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diff --git a/1361-h/1361-h.htm b/1361-h/1361-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c16f11c --- /dev/null +++ b/1361-h/1361-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8987 @@ + +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of Tom Swift and his Giant Cannon, +by Victor Appleton +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.finis { text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1361 ***</div> + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON +</H1> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +or +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +The Longest Shots on Record +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +by +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +Victor Appleton +</H2> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<TABLE ALIGN="center" WIDTH="80%"> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">CHAPTER</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> </TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">I </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap01">ON A LIVE WIRE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">II </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap02">"WE'LL TAKE A CHANCE!"</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">III </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap03">PLANNING A BIG GUN</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">KOKU'S BRAVE ACT</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">V </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">OFF TO SANDY HOOK</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">TESTING THE WALLER GUN</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap07">THE IMPOSSIBLE OCCURS</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap08">A BIG PROBLEM</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IX </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap09">THE NEW POWDER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">X </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap10">SOMETHING WRONG</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap11">FAILURE AND SUCCESS</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap12">A POWERFUL BLAST</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap13">CASTING THE CANNON</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XIV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap14">A NIGHT INTRUDER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap15">READY FOR THE TEST</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XVI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap16">A WARNING</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XVII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap17">THE BURSTING DAM</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XVIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap18">THE DOPED POWDER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XIX </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap19">BLOWING DOWN THE BARRIER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XX </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap20">THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XXI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap21">OFF FOR PANAMA</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XXII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap22">AT GATUN LOCKS</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XXIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap23">NEWS OF THE MINE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XXIV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap24">THE LONGEST SHOT</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XXV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap25">THE LONG-LOST MINE</A></TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ON A LIVE WIRE +</H3> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Then you don't feel like backing me up in this matter, Mr. +Swift?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"If you find the mine—yes." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Swift shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I suppose I could; but this is going to be a success—I +feel it in my bones." +</P> + +<P> +"That's what you say, every time, Alec. No, I don't believe I +want to go into this thing." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I remember that, Alec. Mighty few successes we had, +though, in those days." +</P> + +<P> +"But now you've struck it rich, pardner," went on the pleader. +"Help me out in this scheme—do!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"I guess Tom's ears would burn if he could hear your praises, +Mr. Damon," laughed Mr. Swift. "Don't spoil him." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"But where is he?" asked Mr. Peterson, who was evidently unused +to the extravagant manner of Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Peterson shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"It is good!" cried Mr. Peterson, with fervor, hoping he had +found a new "prospect" in Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"But not business-good," declared Mr. Swift, and for some time +the three argued the matter, Mr. Swift continuing to shake his +head. +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly into the room there ran an aged colored man, much +excited. +</P> + +<P> +"Fo' de land sakes!" he cried. "Somebody oughter go out an' +help Massa Tom!" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my shoe buttons!" gasped Mr. Damon. "Come on out, +everybody! We've got to help Tom!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"I know it; but I must save my son. Hurry!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Tom! Tom! What is it? What has happened?" cried his +father. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"What's the matter?" demanded Mr. Damon. "Bless my pocket +comb—what is it?" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Land ob massy!" cried Eradicate. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, hurry! hurry! Find Koku!" cried Mr. Swift to Mr. Damon, +who had started for the power house on the run. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Land ob massy! He am suah gwine t' fall!" yelled Eradicate. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, he'll never get that current shut off in time!" murmured +Mr. Swift, as he started after Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"Wait! I think I have a plan!" called Mr. Peterson. "I think I +can save Tom!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"What are you going to do?" yelled Tom, leaning over from his +seat to watch the elderly fortune-hunter. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to cut that wire!" was the answer. +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to cut that wire!" again shouted Mr. Peterson. +</P> + +<P> +"But you can't, without pliers and rubber gloves!" yelled Tom. +"Keep away, I tell you!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"I saw a pair of old gloves in the shed!" he cried. "I'll get +them—they look like rubber." +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Saved! Tom is saved!" cried Mr. Swift, who had seen the act of +Mr. Peterson from a distance. "He saved my boy's life!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"It would—it would—er—I feel—I—" +</P> + +<P> +Tom's voice trailed off into a whisper and he swayed on his +feet. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"WE'LL TAKE A CHANCE!" +</H3> + +<P> +"Carry him into the house!" cried Mr. Swift, as he came running +to where Mr. Peterson was loosening Tom's collar. +</P> + +<P> +"Git a doctor!" murmured Eradicate. "Call someone on de +tellifoam! Git fo' doctors!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"No—no," faintly murmured Tom, opening his eyes. "I—I've had +enough of that, if you please! I'm all right." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you sure, Tom?" asked his father. "Aren't you hurt +anywhere?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I should say you did," spoke Mr. Peterson. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I believe you, Tom," said Mr. Swift, solemnly, and he held out +his hand to his old mining partner. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Hold on! Wait a minute. Don't be in a hurry," said Mr. Swift. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, pshaw! I only acted on the spur of the moment. Anyone +could have done what I did," protested the fortune-hunter. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +PLANNING A BIG GUN +</H3> + +<P> +"BUT, Tom, I don't see how in the world you can ever hope to +make a bigger gun than that." +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +The two young men—Ned Newton being Tom's special chum—were +talking together over Tom's latest scheme. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"I thought you were busy," laughed Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +But as Mr. Damon was a retired gentleman of wealth, his +"business" was more or less of a joke among his friends. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"If anybody can invent one, you can, Tom Swift!" exclaimed Ned, +admiringly. +</P> + +<P> +"You flatter me!" exclaimed his chum, with a mock bow. +</P> + +<P> +"But what good will it be?" went on Ned. "Making big guns +doesn't help any in war, that I can see." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"You mean digging the Panama Canal?" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"You are?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you think so?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, Ned." +</P> + +<P> +"And when do you expect to start on your gun, Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I sure will like. When is it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, in about a week. I'll have to look—" +</P> + +<P> +"'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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Do with 'em? Oh, I guess it's that new giant powder I sent +for. Why, Eradicate, have him bring 'em right in here." +</P> + +<P> +"Yais, sah, Massa Tom. Dat's all right; but he jest can't bring +'em in," and Eradicate looked behind him somewhat apprehensively. +</P> + +<P> +"Can't bring 'em in? Why not, I'd like to know?" exclaimed Tom. +"He's paid for it." +</P> + +<P> +"'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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +KOKU'S BRAVE ACT +</H3> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center" STYLE="color: red"> +DANGEROUS EXPLOSIVE +<BR><BR> +KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Keep away from fire!" murmured the panting lad. "If they can +get any nearer fire I don't see how." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, mah golly!" gasped Eradicate, who had lumbered on behind +Ned. "Oh, mah golly! Oh, good land ob massy! Look at Massa Tom!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, mah golly!" cried Eradicate. "Git some watah, somebody, +an' put out dat fire!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"I'll git a shubble!" cried Eradicate. "I'll git a sand-shubble!" +and he tottered off. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +And indeed a giant's strength was needed at that moment. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +Together Tom and Ned tugged at the nearest case of powder—the +one that was ablaze. +</P> + +<P> +"We—we can't budge it!" panted Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"It—it's caught somewhere," added Ned. "Oh, if Koku were only +here!" +</P> + +<P> +There was a sound behind the lads. A voice exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"Master want shovel, so Eradicate say—here it is!" +</P> + +<P> +They turned and saw a big, powerful man, with a simple, +child-like face, standing calmly looking at the burning auto. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"What you want of him, Master?" +</P> + +<P> +"Put it down, Koku, and get out all the others! Lively, now, +Koku!" +</P> + +<P> +"I do," was the simple answer. The giant put the box on the +grass and ran back toward the auto. +</P> + +<P> +"Quick, Ned!" shouted Tom. "Throw some sand on this burning +box! That will put out the fire!" +</P> + +<P> +A few handfuls of earth served to extinguish the little blaze, +and by this time Koku had come back with another box of powder. +</P> + +<P> +"Get 'em all, Koku, get 'em all! Then we can put out the fire +on the auto." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"I guess yes, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I do, Master," replied the giant. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, if you think it's safe." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"That macaroni stick a grain of powder?" cried Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +As he spoke Tom struck a match and held the flames near the end +of one of the "macaroni" sticks. +</P> + +<P> +"Caesar's grandmother!" yelled Ned. "Are you crazy, Tom?" as he +started to leap for a window. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"But—but—" stammered Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"You know what a little puff black gunpowder gives, if you burn +some openly on the ground," went on Tom; "don't you, Ned?" +</P> + +<P> +"Sure, I've often done that." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because I was interested. Go on, tell me some more." +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Did you say 'we' would go down, Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"I sure did. You'll go with me; won't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I hadn't thought very much about it, but I guess I will. +When is it?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +Then the lads stored the powder in a safe place, and soon were +busy about several matters in the shop. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +OFF TO SANDY HOOK +</H3> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh I see. And is this one of the guns that are to be used in +fortifying the Panama Canal?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think anything will come of that, Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Not so very many if you make a gun that will shoot thirty +miles," remarked Ned, with a smile. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Whew! Some shot!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I see. Well, you'll probably get some points at Sandy Hook." +</P> + +<P> +"I think so. We go day after tomorrow." +</P> + +<P> +"Is Mr. Damon going?' +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, Tom, that powder certainly burst the bombs all to +pieces," said Ned, picking up a shattered piece of steel. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +Two days later Tom and Ned set off for Sandy Hook. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, the gun raises up, peeps over the wall, so speak, shoots +out its projectile, and then crouches down again." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, you mean a disappearing gun." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"They're making some tests now," said Tom, hurrying forward. +</P> + +<P> +Ned followed until, passing a sort of machine shop, the lads +came to where a sentry paced up and down a concrete walk. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"That permit is no good here;" the sentry exclaimed. +</P> + +<P> +"No good?" faltered Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TESTING THE WALLER GUN +</H3> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"What's that?" cried Ned, as the earth shook. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I wish there was some way of getting in there," murmured Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"You can see General Waller after the test, and he will +probably countersign the permit," explained the sentry. +</P> + +<P> +"And we won't see the test of the gun I'm most interested in," +objected Tom. "If I could only—" +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well! If it isn't my old friend Tom Swift! So you got +here on my permit after all?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"You can't? Why not?" and he looked sharply at the sentry. +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Certainly not, sir. Any officer may go in," and the guard +stepped to one side. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +He came back presently, and by his face the lads knew he had +been successful. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Then they haven't tested his gun yet?" Asked Tom, eagerly, +anxious to know whether he had missed anything. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"What good does that do?" inquired Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Is that General Waller's gun?" asked Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"That's where they are going to test it," was the answer. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I believe we have correctly estimated the distance," answered +someone, and the two entered into a discussion. +</P> + +<P> +"That excited officer is General Waller," explained Captain +Badger, in a low voice, to Tom and Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"I guessed as much," replied the young inventor. Then he went +closer to get a better look at the big cannon. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"He must be going to use a tremendous lot of powder," said Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"That's a new kind of breech block," commented Tom, as he +watched the mechanism being operated. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that's General Waller's patent, too. They're going to +fire soon." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well, I hope it proves a success." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course it will. It is impossible to burst my gun! Now, are +we ready for the test." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"What's that?" inquired the rather fiery-tempered officer, as +he looked sharply at our hero. +</P> + +<P> +"I said I was going to make a larger gun than that," repeated +Tom, modestly. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +Tom felt an angry flush mounting to his cheeks. +</P> + +<P> +"I came in here on a pass countersigned by you," he replied. +</P> + +<P> +"A pass countersigned by me? Let me see it." +</P> + +<P> +Tom passed it over. +</P> + +<P> +"Humph, it doesn't seem to be forged," went on the pompous +officer. "Who are you, anyhow?" +</P> + +<P> +"Tom Swift." +</P> + +<P> +"Hum!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +The face of General Waller was a study in blank amazement. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE IMPOSSIBLE OCCURS +</H3> + +<P> +There were murmurs throughout the throng about the big gun, as +the officer approached Tom Swift and shook hands with him. +</P> + +<P> +"What have you in mind now, Tom, that you come to Sandy Hook?" +the much-medaled officer asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Nothing much, Admiral," answered our hero. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it was just a simple matter, Admiral," said Tom, modestly. +"Just that little point about the intake valves and the ballast +tanks." +</P> + +<P> +"But they changed the whole matter. Yes, General, you take +Tom's advice—if he gives you any." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"It seems to me," remarked Ned, "that the soldier who is going +to fire the gun is in the most danger." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you," said Tom. "We are going to get in a safe place." +</P> + +<P> +He could not refrain from contrasting the general's manner now +with what it had been at first. +</P> + +<P> +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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"What—what was it?" cried Ned, as he, too, arose. +</P> + +<P> +"The gun burst!" yelled Tom. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Look out!" Tom yelled, instinctively, as he staggered toward +the bomb-proof, Ned following. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A BIG PROBLEM +</H3> + +<P> +"Are you much hurt, Ned?" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you much hurt, Ned?" +</P> + +<P> +The lad's eyes opened. He seemed dazed. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Glad to hear that, old man!" exclaimed Tom, with a sigh of +relief. "If you'd been hurt I should have blamed myself." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you hurt, General?" asked Admiral Woodburn, as he put his +arm about the shoulder of the inventor. +</P> + +<P> +"No—that is to say, I don't think so. But what happened? Did +they fire some other gun in our direction by mistake?" +</P> + +<P> +For a moment they all hesitated. Then the Admiral said, gently: +</P> + +<P> +"No, General. It was your own gun—it burst." +</P> + +<P> +"My gun! My gun burst?" +</P> + +<P> +"That was it. Fortunately, no one was killed." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"My gun burst! My gun burst!" murmured General Waller, as if +unable to comprehend it. "My gun burst—it is impossible!" +</P> + +<P> +"But it did," spoke Admiral Woodburn, softly. "Come, you had +better see the surgeon. You may be more seriously injured than +you think." +</P> + +<P> +"Was anyone else hurt?" asked the inventor, listlessly. He +seemed to have lost all interest, for the time being. +</P> + +<P> +"No one seriously, as far as we can learn," was the answer. +</P> + +<P> +"What of the man who fired the gun?" inquired the General. +</P> + +<P> +"He was blown high into the air," said Tom. "I saw him." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think you can solve it? Are you still going on with +your plan to build the biggest cannon ever made?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, you are rather young to give opinions to men who have +devoted almost all their lives to the study of high explosives." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Then you are seriously determined to make a gun that you think +will rival mine." +</P> + +<P> +"I am, General Waller." +</P> + +<P> +"For what purpose—to sell to some foreign government?" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on, Ned," said Tom, in a low voice. "We'll go back home." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE NEW POWDER +</H3> + +<P> +"Bless my cartridge belt, Tom, you don't really mean to say +that stuff is powder!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"That's what I hope it will prove to be—and powerful powder at +that." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, it looks more like excelsior than anything else," went on +the odd man, gingerly taking up some yellowish shreds in his +fingers. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Give me good notice, so I can get over in the next State!" +exclaimed Ned Newton, with a laugh. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Stronger than the kind General Waller used?" inquired Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, but I'll make my cannon correspondingly stronger, too, so +there will be no danger." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"So will I," added Ned. "How are you going to make the test, +Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'll tell you in a minute. I want to do a little figuring +first." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"How?" asked Ned, who was much interested. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my differential gear!" cried Mr. Damon. "A projectile +weighing two and a half, tons! Tom, it's impossible!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Thanks!" exclaimed our hero, with a laugh. "I didn't make any +mistake when I brought you home with me, Koku." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you all ready?" cried Tom, as he looked to see that the +wiring was clear. +</P> + +<P> +"As ready as we ever shall be," replied Mr. Damon, who, with +Ned and the others, had taken refuge behind a low hill. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +Followed by the others, the young inventor started toward the +small square "cannon." Tom wanted to read the records made by the +gases. +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly Koku cried: +</P> + +<P> +"There him be, master! There him be!" and he pointed toward a +distant path that traversed the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +"He? Whom do you mean?" asked Tom, startled the giant's excited +manner. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SOMETHING WRONG +</H3> + +<P> +"Bless my buttons!" cried Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's chase after him!" yelled Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Koku kin run de fastest oh any oh us," put in Eradicate. "Let +him go." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, it's no use to chase after him now," said Ned. "There he +goes on his motor-cycle." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"What you mean by 'dope'?" +</P> + +<P> +"I mean any sort of stuff." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, man give me something like sugar, and I sprinkle it on +new powder for to surprise Master." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, you've done it, all right," said Tom, grimly. "Have you +any of the stuff left?" +</P> + +<P> +"I put all in iron box where Master keep new powder." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"No, Master," answered the giant, humbly. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you ever see this man before, Koku?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, Master." +</P> + +<P> +"What kind of a fellow was he?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Tom and Ned started and looked at one another. +</P> + +<P> +"That description fits General Waller," said Ned, in a low +voice to his chum. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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'." +</P> + +<P> +"You didn't shoot him; did you, Rad?" cried Tom, quickly. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, Rad!" cried Ned. "You didn't tell us about this." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"How is it that it didn't blow your test cylinder to bits?" +asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"That's it, Master." +</P> + +<P> +There came a tap on the door of the private room, and +instinctively everyone started. Then came the voice of Eradicate, +saying: +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"An army gentleman!" repeated Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"Yais, sah! He say he General Waller, an' he come on a motor-cycle." +</P> + +<P> +"General Waller!" exclaimed Tom. "What can he want out here?" +</P> + +<P> +"And on a motor-cycle, too!" added Ned. "Tom, what's going on, +anyhow?" +</P> + +<P> +The young inventor shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"If you need me, Tom. Bless my finger nails! But there seems to +be something wrong here." +</P> + +<P> +"Show him in, Rad!" called Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Tom stared at him in amazement. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FAILURE AND SUCCESS +</H3> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"But I didn't write you any letter!" exclaimed Tom, feeling +more and more puzzled. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +But as soon as the young inventor saw it, he knew that it was a +forgery. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, I am visiting friends in Waterford," said the officer, +naming the town where Mr. Damon lived. "My cousin is Mr. Pierce +Watkins." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my doorbell!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "I know him! He lives +just around the corner from me. Bless my very thumb prints!" +</P> + +<P> +General Waller stared at Mr. Damon in some amazement, and +resumed: +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I used to be," murmured Mr. Damon; "but I gave it up." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +Carefully he scanned it. +</P> + +<P> +"I should say that was written in a sort of German hand; would +you not also?" he asked of Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"I would, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"A German!" exclaimed General Waller. +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"That he, Master! That he!" +</P> + +<P> +"What do you mean?" inquired Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"What does this mean?" inquired the officer. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Question: Can the same German be the agent in both cases?" +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my arithmetic! how concisely you put it!" exclaimed Mr. +Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Nor can I," spoke the officer. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"I would, indeed, Tom. Have you made your big gun yet?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"All right, General," answered Tom, genially. "May the best gun +win!" +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my powder box!" cried Mr. Damon. "That's the way to +talk." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"How do you do it, Tom?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, by keeping at it," was the modest answer. "Then my good +friends here—Ned and Mr. Damon—help me." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my check book!" exclaimed the odd gentleman. "It is very +little help I give, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"I can't imagine who would want to injure you or me, Tom +Swift," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think they wanted to injure you, General?" asked Mr. +Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my gaiters, yes!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we'll see if we can ferret him out!" spoke the officer +as he took his leave. +</P> + +<P> +Tom, Ned and the others talked the matter over at some length. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder if we could trace that man who rode away on the +motor-cycle?" said Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder if the General himself could have sent that letter?" +mused Ned, as they returned home. +</P> + +<P> +"What! To himself?" cried Tom, in amazement. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, but you notice he didn't arrive until after danger of an +explosion had passed," commented Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, pshaw!" cried Tom. "I don't take any stock in that +theory." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +One evening, after a hard day's work, he went to the library +where his father was reading. +</P> + +<P> +"Tom," said Mr. Swift, "do you remember that old fortune +hunter, Alec Peterson, who wanted me to go into that opal mine +scheme?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Dad. What about him? Has he found it?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, you're worth it, Tom," replied his father, with a smile. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A POWERFUL BLAST +</H3> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Eradicate! Don't you dare stumble while you're carrying that +tube. If you do, you'll never do it again!" +</P> + +<P> +"By golly, Massa Tom! I—I's gwine t' walk on mah tiptoes all +de way!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"So you think you've got the right stuff this time, Tom?" asked +Ned Newton. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm allowing myself to hope so, Ned." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my woodpile!" cried Mr. Damon. "I—I really think I'm +getting nervous." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +Only for the prompt action of Koku, Tom might have been +seriously injured. As it was he lost some valuable patterns and +papers. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"So General Waller won't be here?" remarked Ned, as they walked +along, Tom keeping a watchful eye on Koku. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I guess he's afraid you'll beat him out, Tom," laughed Ned. +"You take my advice, and look out for General Waller." +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense! I say, Rad! Look out with those primers!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, what's the matter, Rad? Surely you're not afraid; are +you?" and Tom winked at Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"I—I will, Massa Tom." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Now you can go, Rad," announced Tom, when they reached the +lonely field where, pointing toward a big hill, was the little +cannon. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"But we won't attach the battery until the last moment," Tom +said. "I don't want a premature explosion." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think the blast will be powerful enough to make it +necessary?" asked Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"It will, if this larger quantity of explosive acts anything +like the small samples I set off," replied the young inventor. +</P> + +<P> +The electric wires were carried behind the protecting hill, +whither they all retired. +</P> + +<P> +"Here she goes!" exclaimed Tom, after a pause. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Something happened, anyhow!" yelled Tom above the +reverberating echoes. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CASTING THE CANNON +</H3> + +<P> +"Come on!" yelled Ned. "We'll see how this experiment came +out!" and he started to run from beneath the shelter of the hill. +</P> + +<P> +"Hold on!" shouted Tom, laying a restraining hand on his chum's +shoulder. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, what's the matter?" asked Ned in surprise. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Anxiously they lingered, the echoes of the blast still in their +ears, and a peculiar smell in their nostrils. +</P> + +<P> +"But there's no smoke," said Mr. Damon. "Bless my spyglass! I +always thought there was smoke at an explosion." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +A great hole had been torn in the hillside, and another where +the improvised gun had stood. The gun itself seemed to have +disappeared. +</P> + +<P> +"Why—why—where is it?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Burst to pieces I guess," replied Tom. "I was afraid that +charge was a bit too heavy." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"The breech is cracked a little," answered Mr. Damon, who was +examining it; "but otherwise it doesn't seem to be much damaged." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +Presently they heard Koku grunting and groaning. He seemed to +be having quite a struggle. +</P> + +<P> +"Can you get it, Koku?" asked Tom. "Or shall I send for picks +and shovels." +</P> + +<P> +"Me get, Master," was the muffled answer. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my spectacle case!" cried Mr. Damon. "This is the +greatest ever!" +</P> + +<P> +"It sure is," agreed Ned. "Tom, my boy, I guess you can now +make the longest shots on record." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"And the next thing is to get the gun cast," said Tom to Ned +one day. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you going to do it in your shops?" his chum asked. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"We can't cast that gun here!" he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, you can!" declared Tom, who had inspected the plant. +"I'll show you how." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, we haven't a mould big enough for the central core," was +another objection. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I never thought of that!" exclaimed the manager. "Perhaps it +can be done." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course it can!" cried Tom. "Do you think you can shrink on +the jackets, and rifle the central tube?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, we can do that. The initial cast was what stumped me. +But we'll go ahead now." +</P> + +<P> +"And you can wind the breech with wire, and braze it on; can't +you?" persisted Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I think so. Are you going to have a wire-wound gun?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"It must be mighty powerful," exclaimed the manager. +</P> + +<P> +"It is," said Tom, simply. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Hoist away!" cried the manager, and the electric cranes +started off with the caldrons of liquid fire, weighing many tons. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +Tom was interrupted by the sound of a dispute at one of the +outer doors of the shop. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Who is there?" asked the manager sharply of the foreman.. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I think I can," murmured Tom, to himself. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A NIGHT INTRUDER +</H3> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, Ned. Do as you like, only be cautious." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"All right!" exclaimed the foreman. "Don't make that mistake +again, or I'll dock you for lost time." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what was it?" asked Tom, as his chum rejoined him. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think that, Ned?" +</P> + +<P> +"I sure do. You've got to be on your guard, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"I will. But I wonder what object anyone could have in spoiling +my gun?" +</P> + +<P> +"So as to make his own cannon stand in a better light." +</P> + +<P> +"Still thinking of General Waller, are you?" +</P> + +<P> +"I am, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +Koku, good naturedly, gave place, for he, too, felt for +Eradicate. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Who's there?" cried Ned sharply, sitting up in bed. +</P> + +<P> +Instantly the light went out, and there was +silence. +</P> + +<P> +"Who's there?" cried Ned again. +</P> + +<P> +This time he thought he heard a stealthy footstep. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it?" called Tom from his chamber. +</P> + +<P> +"Someone is in here!" exclaimed Ned. "Look out, Tom!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +READY FOR THE TEST +</H3> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"There he is, Tom!" cried Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"What do you want?" demanded Tom, instinctively. But the +intruder did not stay to answer. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Quick!" cried Ned. "Ring the bell for Koku, Ned. I want to +capture this fellow if possible." +</P> + +<P> +"Who is he?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know, but we'll see if we can size him up. Signal for +the giant!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +And in this glare the young inventor saw, speeding away over +the lawn, the form of a big man. +</P> + +<P> +"There he goes, Ned!" he shouted. +</P> + +<P> +"So I see. Koku will be right on the job. I told him not to +dress. Can you make out who the fellow is?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, his back is toward us. But he's limping, all right. I +guess that jump jarred him up a bit. Where is Koku?" +</P> + +<P> +"There he goes now!" exclaimed Ned, as a figure leaped from the +side door of the house—a gigantic figure, scantily clad. +</P> + +<P> +"Get to him, Koku!" cried Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"Me git, Master!" was the reply, and the giant sped on. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm with you," agreed Tom. "Only I want to get into something +a little more substantial than my pajamas." +</P> + +<P> +As the two lads hurriedly slipped on some clothing they heard +the voice of Mr. Swift calling: +</P> + +<P> +"What is it, Tom? Has anything happened?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, Rad; but Koku is after him." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Hark!" exclaimed Ned, as he and Tom were about ready to take +part in the chase. "What's that noise, Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"Sounds like a motor-cycle." +</P> + +<P> +"It is. That fellow—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Where are you going?" +</P> + +<P> +"Out to the shop. I want to see if he got in there." +</P> + +<P> +"But the charged wires?" +</P> + +<P> +"He may have cut them. Come on." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"This looks bad, Tom," said Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"It does, but wait until we get inside and look around. I'm +glad I took my gun-plans to the house with me." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"You mean General Waller?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, that German—the one who was at the machine shop." +</P> + +<P> +"But who is he—what is his object?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +While Tom and Ned were engaged on this, Koku came back, much +out of breath, to report: +</P> + +<P> +"Me not git, Master. He git on bang-bang machine and go off—puff!" +</P> + +<P> +"So we heard, Koku. Never mind, we'll get him yet." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, you mean Baudermann?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Never came back? What do you mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"I mean the day after the cast of the gun was made he +disappeared, and never came back." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my buttonhook!" cried Mr. Damon, who had gone with the +lads. "It's a monster; isn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, wait until you see it with the jackets on!" exclaimed Ned, +who had viewed the completed drawings. "Then you'll open your +eyes." +</P> + +<P> +The great piece of hollow steel tubing was lifted to the boring +lathe. Then Tom and the manager examined it for superficial +flaws. +</P> + +<P> +"Not one!" cried the manager in delight. +</P> + +<P> +"Not that I can see," added Tom.. "It's a success—so far." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Where will you test it?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Thirty miles! why, my dear sir—" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I guess we can pick one out. I'll let you know." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I must get back and arrange for my powder supply," went +on the young inventor. "We'll soon test my giant cannon!" +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my ear-drums!" cried Mr. Damon. "I hope nothing bursts. +For if that goes up, Tom Swift—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap16"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A WARNING +</H3> + +<P> +"Whew, how it rains!" exclaimed Ned, as he looked out of the +window. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"It's beastly," declared his chum. "How can you test your gun +in this weather?" +</P> + +<P> +"I can't. I've got to wait for it to clear." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my rubber boots! it's just got to stop some time," +declared Mr. Damon. "Don't worry, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +The gun was pointed slantingly up the valley, and there was +ample room to attain the thirty-mile range without doing any +damage. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"The paper says 'clear' tomorrow," read Ned, on his return. +"'Clear, with freshening winds.'" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my overshoes!" exclaimed the odd gentleman. "It always +has cleared; hasn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +No one could deny this. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"How are you coming on?" asked Tom of the foreman. +</P> + +<P> +"We could finish it in two days if this rain +would only let up," replied the man. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, let's hope that it will," observed Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"If it doesn't, there's likely to be trouble up above," went on +the foreman, nodding in the direction of the great dam. +</P> + +<P> +"What do you mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"I mean that the water is getting too high. The dam is +weakening, I heard." +</P> + +<P> +"Is that so? Why, I thought they had made it to stand any sort +of a flood." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"You don't mean it! Say, if it does go out with a rush it will +wipe out the village." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"But it would take considerable digging to open a way through +that side of the mountain, into the other valley," went on the +man. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Tom, and then he gave the matter no further +thought, for something came up that needed his attention. +</P> + +<P> +"Have you your explosive here?" asked the foreman of the young +inventor the next day, when the weather showed signs of clearing. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my powder-horn!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You don't mean +it!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +There came a knock on the door of the room Tom had fitted up as +an office in the old farmhouse. +</P> + +<P> +"Who is it?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Me—Koku," was the answer. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what do you want, Koku?" +</P> + +<P> +"Man here say him must see Master." +</P> + +<P> +Tom and Ned looked at each other, suspicion in their eyes. +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe it's that spy again," whispered Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"If it is, we'll be ready for him," murmured his chum. "Show +him in, Koku, and you come in too." +</P> + +<P> +But the man who entered at once disarmed suspicion. He was +evidently a workman from the dam above, and his manner was +strangely excited. +</P> + +<P> +"You folks had better get out of here!" he exclaimed. +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" asked Tom, wondering what was going to happen. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap17"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE BURSTING DAM +</H3> + +<P> +"Bless my fountain pen!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You don't mean +it!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"It's very kind of you," spoke Tom; "but I don't fancy we are +in any danger." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe it can," spoke Tom, softly, but no one asked him what he +meant. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I must be off," the man went on. "I've done my duty in +warning you." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +The man hastened out, murmuring something about "rash and +foolhardy people." +</P> + +<P> +"What are you going to do, Tom?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Stay right here." +</P> + +<P> +"But if the dam bursts?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my checkbook!" cried Mr. Damon. "But what about those +poor people in the valley?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Me watch!" exclaimed the giant, significantly, as he picked up +a heavy club. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you anticipate any trouble?" asked Ned, anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"No, but it's best to be on the safe side," answered Tom. "Now +let's turn in." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"It doesn't look as though it would burst," observed Ned, as +the aircraft hovered over the big artificial lake. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +He steered his powerful little craft in that direction, and +circled low over the spot. +</P> + +<P> +"A bursting projectile, about where that big white stone is, +would do the trick," murmured Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"What trick?" asked Ned, curiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I guess I was talking to myself," admitted Tom, with a +laugh. "I may not have to do it, Ned." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, you're talking in riddles today, all right, Tom. When +you get ready to put me wise, please do." +</P> + +<P> +"I will. Now we'll get back, and fire our first long shot. I do +hope I make a record." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"I guess we're ready now," announced the young inventor, a bit +nervously. "Bring up the powder, Koku." +</P> + +<P> +"Me bring," exclaimed the giant, calmly, as he went to the +bomb-proof where the powerful explosive was kept. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my doormat!" cried Mr. Damon, who stood near, looking +nervously on. "Don't drop any of that." +</P> + +<P> +"Me no drop," was the answer. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"What are you doing, Tom?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm trying to confirm my own theories by means of figures, to +see if I can really reach that farthest target." +</P> + +<P> +"What, not the one thirty miles away. +</P> + +<P> +"That's it, Ned. I want to get a thirty-mile range if I can." +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't possible, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my tape measure! I should say not!" cried Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll see," replied Tom, quietly. "Put in the primer, Ned; +and, Koku, close the breech and slot it home." +</P> + +<P> +In a few seconds the great gun was ready for firing. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"All ready!" cried Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"All ready," answered Ned. +</P> + +<P> +There was a tense moment; Tom's thumb pressed home the electric +button, and then came the explosion. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +Tom rushed from the bombproof, dropping the electric button. He +caught sight of his gun, resting undisturbed on the improvised +carriage. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"It's great, Tom!" yelled his chum, clapping him on the back, +and capering about. "It's the longest shot on record." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my armor plate!" gasped Mr. Damon. "What attacking ship +against the Panama Canal could float after a shot like that." +</P> + +<P> +"Not one," declared Tom; "especially after I put a bursting +charge into the projectile. We'll try that next." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"That does the business!" cried Tom. "My cannon is a success!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"If that doesn't fortify the Panama Canal nothing will," +declared Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I hope I can convince Uncle Sam of that," spoke Tom, +simply. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my watch chain!" cried Mr. Damon. "What's that?" +</P> + +<P> +"It looks as though he was coming to give us a warning," +suggested the steel foreman. +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe someone has kicked about our shooting," remarked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"I hope not," murmured Tom. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my toilet soap!" gasped Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"I was afraid of this!" murmured Tom. "But, since our shots +have hastened the disaster, maybe we can avert it." +</P> + +<P> +"How?" demanded Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap18"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE DOPED POWDER +</H3> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my shovel and hoe!" cried Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +The projectile, with a heavy charge of bursting powder, was +slung into the breech of the gun. +</P> + +<P> +"Now the powder, Koku!" called Tom. "Be quick; but not so fast +that you drop any of it." +</P> + +<P> +"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: +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Critically he looked at the powerful explosive. As he did so a +change came over his face. +</P> + +<P> +"Here, Koku!" the young inventor said. "Where did you get +this?" +</P> + +<P> +"In cave, Master." +</P> + +<P> +"Is there any more left?" +</P> + +<P> +"Only enough for this one shoot." +</P> + +<P> +"By Jove!" muttered Tom. "There's been some trick played here!" +and he set off on a run toward the bomb-proof. +</P> + +<P> +"What's the matter?" cried Ned, as he noticed the agitation of +his chum. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Doped the powder?" gasped Ned. "Who could have done it?" +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my shoe laces!" cried Mr. Damon. "Look at the dam now!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +Ned had reached the foreman, who, with his helpers, was +standing about the big gun. +</P> + +<P> +"Have any of your men left recently?" yelled Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Any of my men left? What do you mean? +</P> + +<P> +"Schlichter went yesterday," said the timekeeper. "I thought he +was in quite a hurry to get his money, too." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes! It's all off now." +</P> + +<P> +He turned to see Tom approaching on the run. +</P> + +<P> +"Any good powder left?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Not a pound. Did you hear anything?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, one man has disappeared. Oh, Tom, we've got to fail after +all! We can't save the town!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, we can, Ned. If that dam will only hold for half an hour +more." +</P> + +<P> +"What do you mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Then Tom set off on the run. +</P> + +<P> +"Where are you going?" gasped his chum. "You can never run to +Preston and back in time." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my timetable!" gasped Mr. Damon. "That's the only way it +can be done. Lucky Tom brought the airship along!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap19"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BLOWING DOWN THE BARRIER +</H3> + +<P> +"Can you see anything of him, Ned?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my insurance policy!" cried Mr. Damon. "Don't say such +things, my friend." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my hat-band!" gasped Mr. Damon. "You—you are getting on +my nerves!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Once more Ned swept the sky with his glasses. The roar of the +water below them could be plainly heard now. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I should say so," agreed the foreman. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"It's Tom!" he cried a second later. "It's Tom in the Humming +Bird!" +</P> + +<P> +"Thank Heaven for that!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, fervently, +forgetting to bless anything on this occasion. "If only he can +get here in time!" +</P> + +<P> +"He's driving her to the limit!" cried Ned, still watching his +chum through the glass. "He's coming!" +</P> + +<P> +"He'll need to," murmured the foreman, grimly. "That dam can't +last ten minutes more. Look at the people fleeing from the +valley!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Is everything ready at the gun?" asked Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I hope he doesn't land too hard, with all that explosive on +board," murmured the foreman. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my checkerboard!" cried Mr. Damon. "Don't suggest such a +thing." +</P> + +<P> +"I guess we can trust Tom," spoke Ned. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Have you got it, Tom?" yelled Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"I have," was the answer of the young inventor as he leaped +from his seat. +</P> + +<P> +"Is it good powder?" asked the foreman, anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"That's what!" agreed the foreman, as he helped Koku take the +cans of explosive. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"It's all right!" he shouted. "Into the gun with it, and we'll +see what happens." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"All ready?" asked the young inventor, as he looked around at +his friends gathered in the cave. +</P> + +<P> +"I—I guess so," answered Ned, somewhat doubtfully. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"The dam! It has given way!" cried Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"That's it!" shouted the foreman. "Fire!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"All right!" shouted Tom. "The gun held together. It's safe to +go out. We'll see what happened!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"A good shot!" cried the foreman. "Just in the right place, +Tom Swift!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +The village of Preston had been saved by the +shot from Tom's giant cannon. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap20"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS +</H3> + +<P> +"Whew! Let me sit down somewhere and get my breath!" gasped +Tom, when it was all over. +</P> + +<P> +"I should think you would want a bit of quiet," replied Ned. +"You've been on the jump since early morning." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"He sure did," declared the foreman. "No one else could have +done it, either." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"How was that?" asked Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"But it came out all right," went on Tom. "I bundled it into +the other seat of my Humming Bird, and started back." +</P> + +<P> +"Had most of the folks left town?" asked the foreman. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, they don't need to be scared any more," put in Mr. Damon +"You saved their homes for them, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +They intended to rebuild the dam, they said, on a new +principle, making it much stronger. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a sort of rivalry between us," said Tom to Ned. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"The gun is most wonderful," spoke a voice with a German +accent. "It is surprising!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +When the board members left, the chief promised to let Tom know +the result of the formal report as soon as possible. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we'll soon know the verdict," spoke Tom, somewhat +nervously, as he opened the envelope. Quickly he read the +enclosure. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it!" cried Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap21"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +OFF FOR PANAMA +</H3> + +<P> +"Well, Tom, it doesn't seem possible; does it, old man?" +</P> + +<P> +"You're right, Ned—in a way. And yet, after all the hard work +we've done, almost anything is possible." +</P> + +<P> +"Hard work! We? Oh, pshaw! You've done most of it, Tom. I only +helped here and there." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my timetable! but I agree with you," put in Mr. Damon. +"But at last we are on the way, in spite of delays." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"If anyone tries to dope that powder now, and spoil my test at +Panama," declared Tom, "he'll wish he'd never tried it." +</P> + +<P> +"Especially if Koku gets hold of him," added Ned, grimly. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"You don't really believe anything like treachery would be +attempted; do you, Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"If it's anything it's jealousy," declared Ned, "That General +Waller—" +</P> + +<P> +"There you go again, Ned. Let's not talk about it. Come on +forward and see what progress we are making." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"But suppose Uncle Sam decides against the cannon on this +second test?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, then I've lost out, that's all," declared Tom, +philosophically. "But I don't believe they will." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Especially the powder," put in Ned. "If that starts to banging +around—well, I'd rather be somewhere else." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, I'll be better," promised Ned, with a laugh. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Look, Ned!" he exclaimed, in a low voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Where?" +</P> + +<P> +"At that man—an officer in civilian dress, I should +judge—haven't you seen him before?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I guess not, Ned. He had on a uniform then." +</P> + +<P> +"By jinks! I have it. That German officer—von Brunderger! +That's he!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder what he's doing aboard here?" went on our hero's +chum. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll soon know," spoke Tom. "He's seen us and is nodding. We +might as well go meet him." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"It is going to be a big thing," spoke Tom. "I am proud that my +gun is going to help protect it." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it's on board," said Tom. "Are you going to Panama for +any special purpose?" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +He went below, leaving Tom and Ned staring at one another. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what do you think of it?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe so." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"What's up, Ned?" he called to his chum, who had an adjoining +stateroom. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know, Tom. Something is going on, though. Hear that +thumping and pounding!" +</P> + +<P> +As Ned spoke there came a tremendous noise from the deck. +</P> + +<P> +"By Jove!" yelled Tom, jumping from his berth. "It's my big +gun! It has torn loose from the lashings and may roll overboard!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap22"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +AT GATUN LOCKS +</H3> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on, Ned!" cried Tom. "We've got to help here!" +</P> + +<P> +"That's right. Look at her swing, would you? If she hits +anything it's a goner!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Look out for yourselves, boys!" cried the officer, as he saw +Tom and Ned. "This is no plaything!" +</P> + +<P> +"I know it!" gasped Tom. "But we've got to fasten it down." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Ned, go call Koku!" cried Tom. "We need him up here." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"On deck, Koku, quick!" gasped Ned. "Master's cannon may fall +into the sea." +</P> + +<P> +"But the powder!" asked the big man, simply. "Master told me to +guard the powder. I stay here." +</P> + +<P> +"No, I'll stay!" insisted Ned. "You are needed on deck, I'll +take your place here." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Quick!" cried Tom. "Now another rope so it can't roll the +opposite way, and we'll have her." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Whew! But that was tough work!" exclaimed Tom, as he once more +entered the stateroom with Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"It must have been," agreed his chum, who had been relieved at +the powder station by the giant. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"How did it happen to get loose?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, the cables frayed, I suppose. I'll take a look in the +morning. Say, but this is some storm!" +</P> + +<P> +"Is the gun all right now?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Not much sleep in this blow, I guess," responded Ned. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"These seem mighty strong. It's queer how they broke." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, there was quite a weight upon them," spoke Tom. +</P> + +<P> +Ned did not reply for a moment. Then, as he looked at another +piece of a severed cable, he exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"Tom, the weight of your gun never broke these." +</P> + +<P> +"What do you mean, Ned?" +</P> + +<P> +"I mean that they were partly filed, or cut through—then the +storm and the pressure of the gun did the rest. Look!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"None that I know of," replied Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"General Waller might have hired someone to—" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't go making any unwarranted charges," warned the young +inventor. +</P> + +<P> +"Or perhaps that German, Tom, might—" +</P> + +<P> +"Hush!" cautioned Tom. "Here he comes now," and, as he spoke, +General von Brunderger came strolling along the deck. +</P> + +<P> +"I am glad to see that the accident of last night had no +serious effects," he said, smiling. +</P> + +<P> +"It was no accident!" burst out Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"No accident? You surprise me. I thought—" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"The cables cut!" exclaimed the German, and his voice indicated +anxious solicitude. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"What did you shut me off for?" asked Ned, when he and his chum +were alone in their stateroom again. +</P> + +<P> +"Because I didn't want you to make any breaks before him," +answered Tom. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you suspect—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"And I'll be with you." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"And now for some more hard work," remarked Tom, as all the +needful stores were landed. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap23"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +NEWS OF THE MINE +</H3> + +<P> +"Just a little farther over this way, Ned. That's better. Now +mark it there, and we'll have it clamped down." +</P> + +<P> +"But can you get enough elevation here, Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"Here I be, Master." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my rubber coat, Tom, I'll do all I can to help you!" +declared the odd man. +</P> + +<P> +"Massa Tom! Massa Tom!" called Eradicate. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Rad. What is it?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"He sure is jealous of Koku," remarked Ned, as Tom and Mr. +Damon smiled at the colored man. +</P> + +<P> +"He certainly hit me in the right spot," declared Tom, as he +reached for another sandwich. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"I have," answered Tom, calmly, "and with the increased +elevation that I am able to get here, it may exceed that." +</P> + +<P> +The officer said nothing, but he looked at Tom in what our hero +thought was a peculiar manner. +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"There is a gentleman asking to see you, Mr. Swift." +</P> + +<P> +"Who is it?" asked Tom, laying aside a pressure gauge he +intended attaching to the gun. +</P> + +<P> +"He says his name is Peterson—Alec Peterson. Do you want to +see him?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, let him come up," directed the young inventor. "Do you +hear that, Ned?" he called. "Our fortune-hunting friend is here." +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe he's found that lost opal mine," suggested Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Fine!" answered Tom. "Have you found the lost mine yet?" +</P> + +<P> +Alec Peterson paused a moment. Then he said slowly: +</P> + +<P> +"No, Tom, I haven't succeeded in locating the mine yet. But +I—I expect to any day now!" he added, hastily. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap24"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXIV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE LONGEST SHOT +</H3> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I have, Tom. But I'm not going to give up. Can't you come over +and see me before you go back North?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'll try. Just where is your island?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"After my gun has been tested," said Tom, with a smile. "Better +stay and see it." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, good-bye, and good luck to you," called Tom, as the +fortune-hunter started away. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think he'll ever find the opals, Tom?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +His chum shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Then your father's ten thousand dollars will be lost?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"You mean because he saved you from the live wire?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"That's right, Tom. Well, start off, I'm with you." +</P> + +<P> +The two youths labored for some time, being helped, of course, +by the workmen provided by the government, and some from the +steel concern. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Suppose it fails, Ned?" he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it can't!" cried his chum. "Don't think about such a +thing." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, today tells the tale!" exclaimed the young inventor, as +he got up one morning. "How's the weather, Ned?" +</P> + +<P> +"Couldn't be better—clear as a bell, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"That's good. Well, let's have grub, and then go out and see +how my pet is." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I guess nothing could happen, with Koku on guard." +</P> + +<P> +"No, hardly. I'm going to keep him in the ammunition room until +after the test, too. I'm going to take no chances." +</P> + +<P> +"That's the ticket!" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Me here, Master," was the reply. +</P> + +<P> +"All right, send up a practice load." +</P> + +<P> +Slowly the powerful explosive came up on the electric hoist. It +was placed in the firing chamber and the breech closed. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"All ready!" answered Ned, who was acting as chief assistant. +</P> + +<P> +"Here she goes!" cried Tom, and he pressed the button. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Over eight miles!" declared one grizzled officer; "and that +with only a practice charge. What will happen when he puts in a +full one?' +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know," answered a friend. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +But Tom, and those who knew the awful power of the big cannon, +wore specially prepared eardrum protectors, that served to reduce +the shock. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it?" called Tom to the wireless operator, who was +receiving the range distance from the marking ship. +</P> + +<P> +"A little less than twenty-nine miles." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Possibly," admitted Tom. "Here comes the report." The wireless +operator waved a slip of paper. +</P> + +<P> +"Thirty-one miles!" he announced. +</P> + +<P> +"Hurray!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my telescope! The longest +shot on record!" +</P> + +<P> +"I believe it is," admitted the chief of the ordnance +department. "I congratulate you, Mr. Swift." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Does that mean more powder, Tom?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't it a risk, Tom?" his chum asked. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Something happened, all right!" he called aloud. "That shot +hit something." +</P> + +<P> +"Not one of the ships!" cried Tom, aghast. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know. There seems to be some difficulty in +transmitting. Wait—I'm getting it: now." +</P> + +<P> +As he ceased speaking there came from underneath the great gun +the sound of confused shouts. Tom and Ned recognized Koku's voice +protesting: +</P> + +<P> +"No—no—you can't come in here! Master said no one was to come +in." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"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: +</P> + +<P> +"Help! Help! Help!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it, Koku? What is it?" cried Tom, plunging down into +the little chamber. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"It's von Brunderger's servant!" gasped Ned, recognizing the +fellow. +</P> + +<P> +"What did he do, Koku?" demanded the young inventor. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"The scoundrel!" cried Tom. "They're trying to break me, even +at the last minute! Come on, Ned." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"What does it mean?" cried Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Mr. Swift! Where's Mr. Swift?" shouted the wireless operator. +"Where are you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; what is it?" demanded Tom, so excited that he hardly knew +what he was doing. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap25"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE LONG-LOST MINE +</H3> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +The operator read the message again. +</P> + +<P> +"Thirty-three miles!" murmured Tom. "That is better than I +dared to hope. But what's that about blowing the top off an +island?" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Anybody hurt?" asked Tom, anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"No, it was an uninhabited island. But you have made the record +shot, all right. It went farther than any of the others." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I suppose I ought to be satisfied," remarked Tom, with a +smile. +</P> + +<P> +"What was that disturbance, Mr. Swift?" asked the chief +ordnance officer, coming forward. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"As he had a right to do. But who was the intruder?" +</P> + +<P> +"Herr von Brunderger's man." +</P> + +<P> +"Ha! That German officer's! Where is he, he must explain this." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"But what was the object?" asked Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"To destroy Tom's gun," declared Mr. Damon. +</P> + +<P> +"Why should von Brunderger want to do that?" +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, that explains the mystery," said Tom to Ned a few days +later. "I guess we won't have to worry any more." +</P> + +<P> +"No, and I'm sorry I suspected General Waller." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I should say so," agreed Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Good! I congratulate you, my boy!" cried the odd man. "And +now, bless my postage stamp, let's get back to the United +States." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +But there was no need. That same day Alec Peterson came to +Colon inquiring for Tom. His face showed a new delight. +</P> + +<P> +"Why," cried Tom, "you look as though you had found your opal +mine." +</P> + +<P> +"I have!" exclaimed the fortune-hunter. "Or, rather, Tom, I +think I have you to thank for finding it for me." +</P> + +<P> +"Me find it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Did you hear about the top of the island-mountain you +blew to pieces?" +</P> + +<P> +"We did, but—" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm glad of it!" answered the young inventor, heartily. "Glad +for your sake, Mr. Peterson." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"We will come, Mr. Peterson, just as soon as I close up matters +here." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my hand towel!" cried Mr. Damon. "I think you are +entitled to a rest, Tom." +</P> + +<P> +"That's what I say," agreed Ned. +</P> + +<P> +"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?" +</P> + +<P> +"I guess so, Rad!" exclaimed the young inventor, with a laugh. +"Is dinner ready?" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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!" +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1361 ***</div> +</BODY> + +</HTML> + + |