone here, Master!" cried the giant. "Him try to fix powder. Ah, I +fix you!" and with a savage snarl the giant, in the concrete chamber +below, could be heard to attack someone who cried out gutturally in +German: + +"Help! Help! Help!" + +"Come on, Ned!" cried Tom, making a dash for the stairs that led into +the magazine. There was confusion all about, but through it all the +wireless operator continued to write down the message coming to him +through space. + +"What is it, Koku? What is it?" cried Tom, plunging down into the +little chamber. + +As he reached it, a door leading to the outer air flew open, and out +rushed a man, badly torn as to his clothes, and scratched and bleeding +as to his face. On he ran, across the space back of the barbette, +toward the lower tier of seats that had been erected for the spectators. + +"It's von Brunderger's servant!" gasped Ned, recognizing the fellow. + +"What did he do, Koku?" demanded the young inventor. + +"Him sneak in here--have some of that stuff you call 'dope.' I sent up +powder, and I come back here to see him try to put some dope in +Master's ammunition." + +"The scoundrel!" cried Tom. "They're trying to break me, even at the +last minute! Come on, Ned." + +They raced outside to behold a curious sight. Straight toward von +Brunderger rushed the man as if in a frenzy of fear. He called out +something in German to his master, and the latter's face went first +red, then white. He was observed to look about quickly, as though in +alarm, and then, with a shout at his servant, the German officer rushed +from the stand, and the two disappeared in the direction of the +barracks. + +"What does it mean?" cried Ned. + +"Give it up," answered Tom, "except that Koku spoiled their trick, +whatever it was. It looks as if this was the end of it, and that the +mystery has been cleared up." + +"Mr. Swift! Where's Mr. Swift?" shouted the wireless operator. "Where +are you?" + +"Yes; what is it?" demanded Tom, so excited that he hardly knew what he +was doing. + +"The longest shot on record!" cried the man. "Thirty-three miles, and +it struck, exploded, and blew the top off a mountain on an island out +there!" and he pointed across the sun-lit sea. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE LONG-LOST MINE + + +There was a silence after the inspiring words of the operator, and then +it seemed that everyone began to talk at once. The record-breaking +shot, the effect of it and the struggle that had taken place in the +powder room, together with the flight of von Brunderger and his +servant, gave many subjects for excited conversation. + +"I've got to get at the bottom of this!" cried Tom, making his way +through the press of officials to where the wireless operator stood. +"Just repeat that," requested Tom, and they all gave place for him, +waiting for the answer. + +The operator read the message again. + +"Thirty-three miles!" murmured Tom. "That is better than I dared to +hope. But what's that about blowing the top off an island?" + +"That's what you did, with that explosive shell, Mr. Swift. The +operator on the firing-zone ship saw the top fly off when the shell +struck. The ship was about half a mile away, and when they heard that +shell coming the officers thought it was all up with them. But, +instead, it passed over them and demolished the top of the mountain. + +"Anybody hurt?" asked Tom, anxiously. + +"No, it was an uninhabited island. But you have made the record shot, +all right. It went farther than any of the others." + +"Then I suppose I ought to be satisfied," remarked Tom, with a smile. + +"What was that disturbance, Mr. Swift?" asked the chief ordnance +officer, coming forward. + +"I don't understand it myself," replied the young inventor. "It +appeared that someone went into the ammunition room, and Koku, my giant +servant, attacked him." + +"As he had a right to do. But who was the intruder?" + +"Herr von Brunderger's man." + +"Ha! That German officer's! Where is he, he must explain this." + +But Herr von Brunderger was not to be found, nor was his man in +evidence. They had fled, and when a search was made of their rooms, +damaging evidence was found. Before a board of investigating officers +Koku told his story, after the gun tests had been declared off for the +day, they having been most satisfactory. + +The German officer's servant, it appeared, had managed to gain entrance +to the ammunition chamber by means of a false key to the outer door. +There were two entrances, the other being from the top of the platform +where the cannon rested. Koku had seen him about to throw something +into one of the ammunition cases, and had grappled with him. There was +a fight, and, in spite of the giant's strength, the man had slipped +away, leaving part of his garments in the grasp of Koku. + +An investigation of some of the powder showed that it had been covered +with a chemical that would have made it explode prematurely when placed +in the gun. It would probably have wrecked the cannon by blowing out +the breech block, and might have done serious damage to life as well as +property. + +"But what was the object?" asked Ned. + +"To destroy Tom's gun," declared Mr. Damon. + +"Why should von Brunderger want to do that?" + +They found the answer among his papers. He had been a German officer of +high rank, but had been dismissed from the secret service of his +country for bad conduct. Then, it appeared, he thought of the plan of +doing some damage to a foreign country in order to get back in the good +graces of his Fatherland. + +He forged documents of introduction and authority, and was received +with courtesy by the United States officials. In some way he heard of +Tom's gun, and that it was likely to be so successful that it would be +adopted by the United States government. This he wanted to prevent, and +he went to great lengths to accomplish this. It was he, or an agent of +his, who forged the letter of invitation to General Waller, and who +first tried to spoil Tom's test by doping the powder through Koku. + +Later he tried other means, sending a midnight visitor to Tom's house +and even going to the length of filing the cables in the storm, so the +gun would roll off the warship into the sea. All this was found set +down in his papers, for he kept a record of what he had done in order +to prove his case to his own government. It was his servant who tried +to get near the gun while it was being cast. + +That he would be restored to favor had he succeeded, was an open +question, though with Germany's friendliness toward the United States +it is probable that his acts would have been repudiated. But he was +desperate. + +Failing in many attempts he resolved on a last one. He sent his servant +to the ammunition room to "dope" the powder, hoping that, at the next +shot, the gun would be mined. Perhaps he hoped to disable Tom. But the +plot failed, and the conspirators escaped. They were never heard of +again, probably leaving Panama under assumed names and in disguise. + +"Well, that explains the mystery," said Tom to Ned a few days later. "I +guess we won't have to worry any more." + +"No, and I'm sorry I suspected General Waller." + +"Oh, well, he'll never know it, so no harm is done. Oh, but I'm glad +this is over. It has gotten on my nerves." + +"I should say so," agreed Ned. + +"Bless my pillow sham!" cried Mr. Damon. "I think I can get a good +night's sleep now. So they have formally accepted your giant cannon, +Tom?" + +"Yes. The last tests I gave them, showing how easily it could be +manipulated, convinced them. It will be one of the official defense +guns of the Panama Canal." + +"Good! I congratulate you, my boy!" cried the odd man. "And now, bless +my postage stamp, let's get back to the United States." + +"Before we go," suggested Ned, "let's go take a look at that island +from which Tom blew the top. It must be quite a sight--and thirty-three +miles away! We can get a launch and go out." + +But there was no need. That same day Alec Peterson came to Colon +inquiring for Tom. His face showed a new delight. + +"Why," cried Tom, "you look as though you had found your opal mine." + +"I have!" exclaimed the fortune-hunter. "Or, rather, Tom, I think I +have you to thank for finding it for me." + +"Me find it?" + +"Yes. Did you hear about the top of the island-mountain you blew to +pieces?" + +"We did, but--" + +"That was my island!" exclaimed Mr. Peterson. "The mine was in that +mountain, but an earthquake had covered it. I should never have found +it but for you. That shot you accidentally fired ripped the mountain +apart. My men and I were fortunately at the base of it then, but we +sure thought our time had come when that shell struck. It went right +over our heads. But it did the business, all right, and opened up the +old mine. Tom, your father won't lose his money, we'll all be rich. Oh, +that was a lucky shot! I knew it was your cannon that did it." + +"I'm glad of it!" answered the young inventor, heartily. "Glad for your +sake, Mr. Peterson." + +"You must come and see the mine--your mine, Tom, for it never would +have been rediscovered had it not been for your giant cannon, that made +the longest shot on record, so I'm told." + +"We will come, Mr. Peterson, just as soon as I close up matters here." + +It did not take Tom long to do this. His type of cannon was formally +accepted as a defense for the Panama Canal, and he received a fine +contract to allow that type to be used by the government. His powder +and projectiles, too, were adopted. + +Then, one day, he and Ned, with Koku and Mr. Damon, visited the scene +of the great shot. As Mr. Peterson had said, the whole top of the +mountain had been blown off by the explosive shell, opening up the old +mine. While it was not quite as rich as Mr. Peterson had glowingly +painted, still there was a fortune in it, and Mr. Swift got back a +substantial sum for his investment. + +"And now for the good old U. S. A.!" cried Tom, as they got ready to go +back home. "I'm going to take a long rest, and the only thing I'm going +to invent for the next six months is a new potato slicer." But whether +Tom kept his words can be learned by reading the next volume of this +series. + +"Bless my hand towel!" cried Mr. Damon. "I think you are entitled to a +rest, Tom." + +"That's what I say," agreed Ned. + +"I'll take care ob him--I'll take care ob Massa Tom," put in Eradicate, +as he cast a quick look at Koku. "Giants am all right fo' cannon wuk, +but when it comes t' comforts Massa Tom gwine t' 'pend on ole +'Radicate; ain't yo' all, Massa Tom?" + +"I guess so, Rad!" exclaimed the young inventor, with a laugh. "Is +dinner ready?" + +"It suah am, Massa Tom, an' I 'specially made some oh dat fricasseed +chicken yo' all does admire so much. Plenty of it, too, Massa Tom." + +"That's good, Rad," put in Ned. "For we'll all be hungry after that +trip to the island. That sure was a great shot Tom--thirty-three miles!" + +"Yes, it went farther than I thought it would," replied Tom. And now, +as they are taking a closing meal at Panama, ready to return to the +United States, we will take leave of Tom Swift and his friends. + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tom Swift and his Giant Cannon, by Victor Appleton + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1361 *** |